Last month was busy, and I didn't get to open as much as usual. Fortunately, this time, it was a case of quality over quantity.
2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Rotlay
From 375 ml bottle. Ripe, but not super sweet like some Auslesen these days, this has really nice acidity and crisp slate running throughout. A mix of fresh and baked apple/pear flavors; white floral/acacia scents; plus notes of limes, honey, and vanilla. Very good.
2012 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Ur Alte Reben
Medium to full-bodied, round, just off-dry, exceptionally balanced. Lightly herbal/floral/gingery, with strawberry, apple, and kiwifruit flavors cast over a core of finely delineated slate and chalk. The fresh, pure chalk comes through on the nose as well. Excellent.
2009 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Großes Gewächs
This is what used to be the Auslese Trocken ‘S’, which I haven’t been fortunate enough to come across yet. Whatever the name, it is an impressive dry wine; full-bodied, powerful, bone dry, with excellent acidity, and a nicely delineated core of slate. Powdered sugar on the nose; floral, herbal; a bit saline; with lime, melon, and black cherry flavors. This has a great future ahead of it.
2003 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs
Floral, pink peppercorn, citrus, stony, lightly smoky nose, with a bit of confectioner’s sugar. Round, very stony, quite elegant considering the vintage, showing impressive cut, depth, and focus; plus white grapefruit, coriander, macadamia nut, and lentil flavors, and a bit of beeswax. Picks up a bit of orange on the finish. Bone dry, but not aggressively so, as many GGs can be; nothing feels forced here. Excellent+; recalling the similarly impressive 2003 Hubacker GG back in 2010, it’s clear that Keller knocked this difficult vintage way out of the park. Still don’t know why these were closed out for only $8, which was the bargain of a lifetime.
2009 Jermann Vintage Tunina IGT Venezia Giulia
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana, and Picolit. Full, round, concentrated, with good acidity. Shows floral aromas, along with golden and white fruit, mineral, lightly honeyed/nutty, and anise flavors. Excellent.
2001 Château Joanin Bécot Côtes de Castillon
75% Merlot/25% Cabernet Franc. Ripe, smooth, well balanced, with a lot of vanilla on the nose, and cherry, blackberry, cedar, and warm stone flavors. Very good.
2003 Azienda Agricola Tomasso Bussola l’Errante IGT Veronese
80% Merlot; 20% Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, made in the same manner as an Amarone.
Full-bodied, soft, round, with lightly dusty tannins; ripe, lightly sweet, with dried cherry, red currant, kirsch, floral, tobacco, and red pepper notes. You might expect it to be overripe given the vintage, but it’s quite nicely balanced. Excellent.