As a great sage once told me over breakfast, one must keep moving or drown, so here I present the fruits of my latest dive into the shadowy depths of my wine cellar.
There are Rieslings which age well and there are Rieslings which turn suddenly and violently into bottles of pure, yellow evil. This one, through the vintners' skill or luck, was the former.
As pleasant as it was when fresh, the 1999 Dr L was a really wonderful surprise nine years later. I'm pretty sure I bought this one at a local supermarket chain, and I'm equally sure I paid fewer than ten dollars for it. I believe it was purchased in a crowd, with several bottles of the same vintage and probably something less respectable. For the moment, pretend it was not Blue Nun, so that I may retain whatever vestiges of credit I pretend to.
Like so many of the wines pulled bodily from my cellar, this one has become sour. It has, however, retained the flavors of oak and still, miraculously, grape. One seldom hears of a wine that tastes like grape, but this one is distinct and tasty. The Alcohol has not become overpowering, and the wine has taken on a viscous mouth feel characteristic of well-aged Riesling. I found the finish to be very crisp and pleasant, and the overall experience to be positive.
A winner! Or, from another point of view, one which fails to be unpleasant (and is therefore a loser)!
Next week: Horror!
Showing posts with label Riesling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Riesling. Show all posts
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Wine 9
As I have suggested previously, although never in print and never on this journal, I am en vacant at the moment, but my excursions into my cellar have churned up a worthy subject, one which I brought with me despite the inherent dangers.
Danger? you say. Well, naturally there are dangers in attempting to bring any sort of creature comfort away from home and bring it with you, and wine is sort of the worst-case scenario. When one's particular oenological obsession involves those of extreme age, one must be doubly careful.
I feel I owe it to this journal to make every effort to keep the wines as palatable as possible. If a wine is ruined by heat, what does that prove? The only interesting outcome of proper excavation within a cellar is for the wine to have become something entirely else, whether thought good or bad, on its own merits. It is a matter of seconds for wine to be ruined in an uncontrolled climate. Please keep this in mind as you travel this summer. If you bring your wine with you, it might be ruined. Buy local wines wherever you go. It's probably Greener, too, or something. Sorry, I'll back off my vague soapbox now and move on to the subject at hand.
As I have doubtless mentioned here, Rieslings are not to be kept. They do not survive well and they are one of the wines which will almost never gain anything of value over the course of time. This wine has proved that it is part of the larger crowd. As per my usual, I do not mean to cast aspersions on the wine itself and I do not doubt that, had it been used as the manufacturer intended, it would have produced a perfectly satisfactory culinary experience. As it stands, this has become a terrible wine.
The nose still has hints of fruit, and although the pineapple which is often cried as being present and delicious in such wines is certainly not actually detectable, my first reaction (and that of four of the six tasters at this event) was the distinct note of fresh paint. I have heard that some experts and particularians can refer to this as a lacquer note, but I, having applied both substances to several surfaces, can attest to this wine having developed the former, if it ever was home to the latter.
I thought I detected an apricot or other actual fruit overtone, but general consensus was that this was more imagination than sensitivity. The nose smelled of artificially flavored pineapple-named candy or gum, but not of the actual fruit. As the site of this tasting was some hundred feet from several actual pineapple plants, we had a point of reference and knew from which we spoke.
Upon actually putting this wine in my mouth, I suddenly joined the minority third who did not make a disgusted face. As seems so often the case with these over-aged wines, the flavor was unimpressively thin and lacked any form of nuance.
However, in the first moment of tasting, before the entirety of the wine had been exposed to air and my tongue had rejected the substance as best ignored, I am sure I tasted real, actual pineapple, sweet and juicy. The sensation was impressively short-lived and died away into sour blandness almost instantly.
This Riesling was a bit of a stinker, I admit. Wines of this character are the reason I started this journal, mostly by way of warning, to be quite honest. Better wines, though, I remain confident, are yet to come.
From Vacationland, I wish you best of luck with your wines, and don't forget to throw out your old Rieslings. Don't even cook with them. I'm quite serious.
Danger? you say. Well, naturally there are dangers in attempting to bring any sort of creature comfort away from home and bring it with you, and wine is sort of the worst-case scenario. When one's particular oenological obsession involves those of extreme age, one must be doubly careful.
I feel I owe it to this journal to make every effort to keep the wines as palatable as possible. If a wine is ruined by heat, what does that prove? The only interesting outcome of proper excavation within a cellar is for the wine to have become something entirely else, whether thought good or bad, on its own merits. It is a matter of seconds for wine to be ruined in an uncontrolled climate. Please keep this in mind as you travel this summer. If you bring your wine with you, it might be ruined. Buy local wines wherever you go. It's probably Greener, too, or something. Sorry, I'll back off my vague soapbox now and move on to the subject at hand.
