Simple Series VI: Grosses Gewach Dinner

I missed the last two "simple series" dinners, and was really glad to be able to join this one. Ed's suggestion for a Grosses Gewach dinner was many months in the making, but it was sure worth the wait. We had a line-up of some of the very best 2007 and 2008 dry wines Germany had to offer - thanks again Ed! Food was great, company even better (as usual) - what a blast.

Wines were served in random blind pairs, with a pair of reds in between to break the monotony and a few sweets to end the night. Votes were cast when the last white flight was poured. 1st place was quite unanimous, with the 2nd-4th places quite tightly packed together. Donnhoff, rather surprisingly, swept the first three places, with Keller nowhere in sight. Group results are below (slightly different from my own):

1st: 2007 Dönnhoff Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg
2nd: 2008 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle
3rd: 2007 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen
4th: 2007 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg

A few conclusions:

a. Donnhoff drinks well young
b. Keller needs time
c. Weil makes really good dry wines
d. Diel is no slouch
e. 2007 is a far, far superior vintage for dry Rieslings than 2008
f. German GGs represent great value, with the best of them being fantastic, age-worthy dry wines able to compete with the best whites in the world

• 2007 Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Großes Gewächs 93 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Consistent impressions with my last bottle - this was very impressive. Lovely, expressive nose showed a whole fruit basket of mangoes, apricots, peaches, more citrussy lemon and grapefruit scents, some sticky honey and nectar, a whiff of flowers and an undercurrant of mineral. I really liked the palate too. High acid gave the wine a lot life and a very dry backbone. Lots of dry extract and power was evident, yet there was both weight and precision, with green apples, grapefruit and lemon flavours held in lovely balance. Back-palate was a little tight and hesitant at first, but it came rushing into life with some time in the glass, showing a driving finish with lots of minerality, like a river bed of wet rocks mixed with seashell tones, white flower nuances and more lemons. Just a bit of alcohol showed at the edges of the wine, otherwise it was excellent.

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• 2007 Weingut Keller Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs 92 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  This started out a little rough, especially when compared with the more precise and expressive Diel Goldloch on the same flight, but it really came into its own with some time and air. Nose opened rather toasty and peanutty, slowly unfurling to show ripe yellow fruit scents, almost jackfruit-like, with rather pungent scents of frangipani flower. Palate was a little looser knit than the Diel, but had plenty of stuffing and power, with sticky tropical fruit accents and pineappley bits wreathed in a little smokiness. Quite a bit of fleshy fruit here, but the wine was kept lively by a stream of tingly acidity. Finish was longish, smoky and spicy - almost oaky I thought. A good wine with quite a bit going on, I can only see this improving with time.

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• 2007 Dönnhoff Felsenberg Riesling Großes Gewächs 96 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  This was awesome. Unanimously voted the wine of the night, without a single desenter. I thought this was head and shoulders above the other GGs on the day (apart from the Dellchen). Tremendous depth on the nose, with yellow fruit and rich red apples nestling amongst a bed of gravel and hot stones with little whiffs of petroleum floating about. The bouquet certainly promised something special, and boy did the palate deliver. It was tight given the vintage and its age, yet there was clear quality here, with weight and depth wed to fine, lacy elegance and great purity in its apple, sweet tangerine and lemon flavours. Incredibly precise, almost laser-like, and gorgeously balanced, it was nervy, tingly and so very alive, as it wound its way seamlessly from attack into a clean, precise and long, lingering finish that showed a spritz of lemon and a touch of bittersweet mineral. Brilliant.

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• 2008 Weingut Keller Hubacker Riesling Großes Gewächs 93 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  This was the second half of a really strong flight. A very good wine, it showed quite a bit better than the first time I tried it. Very expressive, flowery nose, almost soap-sud-like, with chamomile and poutpourri scents tumbling out of the glass along with white fruit, spritzy lemon zest and some stony mineral accents. Lovely. Palate was not quite there yet, coming across rather shut, but showed lots of promise for the future. Plenty of power and depth in its creamy texture and ripe grapfruit and lemony flavours. Finish was longish and juicy with a little bittersweet fruit pip note. Plenty of stuffing here. I thought I detected just a bit of alcohol at the fringes of the wine, but certainly not enough to detract from its quality. This needs lots of time yet, but was certainly enjoyable on the night.

