WTN: Gruaud Larose and Muller-Catoirs with fried chicken

Had David Bueker over for dinner last night - I'd borrowed a friend's deep fryer for a few days, and tried my hand at making some fried chicken (one batch in jerk marinade and then buttermilk, another following the Thomas Keller buttermilk fried chicken recipe). As always we drank well.

1981 Château Gruaud Larose
At first this comes across a lot like an older Loire Cab Franc with mature cassis and berried fruit framed by tobacco, green pepper and forestal earthy notes on an elegant, medium weight frame kept very vibrant and precise by bright acidity. With some air it becomes more leathery and meaty as that Cordier funk emerges. Lovely stuff, drinking beautifully right now with tannins fully resolved and plenty of life and freshness to the fruit.

2001 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken
Not quite the head turner that my last bottle was, but delicious all the same. Bright, powerful lemon and grapefruit flavours over stony minerality, with a faint creaminess emerging with some air. Quite rich for a Kabinett, but very precise, focused and refreshing.

1998 Müller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Spätlese
Magnificent. Incredibly fragrant and perfumed; a powerhouse of mango, pink grapefruit and all sorts of other exotic tropical fruits with a dusting of fresh flowers - there's tremendous intensity and sweetness here, fantastic balance and remarkable persistence. This has none of the faint greenness that I've noticed in the two other bottles I've enjoyed, just pure tropical Scheurebe exuberance and a joy to drink.

1998 Müller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Auslese
This carries on from where the Spätlese left off; still a kaleidoscope of mango, pink grapefruit and other tropical fruits and flowers, but conveyed with more intensity and ripeness here. There's the same balance, sense of sheer drinkability and exuberance, spectacular stuff.

[David M. Bueker]

Good meal. Thanks Salil. The cats were hungry when I got home & kept sniffing my clothes - must have picked up aromas from the frying chicken. It kept them in my lap while I watched the DVR of the game.

Is it worth drinking any of the Müller-Catoirs in their youth? I realize from my readings here that there's much to be gained from age, but I'm wondering if dipping my foot in to see what's going on will be worth the price.

Is it worth drinking any of the Müller-Catoirs in their youth?

For most people, German riesling is probably one of the most friendly categories of wine for drinking young/upon release and that includes Müller-Catoir. They're not exactly austere difficult wines.

Is it worth drinking any of the Müller-Catoirs in their youth?

Definitely. As Rahsaan says, they're very approachable and fun in their youth. (Keep an eye out for their Rieslaners.)

Is it worth drinking any of the Müller-Catoirs in their youth?

Definitely. As Rahsaan says, they're very approachable and fun in their youth. (Keep an eye out for their Rieslaners.)

I had a half-bottle of '09 M-C Herzog Rieslaner Auslese last week (16€!). It's drinking beautifully now, though it was just not quite sweet enough for dessert. They ought to bottle it in Magnum so more people would drink it main-course.

Cheers,
Bill

Is it worth drinking any of the Müller-Catoirs in their youth? I realize from my readings here that there's much to be gained from age, but I'm wondering if dipping my foot in to see what's going on will be worth the price.

Nah, though they were up until 8 years ago... *




*just a dig aimed at Salil and David who know I think the estate was never as good when HGS left after the 2001 vintage.

[David M. Bueker]

Jay,

I completely agree with you. Franzen makes nice wines, but they are nowhere near the quality of what HGS produced.

I've really been wanting to try the MC wines but the are rather dear. The cheapest I find around here is $41(putting it at $45 after tax) for the 2007 Haardt Kabinett Trocken.

I do have to say I've been obsessing on the idea of fried chicken and Riesling though.

[David M. Bueker]

I've really been wanting to try the MC wines but the are rather dear. The cheapest I find around here is $41(putting it at $45 after tax) for the 2007 Haardt Kabinett Trocken.

I do have to say I've been obsessing on the idea of fried chicken and Riesling though.

The wine is not worth $41.

You know I popped over to the Skurnik site. I'm wondering if the MC's are even my style. "Dry" is what he bandies about though for some reason "rich" is the impression I got from the above note (and the McNeil book). I think I'm one of those that drink sweeter than I think I do.

You know I popped over to the Skurnik site. I'm wondering if the MC's are even my style. "Dry" is what he bandies about though for some reason "rich" is the impression I got from the above note (and the McNeil book). I think I'm one of those that drink sweeter than I think I do.

Catoir (under Franzen) makes a wide range of wines and styles. The trockens are certainly dry, but his Spatlese and Auslese are very good - sometimes outstanding - sweet wines. The trocken you mention is hideously overpriced - I've normally seen his Kabinetts in the mid $20 range. Look out for the regular Mussbach Kabinett (NOT trocken) - had a couple of bottles in Singapore this winter, and it was delightful. And his '08 Herzog Rieslaner Spatlese is a tremendous wine that I've had a lot of - a powerhouse with a lot of sweetness and depth, but great fun.

The wines are a bit on the pricey side for German Riesling - Leitz, Selbach-Oster, Kruger-Rumpf, Meulenhof and a LOT of others make a lot of comparable or better wines that usually don't cost as much. But I do enjoy some of the Franzen-era Catoirs occasionally.

And that said, I do agree with Jay and David that the Schwarz-era wines are something else. For me some of the HGS wines (particularly the '98 and '01 Scheus, and Burgergarten Rieslings) are about as enjoyable and fun as wine ever gets.

[David M. Bueker]

[quote="Salil"}
Catoir (under Franzen) makes a wide range of wines and styles. The trockens are certainly dry, but his Spatlese and Auslese are very good - sometimes outstanding - sweet wines. [/quote]

The problem is the Franzen wines are priced as if they are still the top of their class. Most of the time they do not reach that level - not even close IMO.