As I have doubtless mentioned here, Rieslings are not to be kept. They do not survive well and they are one of the wines which will almost never gain anything of value over the course of time. This wine has proved that it is part of the larger crowd. As per my usual, I do not mean to cast aspersions on the wine itself and I do not doubt that, had it been used as the manufacturer intended, it would have produced a perfectly satisfactory culinary experience. As it stands, this has become a terrible wine.
The nose still has hints of fruit, and although the pineapple which is often cried as being present and delicious in such wines is certainly not actually detectable, my first reaction (and that of four of the six tasters at this event) was the distinct note of fresh paint. I have heard that some experts and particularians can refer to this as a lacquer note, but I, having applied both substances to several surfaces, can attest to this wine having developed the former, if it ever was home to the latter.
I thought I detected an apricot or other actual fruit overtone, but general consensus was that this was more imagination than sensitivity. The nose smelled of artificially flavored pineapple-named candy or gum, but not of the actual fruit. As the site of this tasting was some hundred feet from several actual pineapple plants, we had a point of reference and knew from which we spoke.
Upon actually putting this wine in my mouth, I suddenly joined the minority third who did not make a disgusted face. As seems so often the case with these over-aged wines, the flavor was unimpressively thin and lacked any form of nuance.
However, in the first moment of tasting, before the entirety of the wine had been exposed to air and my tongue had rejected the substance as best ignored, I am sure I tasted real, actual pineapple, sweet and juicy. The sensation was impressively short-lived and died away into sour blandness almost instantly.
This Riesling was a bit of a stinker, I admit. Wines of this character are the reason I started this journal, mostly by way of warning, to be quite honest. Better wines, though, I remain confident, are yet to come.
From Vacationland, I wish you best of luck with your wines, and don't forget to throw out your old Rieslings. Don't even cook with them. I'm quite serious.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Wine 8
This week, a real treat. This was a pretty typically light and fruity Mosel Valley Spätlese Riesling, twenty-odd years ago. Now, it's taken on a very serious character, and the overt fruity tones typical of that region have softened. The wine carries the slate soil of the region on its earthy nose. There is a hint of something curious on the wine, almost the smell of algae and old books. The fruit, although muted, is still present, and has picked up apricot and, very distinctly, celery.
This Riesling, sweet and late-harvested, has taken a sour overtone which is not at all unpleasant. It tastes immediately of Granny-Smith apples, tangy and crisp, and softens to a smoky, oily finish that has, unfortunately, begun to cork a little. The flavor resolves to a gentle tobacco flavor, and lingers quietly at the back of the nose. This is the rare white that seems able to stand up to twenty-five years in a cellar.
I'm pretty sure I haven't been treating this wine as well as it deserves. I think it would benefit from spending time in a proper cellar. My storage is out of direct sunlight and the temperature remains pretty constant, but probably not at what you'd call “right.” I'm sure that, were I an expert or even willing to do the research necessary, I'd probably keep my wine in an enclosed room with carefully controlled circulation, 50% humidity controlled by an electronic system and a special thermostat to keep the wine between 55 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit.
But I don't. I keep my wine in a back closet, in a rack (which does, I'm not a barbarian, encourage air circulation), out of direct sunlight. My house is probably closer to 78 degrees and the humidity changes with the whims of the Texas breezes.
Despite this, the wine has held up remarkably.
I'll admit, this is a kind of curiosity in my collection. I didn't buy this wine in 1982. I probably bought it a scant 8 years ago, in honor of my younger brother's 21st birthday, he having also been born in 1982. I bought several bottles for him, and a couple for myself. I still have a few held back for his upcoming 30th, and I'm hoping the rest hold up as well as the one I've opened today.
This Riesling, sweet and late-harvested, has taken a sour overtone which is not at all unpleasant. It tastes immediately of Granny-Smith apples, tangy and crisp, and softens to a smoky, oily finish that has, unfortunately, begun to cork a little. The flavor resolves to a gentle tobacco flavor, and lingers quietly at the back of the nose. This is the rare white that seems able to stand up to twenty-five years in a cellar.
I'm pretty sure I haven't been treating this wine as well as it deserves. I think it would benefit from spending time in a proper cellar. My storage is out of direct sunlight and the temperature remains pretty constant, but probably not at what you'd call “right.” I'm sure that, were I an expert or even willing to do the research necessary, I'd probably keep my wine in an enclosed room with carefully controlled circulation, 50% humidity controlled by an electronic system and a special thermostat to keep the wine between 55 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit.
But I don't. I keep my wine in a back closet, in a rack (which does, I'm not a barbarian, encourage air circulation), out of direct sunlight. My house is probably closer to 78 degrees and the humidity changes with the whims of the Texas breezes.
Despite this, the wine has held up remarkably.
