Richard and Naoko and the kids came over and we prepared Thai -- som tam, bo bia sod, gai yang, pak bung fai daeng, khao niao mamuang.
While we were finishing the cooking, we drank the rosé. With the food, we worked through the Germans, saving the Muller-Catoir to sip before and with dessert.
- 2005 Château Cambon Beaujolais Rosé - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais
A fair bit darker and without the coppery hints of the 2004, this is a solid deep pink even tending into a little red. The nose shows a fundamental earthiness, along with strawberry and a bit of cherry fruit. Palate is fairly substantial for a rosé, but with none of the hints of sweetness that were in the ’04. A bit of gravel, the lightest hint of peach, but mostly just straightforward berry. Enjoyable, but lacking a bit of liveliness. I’ll buy more, but with a bit less excitement than previously. - 2002 Egon Müller Riesling QbA Scharzhof - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Saar
A light yellow that is deepening a bit from the last bottle I had a year or so ago, but still fresh looking. Nose is predominantly pear and lime, but with a bit of stone and spice. The spice seems to have come out considerably over the last year and the fruit on the nose seems a bit less sweet but no less rich. On the palate, has the same great raciness that makes this such a great accompaniment to Thai food. Good streak of stony mineral, along with peach, pear, and a great lemony acidity. On the finish, a bit of floral honey comes out, but only the very lightest honey. Light, dancing, and cutting beautifully through the spicy food – Saaring, not searing! - 2004 Dönnhoff Riesling Estate QbA - Germany, Nahe
Very, very light in color and crystal clear like springwater. The refreshing appearance carries through on the nose where a very primary cherry fruit (that I find trademark for Dönnhoff) is joined by apple, lemon, and a bit of a tropical hint. On the palate, fresh and tight, but still with a great fullness of flavor and body without ever getting heavy. Still primary, not a lot of complexity showing yet, but terrifically balanced juice that leaves that haunting cherry taste long after it is gone. I always seem to think of Dönnhoff QbA’s and Kab’s as being water with weight and flavor and cut because they’re so damn easy to drink but still pack a great refreshing flavor punch. A very enjoyable wine of which I’ll be happy to drink more, but with a flavor profile and fullness that does not work as well with Thai. - 2003 Müller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Pfalz
A pretty greenish yellow that seems even to hint at the lightest peach, but I must just be anticipating the nose here. On the nose, an immediate impression of a bouquet of assorted white and yellow flowers backed by peachy fruit with an undercurrent of lime. Initially seems a bit too sweet on the palate, but then a zing of mineral comes traipsing through, trailing fresh acidity that turns the sweetness to that of a very young and still firm peach. On the finish, more of the floral goes on forever, along with some greener fresh herb. Intermittent sips for two following days in the fridge see the floral element settle down, the sweetness become less pronounced, and much more gentle tropical fruit and grapefruit emerge. Eaten with mango and sticky rice, it was best to catch it on day one. With savory food or alone, it was been better on the third day.
I love Thai food, I love simple German wines, and I love having family close at hand even though I live in Tokyo.
Posted from CellarTracker