Riesling and Kraftwerk

A chance joke ("she's a mosel and she's looking good") led to the exploration of the concept of matching the grape varietal Riesling with the music of the German Electro-pop exponents Kraftwerk. Everyone helped out with food and we had a lovely time...With Ben, Estella, Frank, Dave K and Wayne.

Rather than forcing a taste through with each of the wines we just pulled them out and plopped them on the table with:

Sashimi (kingfish, tuna, salmon)
Smoked kingfish pate (thanks Wayne)
Fresh shucked oysters (thanks Wayne)
Leek quiche and crusty bread (thanks Estella and Ben)
Crab salad
Roast pork belly with boiled spuds
Silken tofu with pork mince and rice (thanks Frank)
Peach and mango trifle (thanks Dave)

We got through most of Kraftwerk's back catalogue including Radioactivity, Computer World, Tour de France, the Mix, Trans-Europe Express and Authobahn on both vinyl and cd

• 2004 J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Spätlese trocken

  Germany, Rheingau

  Aromas of peach, apple, spice; almost spiced bread and ginger, and very slight lime notes. In the mouth the wine is juicy, more citrus and green apple than the nose promises with quite mineral notes on the medium length. Okay.

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• 2003 J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Auslese trocken

  Germany, Rheingau

  The nose is quite rich, almost marzipan, orange, ginger, slight kerosene and, with time and agitation, tarragon notes. In the mouth the wine is spicy with slight citrus notes, quite broad on the palate, a touch of alcohol warmth as well as the aniseed on the medium plus finish. Rather nice and puts me in mind of some Austrian Rieslings from a textual perspective.

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• 1994 Leo Buring Riesling Leonay Eden Valley

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

  Some previous seepage on the cork and it was a struggle to remove it without complete disintegration. On the nose toast, honey, smoked lime and butter...in the mouth the wine is initially dusty and closed but with time the wine fleshes out with honey, lime and a buttery width to the palate. Put me in mind of the aged quality of some Hunter Semillons or older Vouvrays but with a very different fruit profile. Fully mature but rather splendid none the less.

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• 1996 Tim Adams Riesling Flawed

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Another challenging cork, again success on extraction. No obvious bleeding though. The wine was funky and maderised on the nose, lime and orange, spice and sweaty leather. In the mouth the wine is sour and slight tart with chalky phenolic grip on the mid palate. Hmm. Dead and, probably, flawed.

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• 2007 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Domherr Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Medium minus aromas of wet stone, ripe apple and slight tropical fruit. In the mouth the wine is off dry, broad on the palate with ripe apple, peach and tropical fruit flavours. Very pleasant indeed.

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• 2007 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Aromas of spice, peach, slight struck match, flint and wet stone. In the mouth the wine is off dry with flavours of peach and ripe apple, quite creamy though, perhaps, a little obvious. Nice.

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• 2000 Richmond Grove Riesling Limited Release Watervale

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale

  On the nose aromas of cream, slight kerosene, honey and lime. In the mouth there is slight spritz, kerosene, slight honeyed notes, and touches of sulphur...Hmm

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• 2006 Crawford River Riesling Reserve

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Henty

  Medium minus aromas of struck flint, lime cordial and slight cream and yoghurt. IN the mouth there is a slight spritz, bone dry with muted lime juice and non-intrusive alcohol heat on the finish and very slight sulphurousness. Hmm.

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• 2009 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling The Contours Museum Reserve

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

  Medium minus intensity aromas with lemon and lime cream, slight spice and wet stone. In the mouth the wine has flavours of lemon and lime, slight talc like texture and slight wet stone flavours. Quite long. Still youthful. Okay.

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• 2002 Petaluma Riesling Hanlin Hill

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  aromas of lime cordial and zest, cream and mineral notes. In the mouth the wine is very juicy and almost tart with lime and sherbert notes. quite simple.

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• 1999 Petaluma Riesling Flawed

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  The cork looked good but was damaged - the core tore out leaving the exterior firmly wedged. Wine was decanted through filter. Oxidised nose with slight aromas of lime pith and honey. More of the same on the palate with a drying grip. Obviously out of condition but still pleasant to sip.

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• 2007 Dönnhoff Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Felsentürmchen Spätlese

  Germany, Nahe

  On the nose aromas of peach, tropical fruit - pineapple - and ripe apple. Spice and cream as well. In the mouth all of the above, juicy but off dry - beautifully balanced - and a slight sulphurous notes on the long finish. Simply lovely.

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• 2007 Weingut Knebel Winninger Brückstück Riesling Spätlese feinherb Flawed

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Seepage around the cork. Spicy aromas with slight green notes, and almost meaty quality and struck match. Quite funky as well, kerosene and cheesy notes. In the mouth the wine is bone dry - no residual sugar - juicy with marzipan and spice the predominant flavours. It's also a little short. I'm not sure if it's out of condition. Hmm, it's not a day for the benefit of the doubt.

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• 2007 Weingut Knebel Winninger Röttgen Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  A touch austere on the nose initially with mineral notes, opening to peach and apricot and ginger snaps. In the mouth the wine has flavours or peach, apricot and and slight silky burring on the mid palate. The wine is off dry with kind of savoury notes as well - the ginger spice is dry rather than sweet. Pleasant.

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some Riesling palate fatigue was evinced by some of our group but I managed to persist until the end. similar issues with the electronic beeping - a late ring in of Senor Coconuts Kraftwerk covers helped in this space.

A few out of condition wines but nothing to lose too much sleep over: I've marked them as flaws or defective on this occasion but only the tim adams was pretty much undrinkable. If I was going to pick a wine it would probably be the glorious Donnhoff or the Domherr...the Leonay got better and better with time - those honeyed notes were very impressive.