I caught the mother of all colds -- I'm hacking and snorting like a man in a gas chamber -- but even that can't completely mask the tremendous bursts of flavors and mouth-coating joy of these two jewels. I'll keep my notes short, as I'm no doubt missing ninety-five percent of the action.
2005 SCHLOSS REINHARTHAUSEN ERBACH SCHLOSSBERG MONOPOLE RHEINGAU RIESLING I long ago wrote off the Rheingau as the Bermuda Triangle of the Rhine. Big mistake, if this is the sort of off dry liquid gold they are making there now. It is Auslese weight, says the winemaker, whose claim is backed up by a peachy wine with 13.5 percent alcohol and enough flavor and finish to satisfy the dead. What a nice way to cure a cold! A bargain at a few bucks south of thirty.
1998 SCHOFFIT CLOS SAINT-THEOBALD RANGEN DE THANN SELECTION DE GRAINS NOBLES GEWURZTRAMINER ALSACE GRAND CRUS Better than Vicks cough drops. In fact, 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 times better. I bought about a half case of 500 MLs of this wine five years ago and I don't know if there are any still available in your neighborhood 7-11, but should you stumble on one, save it for when you feel like you want to die. If anything will make you want to live, this will.