I'll admit, this is a kind of curiosity in my collection. I didn't buy this wine in 1982. I probably bought it a scant 8 years ago, in honor of my younger brother's 21st birthday, he having also been born in 1982. I bought several bottles for him, and a couple for myself. I still have a few held back for his upcoming 30th, and I'm hoping the rest hold up as well as the one I've opened today.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Wine 4
Today, I mourn the passing of a perfectly acceptable wine. I have fond memories of this wine being crisp and refreshing as I sat on my back porch, the Texas sun beating a July tattoo upon my much younger head. I'm sad that this wine escaped my notice for eight of the last nine years.
I became aware of the vintners when they were featured at my local grocery store. I suppose I should mention that I live in a relatively urban area, filled with people who like to feel smart about their food. People identify themselves by that horrible epithet around here. You should be aware so that when I say Grocery store, you understand that I mean one which has to compete not with Seven Eleven but with Whole Foods. I'm just sayin'.
The Eroica was a collaboration between Chateau Ste Michelle and Dr Loosen, a combination of Washington's Columbia Valley and the know-how of a solid middle-grade grower in the Mosel region of Germany, both vintners capable of producing a tasty if ephemeral wine. Such is the nature of the Riesling. It is a volatile grape and one which should not be stored. The best Rieslings will never see a birthday.
I will, then, describe my memory of this wine before I pour a single drop from the bottle.
The wine is delicate, fruity and a little sparse, suggesting a very mild experience and a minimally ugly assault on the senses. The wine delivers notes of cherry and lavender, smelling of a fresh-mown lawn of wildflowers wafting a mile over a hill to a porch where one sits, drinking a simple glass of sweet, pure water.
The flavor is pure pansy and violet, quiet flowers with distinct if subtle flavors. As the wine fades from the palate, the hint of dryness is suddenly and completely lost in the beauty of the smooth, crisp finish.
Ten years does a lot of good for a memory. For a Riesling, maybe not so much.
The wine itself has yellowed badly and lost all viscosity. The liquid has a troubling, sullen look to it. I notice distinct particulate in the tiny bubbles which have formed on my Duz glass.
The wine smells of stagnancy and decay. The sugar has fallen to ruin. The flowers have become compost. The flavor is pure rotten apple. The finish has become a hideous parody of itself, barging darkly into the nostrils and taking the sinuses at gunpoint. The tannins and alcohol have come forward to the detriment of anything good or wholesome that may have been contained in the formerly subtle and complex substance.
This is not good wine. This is a horrible, grinding lapdance on the grave of good wine. This is a travesty in a bottle. This is a pity.
This is a wine with such beautiful promise but absolutely no shelf life. This is a wine which was inducted into the National Honor Society only to live out a career managing burgers at a used car wash. My sweet memories will hold me, though, until next week, when I will again delve into my cellar.
All the best.
I became aware of the vintners when they were featured at my local grocery store. I suppose I should mention that I live in a relatively urban area, filled with people who like to feel smart about their food. People identify themselves by that horrible epithet around here. You should be aware so that when I say Grocery store, you understand that I mean one which has to compete not with Seven Eleven but with Whole Foods. I'm just sayin'.
The Eroica was a collaboration between Chateau Ste Michelle and Dr Loosen, a combination of Washington's Columbia Valley and the know-how of a solid middle-grade grower in the Mosel region of Germany, both vintners capable of producing a tasty if ephemeral wine. Such is the nature of the Riesling. It is a volatile grape and one which should not be stored. The best Rieslings will never see a birthday.
I will, then, describe my memory of this wine before I pour a single drop from the bottle.
The wine is delicate, fruity and a little sparse, suggesting a very mild experience and a minimally ugly assault on the senses. The wine delivers notes of cherry and lavender, smelling of a fresh-mown lawn of wildflowers wafting a mile over a hill to a porch where one sits, drinking a simple glass of sweet, pure water.
The flavor is pure pansy and violet, quiet flowers with distinct if subtle flavors. As the wine fades from the palate, the hint of dryness is suddenly and completely lost in the beauty of the smooth, crisp finish.
Ten years does a lot of good for a memory. For a Riesling, maybe not so much.
The wine itself has yellowed badly and lost all viscosity. The liquid has a troubling, sullen look to it. I notice distinct particulate in the tiny bubbles which have formed on my Duz glass.
The wine smells of stagnancy and decay. The sugar has fallen to ruin. The flowers have become compost. The flavor is pure rotten apple. The finish has become a hideous parody of itself, barging darkly into the nostrils and taking the sinuses at gunpoint. The tannins and alcohol have come forward to the detriment of anything good or wholesome that may have been contained in the formerly subtle and complex substance.
This is not good wine. This is a horrible, grinding lapdance on the grave of good wine. This is a travesty in a bottle. This is a pity.
This is a wine with such beautiful promise but absolutely no shelf life. This is a wine which was inducted into the National Honor Society only to live out a career managing burgers at a used car wash. My sweet memories will hold me, though, until next week, when I will again delve into my cellar.
All the best.
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