WTN: 2010 Scheurebe

WTN: 2010 Weegmüller Scheurebe –Pfalz, Germany 11,5%

There is a Garden high above Neustadt called the Sonnenhang of which the terraces once belonged to vines and are now partially used to grow herbs and fruit for marmalade. The proprietress makes one of the most delicious Gooseberry Jams (Stachelbeeren Marmelade) that I have ever tasted. It is sweet and tart and slightly acidic, almost a grapefruit/tangerine marriage of fruitiness but with enough edge to be refreshing instead of candied. Within a kilometer of this place is Weegmüller, also run by women and though it sounds cliché (but also self applied by the estate), the wines do run a little more feminine as well as more juicy, succulent and more fruit driven than do the wines of Müller-Catoir, their immediate neighbor both in address and in many vineyard parcels. Can it really be coincidence that this Weegmüller 2010 Scheurebe is the reincarnation of the Gooseberry Jam in liquid form? I do know that it (the wine) is one of the better Scheurebe that I’ve tasted in a while. It is not short on aroma (surprising because of its youth), and also long on acidity and completely delicious. Sauvignon Blanc who?

Cheers,
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

So if you are referencing Gooseberry jam I take it this Scheu more towards the Sauv Blanc style than the tropical fruit style?

So if you are referencing Gooseberry jam I take it this Scheu more towards the Sauv Blanc style than the tropical fruit style?

Indeed. And so it will be for most in 2010 I think. The actual 2010 Sauvignon Blancs that I've tried are much more of Capsicum than of fruit. But as you know, Germany is Sauvignon Blanc Craaaaaazy right now.

Cheers,
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

But as you know, Germany is Sauvignon Blanc Craaaaaazy right now.

God only knows why. Disgusting stuff.

D'oh!

Bill -

Thanks for the interesting note, and for giving us an idea of what to expect from Pfalz Scheurebe in 2010.

You aren't growing Sauvignon Blanc, are you?

Fellas,

I’m really looking forward to seeing what Müller-Catoir and Pfeffingen do with Scheu (and how many different prädikat bottlings they offer) this year. I have heard that M-C might not have much to sell.

Actually Andrew, we do grow Sauvignon Blanc (don’t look at me. I just work here! ) The 2010 was very interesting to watch and taste through fermentation. There were never two days that it tasted the same, sometimes peachy, sometimes grapefruity, and sometimes grassy and bell peppery. There was a lot of discussion as to where to stop the fermentation in regards to rs to cope with the acidity. Rot was not a major problem. All said and done it’s perfectly OK.

I’m not a huge fan of Sauvignon when it is not from Le Loire, or Northeast Italy, or Chile (where I reluctantly became a believer over a delicious plate of razor-clams high above the Pacific in the beautiful town of Valparaiso and again touring the Casablanca Valley. Funny how that’ll happen.)

So why does Germany need Sauvignon? It doesn’t need both Sauvignon and Scheurebe (as Der terry points out in his catalogs.) The answer is complicated. Some Germans want something that sounds exotic and imported and international and sophisticated and Un-German, but they want it produced in Germany. Collective guilt meets Patriotism equals German Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. Part of me asks why not? If someone wants to grow Cabernet Sauvignon and reduce yields to 5 hl/ha to get it to ripen and they have customers who are willing to pay the premium, who is anyone to say they shouldn’t? One need only look to Alsace to see how well a restriction on varietals has translated into image and fashion and sales. Of course the other part of me applauds Alsace for its conviction and integrity and its self-confidence (and Christ, image and fashion and sales aren’t everything.) I don’t mind the uncompromising Dogmatists as long as they don’t get too preachy or militant. Part of the reason that Scheurebe is not fashionable or more appreciated is because Germany (and Switzerland) have gone completely crazy in the development of Crossings and the poor consumer has no idea which are worthwhile and which are not (FYI, Cabernet Blanc is the newest fad; no doubt its popularity will soar after the 2010 vintage as it is very resistant to rot. That and a lot of BIO-Weingüter have been springing up.) The good news is that a lot of younger up-and-comers are going back to the traditional vines (for example Silvaner is a rockin’ round here). Now if someone could just convince everyone to grub up their Dornfelder and plant Gelber Orleans and Trollinger.

Cheers,
Bill