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• 2008 Dönnhoff Dellchen Riesling Großes Gewächs 92 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  A good wine, this stood out from the crowd. Big, big fruit on the nose, with pineapples and ripe yellow fruit laced with a little alcohol. Palate, as one would expect, was rich and ripe too, with tropical pineapple notes and ripe lemons warpped in that same rich bigness suggested on the nose. Again, there was just a hint of alcohol (something I found in quite a few of the 2008 GGs), and this came across rather looser knit than the 2007 Dellchen. However, the quality was apparent, with the fleshy, curd-like fruit balanced out by some lovely, juicy acidity, and stretched out in a long finish with citrus grapefruit and lemon flavours. Too early to drink yet, this should get much better as it sheds some baby fat.

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• 2008 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken Erstes Gewächs 90 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  A far cry from the excellent 2007, this was good, but far from great on the night. Tight nose showed a little creamy scent, some orange notes, stony mineral and a little savoury accent. Palate was big, rich, with lots of weight in its ripe fruit notes, but was all a little uni-dimensional at the moment. There was lots of juicy acidity as well, but unique amomgst the GGs we tasted, it came across almost tartish on the attack. It was only towards the finish were the wine showed first growth mettle, stretching out with weighty fruit, some spice and a nice touch of stony mineral. Needs time.

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• 2007 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken Erstes Gewächs 94 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  An excellent bottle - this was another really strong flight. I really liked the nose, which had all sorts of fresh scents almost dancing around in the glass - white flowers, grapefruit, stony mineral, even a pat of savoury earth. Just a bit of glycerol hanging around in there, otherwise, it was really nice. Palate was far more clean and precise than the 2008, with tingly acidity adding to a sense of finesse and grace. Again, this was rather young and tight, with primary grapefruit and lemon flavours showing, but I really liked the heft and balance of the wine. It was so full of life and sparkle. Finish was longish too, with clean, ripe lemon flavours wrapped in more of that lively, tingly acidity. I get a sense that this may be shutting down slightly. It was even less expressive than the last rather tight bottle I had. This should be really nice as it ages though.

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• 2008 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs 93 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  A great favourite amongst the table. I really liked it, but was not quite as blown away by it as some of the others were. Nose was very expressive and attractive, with fragrant, almost pungent yellow-fruited scents, jackfruit I thought, along with vanilla hints, grapefruit and a touch of petrol. Lots of weight on the palate, with big pink guava flavours, more ripe grapefruit and flecks of mineral bringing up the rear. Balance was excellent in true Donnhoff fashion. Finish was really nice length too. Again, lots of power in its grapefruit expression. Very fruity I thought, not quite bone dry. Somehow though, attractive as it was, this came across as very primary, almost a bit clunky and simple when compared with the super-lively Weil on the same flight. A very good wine, but it will take some time to pulll together.

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• 2000 Château Montviel 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  This was drinking very young for a 2000 right bank, but was certainly enjoyable. Nose had clear right-bank character, with rich plums, earth and mushrooms along with slightly new-wordly toast and rubber accents mixed with a drop of glycerol. Palate was marked on the attack with rather woody but finely-shaped tannins still giving the wine a firm grip. Again, clear right-bank flavours here, with plums, spice, earth and dark chocolate, all carried on a bed of clean, lively acidity. More woody hints on the finish, along with a final dash of merlot spice and a little sour plum flavour. All in all, a really nice effort, especially at its price point!

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• 2005 Château Phélan Ségur 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  I thought this was really good. By far the best Phelan-Segur I have ever tried. Drinking pretty well too for a 2005. Nose was attractive, with vanilla, toast and a savoury damp earth character that was all very left-bank and very inviting. It was the palate that really grabbed the attention though. Clean, pure cassis and plum notes were wed to lush tobacco and woody bramble tones, with a stream of gravelly mineral running the length of the wine. All very precise and focused, and very delicious, with fine tannins and fresh acid giving the wine a nice shape and mouthfeel. Finish carried on seamlessly from the mid-palate, with fine, slightly powdery tannins caressing the mouth, and a linger of rich cassis tones closing the wine out. A real surprise. Especially excellent with the beef dish.

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• 2007 Weingut Keller Hubacker Riesling Großes Gewächs 93 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  One of the more opulent wines in the line-up, this was very good. Nose had an almost pungent fragrance to it, with toasty notes, petrol drops, white flowers and a rich underlayer of ripe, almost tropical yellow fruit scents. Palate, as would be expected after that nose, was rich and powerful, with ripe lemons melding into ripe white fruit scents. Yet, unlike the slightly loose-knit 2008, this had a lovely sense of delineation and a precise balance that belied its weight. A good long finish rounded the wine off, showing more fruit alongside attractive flowery scents and a really nice minerality. Good now, but this was still clearly young. Will be a smashing wine with age.

