Tasting 31 July 11, 2013, 12:30 Capri Restaurant – German Wines
Contents of this post:
- I – Presenters and Participants
- II – Introduction
- III- Wines for this Tasting, by Peter Scherer
- IV – German Wine Varieties, by Peter Scherer
- V – Vinos da Alemania, by Miguel Segovia
I ♦ Presenters and Participants
Presenters: Miguel Segovia and Peter Scherer
Participants: Hugo Benito, Cecilio Ausuto Berndsen, Peter Scherer, Italo Mirkov, Jairo Sanchez, Wilson Moreira, Orlando Reos, Alfonso Sanchez, Mario Aguilar, Miguel Segovia and Carlos Algandona.
II ♦ Introduction
Miguel Segovia that partnered with Peter Scherer wrote:
En años recientes los vinos alemanes fueron perdiendo prestigio al aumentar su producción de vinos dulces de baja calidad y baratos, sin embargo, en los últimos anos 
los productores alemanes han venido rescatando la tradicional buena calidad de sus vinos, para la satisfacción de los aficionados al buen vino como son los miembros del Grupo Notables.
Asi que confirmo que conjuntamente con Peter Secher, se han seleccionado los vinos y el menú correspondiente para nuestra degustación en el Capri Restaurant 11 de julio, a la 1 pm.
To this Peter Scherer complemented:
Estimados Notables,
The honorable Miguel Segóvia has made a valiant statement: the German wines aren’t as bad as their reputation. Well, we will see — taste. Indeed, there has been a determined drive among German wine makers towards higher quality wines with distinct styles since the mid-nineties. The dreadful ubiquitous Liebfraumilch of yore is no longer synonymous with mediocre German wine.
While the German Rieslings have been gaining in credibility, the German Reds have languished in obscurity. Undeservedly so, as it became evident in the recent international blind Pinot Noirs tasting in London. Thanks to our President for calling attention to this path breaking event. The 10 most important Pinot Noir growing regions competed after a pre-tasting of some 600 wines. Germany placed seven in the top ten wines selected.
I have the list of the German winners but it is impossible to get individual bottles in DC. It is a sad fact, that I only found a single German Pinot Noir with some credibility among the Washington wine stores. Also, I could not get a Sylvaner, which I consider perhaps the most underrated grape in Germany.
In view of obvious constraints, both in availability and price, I opted against a comparison of Rieslings from the leading territories in favor of selecting
- a) a flight of Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), which will allow to assess mutations of the same basic grape against each other;
- b) two Mosel Rieslings of different categories (ripeness of grapes, a key grading criteria in Germany) but from the same winery, which will allow to assess whether there is reason behind the German labeling system; and
- c) A vintage Riesling from Franken from my collection. It will allow assessing, partially, the aging effects in a Riesling.
This arrangement counts with the blessing of Miguel.
In recognition of the Notables’ audacity to submit to a tasting of German wines, I have capped the aggregate cost for the participants at $120.
Following is the sequence of wine presentations, which Miguel and I determined after reviewing menu possibilities.
I have prepared extensive notes on characteristics of German wine production, which I will distribute and post in this blog.
Without further ado, PROSIT.
III ♦ WINES FOR TASTING
1. Iphoefer Kronsberg, Riesling Kabinett, Trocken, Franken, 1989, APV 11,0%
a. Tasting Notes: A robust wine, fruity and full bodied yet dry, with a subtle acidity cut and aging potential.
b. Winery: The Estate figures among the best known and largest private wineries in Franken. In operation since 1630, the foundation of the present operations was laid after the devastation of the II. World War and infestations from a wine pest.
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2. Gut Hermannsberg – Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), Nahe, 2011, Qualitaetswein, Trocken APV.13.0%; $19.99
a. Tasting Notes: Juicy with fresh minerality and delicate structure but spicy stylistics, the result of unclear fermenting of some mush.
b. Winery: Gut Hermannsberg was once praised by the renowned British wine writer Hugh Johnson as perhaps the best vineyard in Germany. Risen from the ashes of the former Royal Prussian Weinbaudomäne” estate administration, it is now back in the top ten in the region. There exclusively white wines, once almost moselanic slim, are now rather powerful and full-bodied, almost Palatine.
