Saturday wine-tasting is usually not something I agree to....Sunday I play soccer...and at my age I need all the help (good night's sleep) I can get. Our local wine merchant and friend, Robert, wanted to try some whites...and as the time was 6pm...I gladly agreed. The clocks were put forward in the night...but the end to this intro is...I slept well...and felt as fit as ever on the Sunday morning soccer pitch.
The tasting was to take place at friend Volker's house...and he had been underway very early to buy fresh fish. Trout Tartar...followed by Tuna Carpaccio...a bouncy mixed salad...and some delightful fresh shrimps on a lentil bed. All beautifully prepared
...and a fine selection of cheeses (and tasty salted butter) meant the food was as good at ever at Chez Volker.The flight of whites...3 covered bottles
1.Paso Robles Barrel 27 Wine CompanyHigh On The Hog Paso Robles 2008California, U.S.A.A cuvée of 39% Grenache Blanc, 36% Viognier, 20% Rousanne & 5% Marsanne...so the style obviously showed what you get in the Languedoc. Vanilla and some peach on the nose...on the palate this had some sweetness which detered from the pleasure slighly...BUT...with the tartar was very good...and methinks this needs a good airing...or even a decant at the moment.Points 14
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Patrizia Fellugi & Figli
Zuani Vigne Bianco Collio 2008Friaul, ItalyPatrizia, daughter of Marco, produces two versions of Zuani...this is the unoaked one...I traced some Sauvignon Blanc at it opened in the glass...the actually mix is Tocai Friulano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Grigio...good mineral notes...gentle pear & apricots...good.Points 15
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Patrizia Fellugi & FigliZuani Zuani 2007Friaul, ItalyThis is the oaked version...a year older...hay, flowers, some citrus and more dominat gooseberry.Points 15With white wine tastings...I feel the wines don't get a fair marking sometimes...maybe other tasters find it easier...but I am sure the above three would have faired better drank alone...The evening had started with Robert saying...'after the whites we have some Pinots'...and a vision of me lying on the soccer pitch like a drowned whale passed before my eyes! But hey...I am known as Mr. Pinot around here...and was not about to refuse.
The information was...3 Countries4 Vintages4 Growersin other words...no hope of guessing anything 100%...but that was fine by me...no pressure in advance.
1.Hansruedi Adank Pinot Noir 2008Fläsch, Graubünden, SwitzerlandPale colour...and this reminded me of something tasted recently...only after it was revealed did I pin-point the up-front dark berry style that can be found in Switzerland. This is a basic wine...costs around € 15,--...dark smoke...juicy...fruit-driven...with hardly any oak. It would be interesting to step up in quality to see what Hansruedi has to offer. Fläsch is the home of the Swiss Pinot God..Gantenbein.Points 16.25
2.Antica Terra Pinot Noir 2007Willamette Valley, Oregon, U.S.A.I have to admit...Pinot makes you honest...and after we had tried all 4 wines...I went back again and again..to steal from the decanter. I just had to...this was so perfect from start to finish. Has the be French I said...how wrong I was. Perfect bright aromas of strawberry and raspberry...maybe the decanting helped...but this smelled older...and the dustiness said to me French...as I said...how wrong I was. Fragrant...with lovely layers of gamey fruit...a delicious bouncy acidity..and some oaky smoky oak. A very good finish.As an afternote...Maggie Harrison used to work for the cult property Sine Qua Non...Every year, the Antica Terra Pinot Noir is different. Antica Terra wines are blends of estate and purchased fruit, and the mixes change each year. The palette of purchased fruit changes - Maggie buys fruit from a handful of sources. And the quality of the estate fruit varies with each vintage. Check this out...impressive.Points 17.5
3.Jean Javillier & Fils Volnay-Caillerets 2005Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, FranceRobert had searched for a French Pinot ( a German would have been a good choice as an afterthought). Chewy fruit...gentle smoke...a touch short on fruit...and suffered from being placed after the Antica Terra.Points 15.5
4.Sine Qua Non A Capella Pinot Noir 2000Oregon, U.S.A.This had been brought along by a fellow taster. As I mentioned...Sine Qua Non is the cult wine...and baby of Manfred Krankl. Crazy bottle shape...and a hefty 14.3% on the bottle. Medium deep colour....a slight mustiness...muted...needed air...peppery aroma...mushrooms...tobacco and very herby. This is maybe just past it's best...there were traces of what had been...but the mid-palate was lean. It is an 'interesting' wine...just not sexy enough though. I am still waiting to be 'seduced' by this property!Points 16.5
If you are looking for a grower who will try anything, and is not afraid to fail, then Markus Schneider is your man. I have enjoyed his red 'Steinsatz' and this is a step up. The 'only Sansibar' seems to be a special bottling for some merchant. The wine is a cuvée of Cabernet Franc and St. Laurent. The bottle is a heavyweight...hang on...I don't mean the wine inside...just the actual bottle weighs as much as a magnum...as I said...Markus Schneider doesn't do things by halfs!
Markus Schneider Tailor 2007 - only Sansibar
Pfalz, Germany
Deep purple colour...intense blackcurrant...reminded me very much of the liquor Crème de Cassis. Smooth on the palate and enticing...then the grainy tannins set in...but this only adds to it's charm. Rich, ripe fruit...and an attractive coolness...I can only recommend you try this...don't smile at the baby afterwards though...that purple leaves it's mark...as does this 'one-off' style of Herr Schneider.
