Tasting at Computerland September 4th 2006. The theme was simply good whites. Nothing more specific. Wine were tasted double blind. Here are the notes:
Steiner Hund riesling reserve 2001, Nikolaihof (my bottle)
Yellow colour. Very fine and complex nose of honey, mineral; some slate. Slight fat, but slimmer than expected in the mouth. Good concentration. Honey, but mostly mineral fruit. Racy dry riesling. Young. Very fine acids and length. Shows great potensial in the nose. Drinks surprisingly well now, but I would give it a few more years. Great wine.
Saint Aubin 1er cru Sur Gamay 2004, Henri Prudhon
Yellow colour. Fruity and lightly oaked nose. Flowers, a little candied and sugary. Some french oak-notes. some citrus. Good body. Citrusy in the mouth, mineral hints, a little floral depth, but quite simple wine. Some oak. Good acids. Medium length. Good, but not great. Could this be chardonnay?? Seems a bit too aromatic. If Chardonnay I guess one lesser village in the Cote d'Or. Perhaps Saint Aubin. Village quality - too simple for 1er cru.
Alsace Tokay-Pinot Gris Vieilles vignes 1990, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
Deep yellow colour. Old nose, Honey, old woods, mineral, some greenness. A little touch botrytis. Fullbodied and a bit rustic in the mouth. Off-dry style. Good concentration still. Mature fruits. Ok acids. Not very high. Rustic finish; old woods. Traditional style. Fine and mature wine; a bit on the rustic side. Rheingau or Alsace? - I go for Alsace, not riesling, less aromatic here. Perhaps Pinot gris. Vintage; end of eighties, but not 89; not enough botrytis. I guess 88.
Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Champ-Gain 1990, Marc Chevillot
Yellow colour. Odd nose; not clean. Some cork. Shows some mineral, floral notes. More cork in the mouth. Good structure.
Mas de Daumas Gassac blanc 1997, Vin de Pays de l'Herault - Haute vallee du Gassac
Golden colour. Strange nose. Floral high-notes, aromatic hints of ginger and orange-peel, some caramel. Fullbodied in the mouth. Aromatic. Seems mature, but no complexity or depth here. Pure fruits, a little spicy. Much orange-peel and ginger. Medium acids. Good length. Seems to have structure. I have no idea what this is. I never tasted anything like it. FYI the main grapes here are; Viognier, chardonnay, petit manseng and chenin blanc (making up 90% of the blend) with another 10-15 grape-varieties making the rest of the blend.
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle riesling auslese 1989, Verwaltung der Staatlichen weinbaudomänen Niederhausen-Schlossböckelheim, Nahe, 9,5% alc., AP: 1 750 053 035 90
Yellow colour. Petrol, typical mature riesling-nose. Complex. Honey, green flowers, slate. Very fine indeed. Quite sweet in the mouth, with fresh acids. Flowery, green. some mushrooms - could it be Ruwer. Low alcohol. Citrusy long finish. Very good style. Refreshing, complex, structured and great balance. My wine of the day. Could be Ruwer, could be Nahe. I go wrong - for Ruwer. Vintage? 88 or 90?? This is structured wine for an 89.
Riesling Clos Windsbuhl 2002, Zind-Humbrecht
Deep straw colour. Citrusy and mineral nose with hints of slate. Off-dry in the mouth. Medium bodied, some slate, flowery, citrus in the fruit. Young. Good acids, a bit kind style, not very aromatic. Round and elegant. Rheinpfalz or hessen? Too elegant for Alsace? I go wrong - and I tasted this wine only 4 days ago with one of the other participants. We did not recognize this at all. This bottle seemed so less heavy and more elegant.
Grasberg 1999, Marcel Deiss
Yellow colour. Shy nose, some green apples, honey. Good body, structured, green applepeel. A bit bitter. Drier than the Zind-Humbrecht. Medium length. Needs time. Fine wine. Alsace-style. But what grape?? Aromatic enough for a riesling? I'm confused. FYI this is a blend of riesling, pinot gris, gewürztraminer and pinot blanc.
Rutherglen classic Muscat 12 years average age, Stanton & Killeen
Dark brown colour. Huge sugary nose with hints of caramel, citrus, some aromatic notes of orange peel, some old woods. Extreme in the mouth. More fruits. Very sweet. Caramel, burnt sugar, light spice, orange peel. Not very complex. Good acids. Fresh citrusy finish. Long taste. I thought PX first when I saw this, but this is too aromatic and more refreshing than PX. Must be some fortified muscat or perhaps malvasia.