3. Ihringer Winkelberg — Dr. Heger; Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), Baden, 2007, GC, APV. 13.5%, $36.99
a. Tasting Notes: n.a.
b. Winery: The Dr. Heger wine estate was established in 1935. It is located in the Southern foothills of the Kaiserstuhl region in the South-Western tip of Germany. It is considered the warmest area in Germany with almost subtropical climate. The decomposed volcanic stone with good ventilation on steep slopes creates characteristic minerality of these elegant and delicate wines. High quality is enhanced by reduced yields and careful hand harvesting.
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4. Dr. Heidemanns – Riesling, Mosel, 2011, Qualitaetswein, APV. 9.5%, $10.99
a. Tasting Notes: Distinctive flair. Powerful and dry with strong aromas. Distinctive crispness supports pleasant acidity. Mineral notes.
b. Winery: Please see next wine.
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5. Dr. Heidemanns Bernkastel, Kabinett, Riesling, Mosel, 2011, Alc. 8.5%
a) Tasting Notes: Plenty of plushness spicy notes mingle with cream, baked peach and dried apricot flavor. Finishes pure, with ripe citrus notes that show hints of ginger snap.
b) Winery: The vineyards of Weingut Dr. Heidemann rank among the top Middle Mosel Estates with a reputation for offering only the highest quality Rieslings. The Estate first mentioned in 1156, is now headed by a Ph.D. in agricultural sciences. His first name: Peter. Don’t blame the Germans for being narrow minded. Peter went to the Napa Valley to learn what is cooking and used his learnings to apply modern production technologies in the Estate of his family.
6. Blue Slate– Meyer-Näkel, Pinot Noire (Spaetburgunder), Ahr, 2011. Qualitaetswein, APV. 14.0%; $44.99
a) Tasting Notes: Fruity with elegant balance and moderate tannins. Reportedly praised buy Jancis Robinson.
b) Winery: The Meyer-Näkel winery deliberately lowers yields by using selective handpicking of grapes from old vines. Slate soils and Mediterranean climate create subtle fruit flavors and aging potential.
MEMO ITEM: In reading the above, take account of Scherer’s 50:50 law of taste notes — 50% of the universe of attributions can be applied randomly to 50% of all wines tasted.
IV ♦ GERMAN WINE VARIETIES
Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc)
O Pinot Blanc is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane, which produces white fruit. In Germany, as in Alsace and Italy, the wine produced from this grape is a full-bodied white. Somewhat confusingly, the designation “Pinot blanc” for Alsace AOC wine does not necessarily mean that the wine is varietally pure Pinot Blanc. Rather, the designation means that it is a white wine made from Pinot varieties.
O In Alsace, the “Pinot blanc” grape is often blended with Auxerrois grapes, in order to give it the typical full bodied Alsatian flavor with spicy and smoky character and moderate acidity. No such blending in In Germany. Weißer Burgunder or Weißburgunder is a pure Pinot grape derivative, produced mainly in Baden and Palatinate It can be either dry or sweet. It is.
O It offers fruity aromas, often of apple, citrus fruit, and exhibits floral characteristics, minerality and generally distinct acidity. Weissburgunder are usually made for immediate consumption.
- Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
O Grauburgunder is a white wine grape variety. A mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (gris meaning “grey” in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance. The word pinot, meaning “pine cone” in French, could have been given to it because the grapes grow in small pine cone-shaped clusters. The wines produced from this grape vary in color from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink.
O The clone of Pinot Gris grown is known in in Italy as Pinot grigio. However, there are considerable differences between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris/ Grauburgunder — they are separately derived as multiple clones of both Gris and Grigio. The grapes are different but they are closely related. Consider it similar to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc.
