Terroir-istes International - Germany, Riesling & Weiss Burgunder

A look at WeissBurgunder (Pinot Blanc) and some Rieslings from Germany

• 2020 Overgaauw Sylvaner 86 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Light lemon with pretty aromas of lemon blossom, white pepper, fresh herb mix and waxy lemon rind.
  The entry is fat and broader with lots of ripe citrus fruit, lemon verbena, lime, and some floral notes. Squeaky clean, the finish has a phenolic grip, is easy drinking and is relatively straightforward. The finish articulates some pear and guava flesh.

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• 2017 Stift Klosterneuburg Weissburgunder 84 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich

  (Tasted Blind): A light straw colour, the nose is mellow and spice drove with a touch of baked apple but little else. There is a soft texture on entry but only slight acidity to support it. The spiciness becomes more apparent, accompanied by a touch of heat, whilst the mid-palate shows dried pears and peaches. Bit short.

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• 2016 Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg Weissburgunder Trocken 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): A light lemon to straw colour. Fairly impressive intense aromas of lemon and lime, white peach with notes of wild blossom, frangipane and yellow apple.
  With a fresh and zesty acidity on the entry, the wine appears steely-edged and linear yet fills out with an almond paste and cashew combination that veers towards a marzipan note that shows some residual sweetness (RS). Remaining fragrant, the wine is very appealing and buoyant, if a tad sweet, given its fruit richness.
  (Spontaneous ferment, old foudres casks, no new oak, good site on the slope)

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• 2017 Müller-Catoir Haardter Herrenletten Weissburgunder 81 Points

  Germany, Pfalz

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-lemon colour. The aromas are initially chlorinated water before becoming more lemon-oriented, slowly revealing banana leaves, wet stones and pebbles with an unusual note reminiscent of playdough. Lacks much intensity, though. The palate feels more assertive with better fruit concentration, medium+ acidity and some warming alcohol. Flavours of tangerine peel, orange citrus, honeydew melon and hints of guava skin. There is a dusting of anise spice with some chalky textures. However, more noticeable is the spiky heat - cayenne spice, Tabasco - of the alcohol that dulls the wine, giving a blunter finish. It also felt a little bony with not enough fruit flesh.
  (Stainless steel, small yields, planted on rock and sandstone.)

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• 2015 Carl Freudenberg Weinheimer Stephansberg Weißer Burgunder Spätlese trocken 85 Points

  Germany, Baden

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-lemon colour with intense aromas showing prominent oak spices and coffee grinds that open up to lemon, lime, apple, baked apple, and Forelle pear.
  Medium-bodied, the wine has a steely acidity, giving pithy edges and a waxy lemon texture but little depth. Flavours start with tangerine peel, apple and spiced oranges but segue to pine resin, coffee bean and prickly pear that, as the wine closes, give a noticeable heat akin to paprika and Tabasco.
  Overall, while the entry is promising, it seems ponderous, with a notable heat on the finish.

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• 2016 Georg Breuer Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling 91 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-green to lemon colour in the glass. Intense, fresh, vibrant and lifted, the nose is filled with lime, white to yellow flowers, sea breezes, apples and jasmine. Lovely perfume, the wine enters with a streak of razor-sharp acidity, with a beautiful brightness and purity yet with a more medium+ body that supported plenty of apple flesh, some terpenes (suggesting a warmer spot) and white peach. I also picked up a faint whiff of oak?!
  Very much a crunchy wine; the palate shape is linear and long on the finish. There is a slaty textural component, and the wine closes with subtle notes of honeycomb, sea salt and desiccated almonds. Perhaps it is slightly one-dimensional in approach I think it has the potential to develop and become more complex.
  11.5%; RS:5.6; TA: 7.7

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• 2016 Georg Breuer Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling 94 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  (Tasted Blind): A mid+ lemon green colour. Intense, ripe fruits on the nose with a fabulous array of lime, white lilies, old ladies' perfume, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a background of stone fruits.
  The entry impresses with its freshness and depth of fruit flavours. There are green apples, forelle pears, white peaches, and frangipanes. The wine is clean as a whistle with excellent depth to the mid-palate.
  A searing, crispy acid gives a frame to this trocken-styled wine while the wine is chiselled, tense, and glides on wheels. With remarkable penetration, the wine is long and is developing some intriguing secondary notes. Superb!
  11.5% 9.2 RS; TA: 9.2

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• 2011 Schloss Vollrads Riesling 86 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  (Tasted Blind): A mid+ gold to light orange colour with distinct bronzing to suggest some age. The bouquet has clear marzipan with frangipane, yellow flowers and lemon verbena.
  While there is a searing acidity, the mid-palate is broad, and there is warmth from paprika and generosity, suggesting a warmer area. It is also quite full-bodied for Riesling, with flavours of apple honey, lemongrass, dried mango, Indian spice and roasted nuts. The wine seems less integrated between alcohol and acidity and lacks focus or length.
  Super old estate that has a rich 800-year legacy. Oldest vineyards in Germany.
  The comments from the estate was that 2011 are some of the best wine they have ever made. 100% stainless steel, six months on lees, RS:5.3; TA:6.8; Alc:13.5%

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• 2012 Weingut Kirsten Klüsserather Bruderschaft Riesling von Geldern PUR 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-gold colour hinting at some maturity. The nose has lifted and focused on white flowers, mango, lemon and apple aromas. Bright and clean fruit, the palate delivers a light-bodied, linear, laser-focused line enhanced by razor-sharp acidity. This is balanced by abundant fruit, such as lemon, mango, lime peel, tarragon, and tangerine. I also picked up a confectionary overtone. Despite the warmer year, the wine carries enough acidity to maintain a refreshing balance. A long-ish finish closes with some crunchy apple, although some phenolics are present.

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• 2017 Georg Breuer Riesling Auslese 95 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  (Tasted Blind): Light gold to mid-lemon in colour. Intense lifted aromas of frangipane, lemon sherbet, white flowers and lime blossom.
  The entry is linear and focused with noticeable residual sweetness (RS) balanced by a terrific blade of acidity to counterbalance before apple blossom, lemon peel and citric edges cut through and layer up this classic Auslese wine. A good length, the wine has layers of complexity and penetrates deep into the mid-palate. It embodies finesse, is light to medium-bodied and 'bubbles along the mid-palate' with an array of flavours such as dried apricot and peach roll without ever descending into being too cloying. An exceptional wine.

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