NIK WEIS ST. URBANS- HOFF RIESLING 2014

“Wine is the only art work you can drink.” ……  Luis Fernando Olaverri

My new favorite “slow food” is a grain (which I shouldn’t eat and haven’t for several years). But it’s so tasty, I can’t resist treating myself to a small portion occasionally: Organic brown basmati and wild rice cooked in chicken broth with diced dried apricot and cranberry added and, later, slivered almonds. Crunchy, sweet, savory – it’s got everything going for it. Paired it with a mix of shrimp, shallot, sweet onion, garlic and red bell pepper grilled stove top in walnut oil and served over grilled fresh pineapple then served it all with snap peas.

The wine?  A 2014 (estate bottled from old vines) Weingut Nik Weiss - St. Urbans-Hof Riesling from the Mosel Region in Germany. For me, Riesling from the Mosel is what best expresses the grape and German Rieslings offer tremendous value. The ARP is just $17, but look for current vintages. That year is no longer on the shelves. Production quality, however, is consistent from St Urbans-Hof. Consider that Nik Weiss (3rd generation winemaker) took over the winery in 1997 and by 2000, the estate became a member of the prestigious VDP (Association of German Praedikcat Estates). Then consider that the age of vines he uses in his estate wines are at least 60 years of age.

Deep lemon in the glass, the wine’s nose offers creamed lemon and butterscotch contrasted against some chalkiness (a nice and unusual trick) and orange blossom. Pumped and saved for the next day, the nose offered the added note of petrol and elderflower. Riesling can develop notes of petrol when aged, but with this wine being only four years from vintage, it was a genuine treat. Lemon on the palate – not sharp, more like lemon curd. Semi dry, the wine worked beautifully against the sweetened dried cranberry in the rice. Lime blossoms add delicacy. Acidity makes it all crisp toward the finish that adds a hint of pineapple. What a balancing act!

The trend in Riesling is for dry wines (Troken) and I enjoy them.  But trends don’t always suit the circumstance.  While not dry, this St. Urbans-Hof is not sweet either.  It’s not even semi-sweet.  Cleansing the palate with a crisp finish, and best described as off-dry, it truly is an art work that can be enjoyed in the glass. Pair with any moderately spiced dish.

Prost!

…………………….. Jim

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ETCETERA

ALC:                             9.5%

https://www.nikweis.com/

Imported By:               Hb Wine Merchants (NY NY)

Wine Spectator           91 Points

Wine Enthusiast          89 Points                                    

FITZ-RITTER RIESLING SEKT

"Making wine is like having children; you love them all, but boy, are they different." --- Bunny Finkelstein (co-owner of Judd’s Hill Winery)

Despite that I’m getting on in years, I still enjoy Sekt occasionally.   Holster that thought cowboy!  Sekt is sparkling wine from Germany.  And Germany follows only France and Italy in producing sparkling wine.  That puts Germany ahead of Spain (4^th) and even the U.S. (6^th).   In fact, they drink a lot of Sekt in Germany and you may want to try it too – especially lake side or on a picnic. Or watching a sunset from your patio or deck at day’s end.  This bottle from Weingut Fitz-Ritter is 100% Riesling from the Pfalz region in southwest Germany.  Imported by Winesellers Ltd. Importing & Marketing, I found it at Binny’s for under $17.  Its sweetness level is “Extra Troken” (meaning dry) though its initial taste of sweet red apple presents a hint of residual sugar on the palate.  This is balanced by the crisp acidity that makes the Riesling wines of Germany so well regarded worldwide. 

Despite too that this sparkling wine is made in the traditional method (second fermentation in bottle, aged on the lees) I recommend it especially for those finding Champagne and other wines of sparkling type that are classically made (Cava, Methode Champonoise, Metodo Classico, Cremant, etc.) too “yeasty”.  The autolysis (dead yeast cells in contact with the wine after fermentation while aging) is what makes my bell ring, but all palates are personal and some are soured by a strong taste of brioche, toast or bread dough.

Because the Riesling grapes for this wine are all old vine and from the sunny micro-climate of Middle-Haardt in Pfalz, it is the fruit of ripe Riesling that powers through.   Some have referred to a “slightly toasty (note) on the nose,” though I found the aromas all bright and fresh and chalky.  Others also refer to a palate offering pineapple and tangerine.  Still others: green apple, lime and orange with aromas of lychee, pear and coconut.  So be it. Again all palates are personal. An Alsatian Gewürztraminer defines lychee for me.  And for me, this Sekt was red ripe apple:  A simple yet pleasurable experience.  The Phalz (lying to the West of the Rhine, in the south, sunny and warm) has been known for producing inexpensive wines.  Its reputation does not carry the weight of the Mosel or the Rheingau.  Yet its simplicity is its charm.  An uncomplicated, easy-drinking bubbly with a good mousse, fine bubbles and a clean taste.  If there’s something in experiencing that pleasure that isn’t a good thing, I haven’t found it.

The Fitz-Ritter family has been making wine since 1785. And the estate belongs to the “Verband Deutscher Pradikats” (VDP) founded in 1910 and whose members are dedicated to organic, sustainable farming.

Prost!

…………….. Jim

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