O Until the 18th and 19th century, the grape was a popular planting in Burgundy and Champagne but poor yields and unreliable crops caused the grape to fall out of favor in those areas. The same fate nearly occurred in Germany, but vine breeders in the early 20th century were able to develop clonal varieties that would produce a more consistent and reliable crop.
O Flavors and aromas vary greatly from region to region, and from style to style, but commonly feature notes of pears, apples, stone fruit, sweet spices and even a hint of smoke, or even wet wool according to one astute observer. Most winemakers avoid obvious oak character in their Pinot Gris, but some use older barrels (which leave less oak flavor in the wine) for fermentation. For weightier, more complex styles of Pinot Gris, lees contact and partial malolactic fermentation are commonly used. Sweet late harvest versions wines are common.
O Pinot Gris grapes are naturally low in acidity and high in sugars, so the finest Pinot Gris wines come from the world’s cooler viticultural regions; those from warmer climates tend to lack acidity and structure and can be overbearingly alcoholic. A person with connections to the Holy Sea declared that “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot noir. It is much less tolerant of hard, windy, hot and dry, harsh vineyard conditions than the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, or Grenache.
O Europe’s showcase examples come from vineyards on either side of the Rhine River, from Baden and Pfalz in Germany and particularly Alsace in France. In these regions, the wines are made in varying levels of sweetness, from bone dry to lusciously sweet; a Pinot Gris Selection de Grains Nobles from Alsace is one of the sweetest, most intensely flavored wines on Earth.
- Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir)
O Pinot Noir may one of the toughest grape to grow, but the effort is often well worth the constant care and investment. It is a fickle grape that demands optimum growing conditions, opting for warm days consistently supported by cool evenings. As for style, Pinot Noir is typically a lighter-medium bodied, fruit-forward red wine. Pinot Noir is Burgundy’s most famous noble grape. It is known as “Red Burgundy” – the source of the German name ‘Spaetburgunder’, in much of the world.
O Spaetburgunder is a dry, red wine that typically exhibits fruit-forward character with strawberry, cherry, raspberry and blackberry nuances. For generalities, earth-driven layers with herbal, mushroom, leather, and game-like qualities are common characteristics. Connoisseurs have detected warm spice notes in the Pinot Noir palate profile, often in the form of cinnamon, clove and smoky, tobacco nuanced – not to forget consistent acidity, subtle, silky tannins and lighter-bodied style. Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noire) is considered by many to be one of the world’s most versatile food wines.
o For the high-fliers from a master sommelier (I am not making this up) : the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic.
O Riesling is one of the noble grape varieties. It originated in Germany’s Rhein and Mosel river valleys. It was here that this white grape gained its predominant foothold in today’s German modern white wine market. Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked. A Riesling wine can span a broad range of styles, being produced in both dry to sweet variations as well as light to full-bodied. Riesling is one of the wine world’s “new” sweethearts. Its food pairing versatility and refreshing palate appeal are among the top reasons for this renewed love affair. While enjoying double-digit market growth and culinary affections worldwide,
O Riesling is estimated to be only the world’s 20th most grown variety. It is ranked with the more popular Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc among the top three white wine varieties for quality.
O Memo item: The higher quality (Auslese, Trockenbeerauslese, Eiswein) German Riesling categories are comparable to the Sauterns, a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle, from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Their characteristic, as well as that of the late harvest German Rieslings are affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). It causes the grapes to become partially raisined, resulting in concentrated and distinctively flavored wines. Eisweins like Sauternes are some of longest-lived wines, with premium examples from exceptional vintages properly kept having the potential to age well even beyond 100 years. Sauternes typically Sauternes, especially the Premier Cru Supérieur estate Château d’Yquem, can be very expensive, due largely to the very high cost of production and harvest risks from climate vagaries. German Trockenbeerauslese or Eiswein aren’t cheap either but they give the Sauterns a run for their money. The best way to find out is to try.
V ♦ Vinos de Alemania
por Miguel Segovia
Alemania es uno de los países productores de vino más nórdico de Europa. Lo que hace que su clima sea más frio en casi todo su territorio. Esto ocasiona que las uvas no maduren adecuadamente, lo cual es negativo para las cepas tintas, como consecuencia la mayoría de sus vinos son blancos y en donde predomina la uva riesling.