Points 17.5
And so to another Birthday.....I've been a '60 something' for a few years now...my mispent youth was in the Beatles' years...they even wrote a song about my age....'When I grow older, losing my hair (still got plenty)...many years from now....will I still be drinking German Pinot Noir'...or at least...that should have been the lyric!Family & Friends...we met up to eat, drink, be merry...and in my case...suffer the next day.The wines...well...a white of my favourite grape nowadays...another white from Italy...my favourite Sauvignon Blanc...and then 4 German Pinots from the excellent 2007 Vintage
Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Alte Rebe 2005Niederösterreich, AustriaRich 'old vine' nose...white melon...ripe apples..still steely...grew in glass...even 2 hours after openingPoints 16.25
Vie di Romans Piere Sauvignon 2005Friaul, ItalyShowing age I thought...but it can't be...then the reason...not a definite 'cork'...but most definitely 'tainted'. Something had fallen into this one...and ruined any total enjoyment. Strangely...if I had pulled the only other bottle I have from my cellar...we would no doubt we waxing lyrically about it.Points...not scoredThe block of four reds were planned...the first 3 had all received the same 'marks' in Gault Millau...
Hartmut Schlumberger Spätburgunder S 2007Baden, GermanyI had tried the top wine a few days ago....this was slightly jammy...not a negative in these basic wines...smokey...lots of juice...and backbone...
Points 16
Weingut Schumacher Garten Spätburgunder 2007Pfalz, GermanyMedium deep...gentle sweet strawberry...and the earthy style of the Pfalz. Some tasters rated this one higher...other prefered the Schlumberger. The price would swing it...this costs € 19,--Points 16
Weingut Michel Achkarrer Schlossberg Spätburgunder *** 2007Baden, GermanyAt €19,-- this was the winner of the three...complex nose...elegant...touch of vanilla...and a good backbone...I have tried this before and it was no surprise to see it do well.Points 16.75The last wine was a Großes Gewächs.
Phillip Kuhn Steinbuckel Grosses Gewächs Pinot Noir 2007Pfalz, GermanyCherry fruit...a slab of marzipan on the palate...backward, compared to all the others...but give it a year or two...real pedigreePoints 17.25
As if the French don't have enough problems with competition for Pinot Noir. How can the Germans compete with the Bordelais? Well...there are plenty of very good Cabernet wines here...Knipser's Cuvee X is a great example...2003 & 2005. Which leads me to this Lemberger. A grape grown primarily in Württemberg...and if you want the best...then Herr Aldinger is for you. A recent 2005 had been a 'wow' wine...
Aldinger Fellbacher Lämmler GG***
Lemberger 2007
Württemberg, GermanyDeep colour...ripe cherries and a forceful blackberry nose...fine spices...surprisingly soft...the 20 months spent in oak along with the soft, rounded tannins make for a very pleasant mouthful. A port-like feel in it's youth...but elegant...and will develope beautifully...and as you can read...a wine to keep you interested...even some cigar...which pulls me back to the Bordeaux comparison. The price was € 25,-- and you would have difficulty finding similar quality with 'Chateau' on the bottle.Points 17.5
PS....A recent post threw up the question as to what the object in the background was. Here a better view. It is a piece if a tree...you can see the bark...hand made from then on...with sliding drawers for small objects...the ladies would no doubt place their jewelry in there.
You can read this post...but don't even think about finding a bottle...it is as rare as...errmmmm...a decent live Britney Spears vocal? Why?...well...this is what they call a 'Boutique Weingut'...Henrik Möbitz is a part-timer. He began in the mid- 90's 
with some acres near Freiburg that nobody wanted. The fermentation took place in the bathroom (something that has maybe happened to all of us!!!). He has around 2.5 acres nowadays( or if you prefer...around 3000 bottles)....some Gewürztraminer..and his love.. Pinot Noir.
Henrik Möbitz Kanzel Pinot Noir 2007
Baden, Germany
Not sure if I should try this tonight...but as it was a screwcap...it was open before I could say 'corkscrews to you! Looking at the bottle...11.5% alcohol...intriguing aroma of fresh strawberries...and there is a gentle earthy feel to the wine...saying...I am more French Burgundy (the label reminds me of a French property) than German Spätburgunder. Extreme juiciness...some animal smells (nice ones!) and black pepper. Minerals abound and there is more smell than body to this wine...and the bottle empties quickly with the alcohol content. An interesting addition to my 'finds'.
Points 17
This is a first...I have never bid for any wines on Ebay before...but on a whim...and finding 3 different offers of Mayer-Näkel wines...I made some offers...and had 33.3% success with 2 bottles of the 2004 Vintage...at about half the price it would have cost in the shops. I guess the important points when bidding are...
1. Set out your price limit and
2. Decide you really want the wine..and are not just bidding because a wine may be cheaper.
The 2 bottles arrived...and after the usual rest period...I opened one...to go with some mild Indian food. Man...was it delicious.Mayer-Näkel Spätburgunder S 2004Ahr, Germany
An instant nose success...smoke, tobacco...some mushrooms...enticing smell...surprisingly...this is very mature...red berry fruit...layed-back coolness...the tannins rippling alongside the gentle acidity which covers the oak beautifully. Am I waxing lyrically here...YES...I AM!!!...and I am very proud of my first auction-wine. I asked the seller why he was offering it...he needed the money elsewhere was the answer...and he had a couple more bottles. Marks...well...I get told I overdo it with my favourite grape...and the 18 point mark is holy...so I'll give it..Points 17.75
...and a fine selection of cheeses (and tasty salted butter) meant the food was as good at ever at Chez Volker.
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