German Riesling and Loire Chenin vie for being my favourite white wine types and I have opened some delicious bottles of them in recent weeks.
Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Kabinett 2008 – C. von Schubert – Alc.8%. I think that this was probably the wrong time to open this wine. It was more exuberant a year ago but had not yet developed the delicious subtlety of the Graacher Himmelreich which follows. Enjoyable nevertheless for its combination of minerals, saline structure, crisp acidity and gentle sweetness, but there was a slight tartness which should disappear with time; 15.5/20.
Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett 1998 – Joh.Jos.Prüm – Alc.8% - was my idea of a perfect Kabinett with complex aromas of white fruit, spice and minerals, light/medium body, a beautiful focus of mouth watering acidity, minerals and fruit and great length. Superbly elegant; 17/20++.
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese trocken 2002 – Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff - Alc.12% - was a lovely and beautifully focused crisp dry Riesling with bracing moreish acidity, white fruit, spice, mineral and a faint petrol hint. It did not have (any longer?) that slightly creamy roundness which I find in many Dönnhoff wines but was none the worse for that; 17/20.
Vouvray Les Perruches (demi-sec) 1996 – Domaine du Clos Naudin, Philippe Foreau – Alc.12.3%. This bottle did not fully live up to my memory of a celestial previous one but was nevertheless very fine with aromas of pear, wax, minerals and nuts, medium body, fine rich roundness with a sweet undertow balanced by still crisp acidity making the overall effect lively as well as rich; 17.5/20.