La industria de vinos en Alemania es un poco diferente al resto de Europa, como ya señalamos, la mayoría de sus vinos son blancos y muchos de ellos tienen considerable azúcar residual y rara vez se pasan por madera en su añejamiento. Otra característica es su bajo contenido alcohólico.
Como la mayoría de los países de Europa, fueron los romanos quienes llevaron las primeras vides a sus tierras. Estas se sembraron en las márgenes de los ríos Rhine, Mosela, Nahe, Ruwer y el Ahr. Hoy día es donde se encuentran las principales regiones de producción. Inclusive, hay una anécdota del siglo viii, en la que cita a Carlomagno, cuando ordena que se plante la vid en la rivera opuesta, del único trayecto del Rhin en sentido este/oeste, el Rheingau.
El país, como señalamos, al estar tan al norte, tiene un clima frio, lo que dificulta que las uvas maduren, por eso la mayoría de las zonas vinícolas están al sur del país, donde predomina un clima un poco más benigno. Muchos de los viñedos se encuentran en las laderas de los ríos, con motivo de maximizar la exposición al sol de las vides. Esto también ha permitido aprovechar estos panoramas espectaculares para la industria turística.
Los ríos tienen efectos significativos para moderar las temperaturas. El suelo es pizarra para absorber el calor del sol y para conservarlo durante la noche. Los sitios son a menudo extremadamente escarpados, así que cogen la mayoría de la luz del sol, pero son difíciles de cosechar mecánicamente, lo que incrementa sus costos. Los viñedos son extremadamente pequeños comparados con otros países, esto hace que la lista de vinos que se producen sea larga y compleja, de una producción tan limitada.
Alemania produce los vinos en muchos estilos, blancos secos, semidulces, dulces y “late harvest”, vinos rose, vinos tintos y vinos espumosos.
Históricamente los vinos predominantes han sido los blancos y entre ellos, los producidos de la uva riesling. Muchos de sus vinos semidulces son de exportación a los mercados de Inglaterra, Estados Unidos y los Países Bajos (como por ejemplo el Liebfraumilch).
El vino tinto ha sido siempre difícil de producir en el clima alemán, y en el pasado era generalmente de color claro más cercano al rose o a los vinos rojos de Alsacia. No obstante recientemente se producen con más cuerpo e intensidad, buena fruta y color más definido, envejecidos en barrica y principalmente de la uva Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir).
Las etiquetas del vino no han contribuido a que el consumidor adquiera un claro conocimiento del vino que compra. De acuerdo a la actual ley del vino alemán que data de 1971, ordena no solo identificar su procedencia, región, viñedo, productor, variedad de uva y los distintos grados y aspectos de su clasificación. Que para empezar no es la tradicional de acuerdo a su calidad, sino que va de acuerdo al grado de maduración de la uva al momento de la cosecha.
El modelo que se sigue en la misma no es el tradicional francés o aun el del nuevo mundo, sino que es propio. En su mayoría aun utilizan letra gótica, y para los que hablamos español, al no ser el alemán una lengua latina, no existe semejanza entre las palabras alemanas y las del castellano.
Por ejemplo:
Kabinet (nivel más bajo de azúcar)
Tracken (nivel más alto de azúcar)
Spatlese (cosechado tardíamente)
Qwp (vinos de calidad)
Qmp (vinos de calidad con atributos especiales)
Eiswei (vino de hielo)
Los vinos Kabinett, Spatlese y Auslese, pueden ser secos, semidulces o dulces, salvo que indiquen troken, que significa (seco), o halbtrocken (semis seco), lamentablemente estas palabras no siempre aparecen en la etiqueta por lo que suele ser difícil saber que tan dulce es un vino antes de probarlos.
Una indicación general del grado de dulzura es el nivel de alcohol, un grado alcohólico por debajo de 9% puede indicar cierto grado de dulzor, por el azúcar residual que debe haber quedado sin fermentar.
