Introduction

This most interesting tasting was enlivened by detailed explanations from Herr and Frau Kühn. They are fascinating on the subject of extracting site-specific information in Rheingau Riesling, and most persuasive that over-reliance on chemical fertilizer and "technical" wine making dumbs down many of the region's products. They went "organic" about a decade ago, and explain their reasons with such conviction that you really wish them every possible success. Compost is a major topic for the Kühns, and they talk about the way they make it passionately and convincingly.

Then Herr Kühn gets a glint in his eye and starts going into detail about chemical fertilizer, to which he attributes many evils, including phylloxera (I'm still listening), before moving on to the wonders of anthoposophy, homoeopathy and in particular cow horns, which he describes as fantastically sensitive antennae picking up the energy and vibrations sent by the heavenly bodies (my attention starts to drift here). As a biodynamic winemaker, he fills them with composted cow dung, buries them at a specific depth in the vineyard in order, he explains, to attract a cone of cosmic energy (at which point I start to doodle on my notepad).

Of course I know that a number of great winemakers revere and practice the Wisdom of Steiner, but the proof of the Cow Horn is in the drinking, if you're still with me, and when I have a PC or GC wine from Bürklin Wolf, let alone a C9dP from Chateau de Beaucastel in my glass, then I don't mind where the winemaker drew his or her inspiration from - Steiner, the Pope, the Chief Rabbi, St. Robert Parker or whomever - if the result tastes so good.

On the basis of the wines tasted today, however, I felt that Herr Kühn is making good stuff, but not at the top quality tier of the Rheingau appellation, as his prices might seem to imply.

Flight 1 (10 notes)