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• 2007 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs 92 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  This was a great surprise - good, but this was surely the underperformer of the night. An off-bottle perhaps? Or has this fallen asleep? The only resemblance it bore to the incredible bottle I last tried was on the nose, which was beautiful. Rich scents of treacle, toffee and toast rose from the glass, rather richer and stickier than the last bottle, alongside lacy citrus grapefruit notes and deep chalky mineral and stone nuances. Wow. It was at once lovely, refined and deep and inviting. The palate was quite a let-down though. Rather straightforward, with lemon and grapefruit flavours at the fore, along with some guava towards the mid-palate. Rich, weighty, balanced for sure, but somehow lacking the cut and precise definition that so marked the last bottle for me. Finish still had the same lovely length, with peachy flavours mingling with breadfruit and a touch of mineral. I would love to retaste another bottle - this one was good, but really disappointing after the last experience.

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• 2007 Dönnhoff Dellchen Riesling Großes Gewächs 95 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Really excellent, this was one of the best wines of the night and easily several leagues ahead of the 2008 version. This wine had a haunting, profound nose, with savoury earth mingling with chalky, stony mineral and a depth of layered white fruit scents. The palate was pitch-perfect. Of all the great Rieslings we had, this had the most amazing sense of precision, focus and definition, with seamless flavours of fresh citrus lemons sprinkled with a bit of spice just filling the mouth from attack into a clingy, minerally finish. This just had that wonderful ethereal balance and wholeness that marks all the very best German Rieslings. A great wine that stood out even after a long, palate-wearing tasting.

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• 2008 Weingut Keller Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs 92 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  A good enough wine, but rather overshadowed by the tremendous Donnhoff on the same flight. I get the sneaky suspicion that this was not showing to its true potential on the night. Palate was tight and a bit strange, with some toasty nutty scents showing alongisde asparagus-like notes. A bit awkward I thought. Palate was quite a bit better. Rich, deep, with plenty of stuffing and showing some yummy fresh lemon cirtus notes, it was rather a pleasure to drink. Nice and balanced as well, just a little simple and straightforward at the moment. Finish was decent, showing a dash of spice, a little woodiness but also more of that nicely balanced shape. Needs time. At the moment, good but not fantastic.

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• 2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spätlese 91 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  This has completely closed shop and gone to sleep I think. Quality is still apparent, but its hard to get anything from the wine at the moment. Nose was tight, with white fruits doused with a little layer of petrol. Same story on the palate. Lovely texture and balance, with clearly rich ripe fruit, but all very tight, with only a little lemon and yellow fruit character showing. Finish was long, round and rich, but all a bit indistinct. Time to let my remaining bottles sleep for a long, long time.

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• 2002 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  Always good, but this was the weakest showing for some time. Lovely nose as always, with orange,fragrant mangoes, passionfruit and white flowers accompanied by a little savoury hint. This was haunted by a whiff of South African rubber though, which I thought distracted from the wine's character somewhat. Palate had a bit more of that rubberiness on the attack, but had thankfully more than enough fresh fruited character to carry the day, with rich mangoes, tropical fruit and some spicy, smoky notes riding on a treacly, honeyed palate. As always, balance was perfect. Finish was longish and sweet, with nectar and honey tones and just that little idiosyncratic rubber tone again. Not the best bottle we have had, but a pretty good dessert wine nonetheless.

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• NV Chambers Rosewood Muscadelle (Tokay) Special 94 Points

  Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

  This had been opened for almost a week, and it was still incredibly good when I got to it. Lovely nose, with deep whiffs of toffee and caramel, accompanied by mahogany and rosewood scents, preserved fig skins, orange peel and a savoury, earthy undercurrant. Very lovely. Palate was so very rich, almost oily, syrupy in its texture. It showed rich dark chocolate, spice, Christmas pudding and dried-fig tones. Yummy. Just lacked that little fresh acid-kick that would have propelled it to greatness, but this was never too cloying or sticky. Finish had great persistent and length as well, with raisins, dried figs and spice notes just clinging to the back-palate for ages. Not to everyone's taste maybe, but it was a truly memorable wine.

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