Las uvas comunes del vino blanco son:
Riesling, que cubre la mayoría del área del viñedo alemán. Variedad aromática con un alto nivel de acidez que se puede utilizar para los vinos secos, semidulces, dulces y espumosos. La desventaja de la riesling es que tarda 130 días para madurar y en anos marginales, la cosecha de Riesling tiende a ser pobre.
El Müller-Thurgau, (cruce de Rieslling y Silvaner) uva alternativa a riesling, requiere solo 100 días para madurar, se pude plantar en más sitios, y es de un rendimiento más alto. Tiene un sabor más neutral (es la utilizada en el Liebfraumilch), su reputación ha recibido un golpe junto con esa variedad de vino. El Silvaner, variedad bastante neutral, produce vinos secos con un dejo terroso y rustico.
Otras variedades son la Gewurztraminer, la Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Gris) y la Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanco).
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[Inicio] [Degustaciones]
Presenta un rosso rubino con riflessi violacei, con intensi sentori di frutti bosco e liquirizia e leggere note di vaniglia, cioccolata e rosa appassita. Il sapore è pieno ed avvolgente con tannini setosi ed eleganti. Retrogusto di frutta matura, tabacco e con note balsamiche. from vinepoint.com.it
from suzieandpeter.com: Montiano Merlot, IGT Lazio 2007, Falesco, 14% (Montecchio (Terni), Umbria; Production = 55,000 bottles) – Ubiquitous Italian winemaking consultant Riccardo Cotarella was in fine fettle, proclaiming he’s “never been a believer in boundaries as far as quality goes”, lambasting Italians for promoting varieties over terroir, and saying he particularly enjoyed this wine, “not for the profits it’s given us but for what it’s proven about areas that were previously considered inauspicious”. For this project, Merlot was grafted over Trebbiano in an area near Lake Bolzano (Cotarella: “the traditional wine here was nothing special”). And the results are impressive, an elegant red, pleasantly filigree in texture and refined in structure. Savoury, old-world style with some creamy oak and gently raisined fruit. Ripe fruit, fine sinewy tannins: in Susie’s words, a stylish rendition of Merlot that is beautifully savoury/sweet. 7.5/10
from Wine Enthusiast: Stellato is the quintessential seafood wine that opens with yellow flower, citrus, pear and apple aromas. There’s a grassy accent of dried hay at the back, and the wine is crisp and bright in the mouth.
From the various Cannonau, all top quality, that were submitted this time, the Viniola stands out, a Riserva ’10 with intense notes of crisp, red fruit, but also hints of eucalyptus and myrtle. Delicate and graceful on the palate, a hint of tannin melts into the matter and blowing the wine in a satisfying finale. Three glasses. ” (Gambero Rosso 2014).
(from Winesearcher.com) Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of Italy’s most famous wines, and can be found on wine store shelves all around the world. This classic, well-rounded, plum-scented Italian red is made from Montepulciano grapes grown in the Abruzzo region, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. It is quite distinct from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is a Sangiovese-based wine from Tuscany.The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC title was created in 1968, and covers a vast area of eastern Abruzzo. It spans all 75 miles (120km) of Abruzzo’s coast …more
This tasting focus the main Producing Regions of Castilla y Leon that are Ribeira del Duero, Rueda, Toro and Cigales.
This area is prone to frost, freezing fog and high winds during the winter and spring and so growers elect to train the vines close to the ground. However, Rueda enjoys long hot summers, around 2,700 hours of sunlight and a low chance of drought.
la provincia de Zamora e incluye las areas conocidas como Tierra del Vino, Valle del Guarena, y Tierra del Toro. Hace frontera con las areas de Tierra del Pan, y Tierra de Campos. Hay 8000 hectareas plantadas con vinas de las cuales 5500 estan registradas en el Consejo Regulador de la DO.
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) located in the country’s northern plateau and is one of eleven ‘quality wine’ regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León.[1] It is also one of several recognised wine-producing regions to be found along the course of the Duero river.
thrives even with a short growing season.