WTN: Dinner with Family (Scheu, Burgs, Pinot)

[David M. Bueker]

2001 Muller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Spatlese
Going through an intermediate stage. Shows rather green and bitter, with a grapefruit pith element that is dominant. Hold.

1993 Monthelie-Douhariet Volnay Champans 1er Cru
As dead as George Steinbrenner. Two hours of slow-ow CPR did it no good.

1995 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey Chambertin
Fully mature, and very food friendly. Bright, funky and aromatic.

2005 kosta-Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Surprisingly this was not horrifying. Yes it was ripe, but it was neither alcoholic nor unbalanced.

2001 Muller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Spatlese
Going through an intermediate stage. Shows rather green and bitter, with a grapefruit pith element that is dominant. Hold.

That's very surprising to hear. I've opened two bottles of this earlier in the year, one was very good and the other was truly exceptional - neither particularly green or bitter. (Though I've got a few more bottles, so we can always try and see if this was an anomaly. )

Nice lineup of wines, and glad to see the Kosta-Browne note. Shane (KB's assistant winemaker) mentioned that recently they've been shooting for more balance in the wines and I was really impressed when tasting there a few weeks ago.

If the Scheu fits, drink it??

Schuerebe was bred to beat riesling on the must-weight scale, other factors being equal, while trying to minimize the sacrifice in aromaticity, acidity, and other positive attributes, for sweet wines. I have had (and still possess in my cellar) some excellent scheurebe beerenauslesen.

But I can see where the grape might show an undesirable green side in a sun-deprived vintage.

-Paul W.

Scheu can have a green side at times... but I'm shocked to hear the '01 (from a very ripe year, hardly sun-deprived) being described like that, as every bottle I've had has been incredibly fun with wonderful tropical fruit, florality and herbal flavours.

[David M. Bueker]

Paul - this is a very analomous showing for the wine as Salil says. It's never had the sheer opulence of the '98 (which has also gone through odd phases in its life), but has usually shown quite tropical and lush.