2008 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spätlese (Germany, Rheingau) upper $22(ish)?
Per the praise I've heard bandied here and there I picked this up to see what all the hubbub was about. Very nice Riesling in the not over the top Spätlese mode. Seems like a good with everything kind of wine. Like a member of your regular drinking club who is not the funniest, richest, biggest, etc. but still nice to have around.
2008 Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett (Germany, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) $25
Very nice wine. I got it to compare to the Prüm from the same vineyard/vintage I'd had. Not as big and muscular as the Prüm, but very well built none the less. The price was nice too (relative to the JJP). Nice Rieslingy perfume, which you may know as "petrol", zippy acid, some lightly honeyed apples. Crying out for a roast something and a wooden table out of doors to eat it at. Makes me think of Oktoberfest Märzen, though not in any taste kind of way. I realize that sounds confusing.
2007 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard (USA, Oregon) $42
Wow, I can't believe I spent this much money, though after tasting this I'm glad I did. Was just in the mood for some typical red wine goodness. I was a bit worried given some of what I'd read about these that it might not be ready to play, but it tasted good to me. Plenty of fruit of the cherry/berry type with hints of earthy type things. Seemed to me to be between Burgundy and CA. Maybe that's the Oregon thing. Whatever it is I like. The proof of the pudding was in the empty bottle. Had it with roast chicken, diced potatoes, peas, and Hurricane Irene.
2010 Domaine du Vissoux / Pierre-Marie Chermette Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Traditionnelle (France, Beaujolais) Free taste at Weygandts
Stopped by Weygandts to say high to Tim. There's been a big change at WW, with Todd leaving and Tim taking over. For local fans there are interesting things on the horizon but I'll comment on that elsewhere. In any case this had been opened the day before and it was stunning. This wine really craves some air and time. For the money I have a hard time thinking of many better wines. Almost Pinot like at times with great grapey, though by no mean stupid, fun. I rate the '10 higher than the '09.
2000 Müller-Catoir Mußbacher Eselshaut Rieslaner Spätlese (Germany, Pfalz) Free Taste at Weygandts
WLDG-er Matthew L. had brought this in, for which I owe him an enormous debt of gratitude (he in turns thanks Saili IIRC for turning him on to this). First Müller-Catoir for me. This is atomic bomb wine. It levels all that comes before or after. Honey, spice, Element X, fall, light shimmering through trees, the impossible distances of the cosmos. From on off vintage says Mr. L. Off vintage? If this is wrong I don't want to be right. I know there has been much comment on life Pre/Post Schwarz, so given how much I like this I do approach buying MC with some trepidation, given the price points it's usually operating at, but I'm definitely in damn the torpedoes mode after this (and it seems like some older vintage stuff is out there at not yet unobtainable prices).
BTW how does one pronounce the "Catoir"? My eight years of German is not leaving me a clue. I keep wanting to say it in the French fashion (Kat-twa) but that doesn't seem right.
