2006 Wegeler Riesling Pur

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  12/10/2009, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (WEGELER Pure Riesling) Holiday Special #2 Dear Friends, I finally have my email up and running after some morning troubles - it's a reminder that my chosen method of communication is not foolproof. If you sent me an email last night or this morning, I'll get to it tonight - sorry about the delay. As far as wine, this is an easy one. When I first tasted this wine two years ago, I knew it wasn't ready for release, but they released it anyway - that was an error. It was still primary and rangy, without the sweetness of a high pradikat wine or the buffering glycerols of a GG to fool the palate into overlooking the youthful tension of the Riesling. The US market didn't get it - they wanted immediacy and the 2006 Pure was anything but immediate (the wine is sleek and nearly dry as opposed to Kabinett or higher with 20-50g of residual sugar). When you produce a laser-beam style such as this, you better have the wine in balance before release and it wasn't. Two years on, the wine is drinking beautifully (as I suspected it would) but the winery is already on 2008. Where does that leave us? With a Holiday Special that's almost laughable for the quality. First of all, this is not a bargain wine - it's a $20-25 barely off-dry Rheingau Riesling from an excellent source. It's been cellared at the winery and is in perfect condition. Made in the style of a Wachau Federspiel (not a typical German wine), the Pure has pin-point freshness, clean and bright varietal tone and lower alcohol than has become acceptable in many high-end Austrian wines (the Pure is 10.5-11.5% vs. something like FX Picher that is creeping into the 14.5-15.0% range for certain examples). Wegeler's intent with the Pure was to marry citrus with delicate peach and white fruit tones without any heavy sugar or excess extract to bog you down. It's a weightless dancer that effortlessly turns and twists as though it is a few inches off the ground. In other words, a wine that zips through your evening meal with light-handed zeal but leaves plenty in reserve for another day. If you're tired of increased prices on German and Austrian wine, I urge you to give this uncomplicated, thoroughly enjoyable example a try. It reminds me of a time (not too long ago) when Riesling was so inexpensive, you didn't bat an eye opening a bottle (or three) on a Monday night with friends. That's the Pure in a nutshell and the 2006 should be just about perfect come next summer. FIRST COME FIRST SERVED UP TO 72/person until we run out 2006 Wegeler Riesling "Pure" (Rheingau) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Germ7133