Next tasting – Piemonte e Toscana: Nobili Vini d’Italia

Date/time: 23 November, Monday, 7.45pm

Piemonte e Toscana – Nobili Vini d’Italia Leonardo da Vinci once wrote that “the discovery of a good wine is increasingly better for mankind than the discovery of a new star”. Hailing from Tuscany, he would surely know a thing or two about good wine. If Burgundy is one of the historic centres of white wine production, then Italy surely has a strong claim to being the home of old-world red wine. Indeed, wines from Tuscany and Piedmont in particular are some of the most sought-after in the world, matching even the historic châteaux of Bordeaux in quality (and of course, price). In November, we will be focusing exclusively on these two regions and learning why they are so globally popular. A hint: it has a lot to do with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.

Cost: £10 per person

RSVP: glass (dot) half (dot) fulham (at) googlemail (dot) com by 13 November, Friday. Numbers are limited to 15 and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

A thoroughly enjoyable dinner, with some wine

A few evenings ago, JG and SD invited me over for dinner, where I enjoyed their fine cooking. In return, I brought the wine. Some complemented the food better than others (I must add that it is my fault as SD had already told me what was for dinner!). For starters, SD had prepared Grilled Asparagus wrapped in Parma Ham with an Orange Balsamic Glaze. This I paired with an NV Mionetto Il Prosecco, Prosecco del Veneto IGT (The Sampler, approx £7, 375ml). Pale gold, with a fruity lemony bouquet. On the palate, it reminded me of apples and was lovely and light. The citrusy zest cut through the glaze, and was a great match. It would also be lovely for a picnic (perhaps not in the winter…).

JG then pulled out all the stops with Pan-fried Duck Breast in an Orange and Soya Sauce Jus, with Stir-fried Vegetables and Noodles (this bit was done by SD). We savoured this with a 2005 Chateau Brulesecaille, Côtes de Bourg (Harvey Nichols, £8.50, 375ml). Dark purple, with tobacco, cassis and pencil shavings. Perhaps a little tar and smoke. I was not convinced that it was the best choice, I would have preferred to have brought a Chianti, or a Grenache-based wine. Nonetheless, it did complement the dish, as it was able to stand up to the saltiness of the soya sauce, giving it a smokey edginess.

To finish what was already a massive meal, we enjoyed a selection of cheeses including Montgomery Cheddar, Shropshire Blue, Bavarian Basil with Chilli (SD’s favourite!) and Colston Bassett Stilton. With this we had the 2005 Tesco Finest Riverina Botrytis Semillon, South Eastern Australia (Tesco, approx £6, 375ml). This is one of my favourite buys from Tesco: golden, with marmalade, honey and raisin. Despite being a sweet wine, its aroma had a certain freshness to it, like the smell of a new car or bike (JG was the first to note this, and actually I do agree!).

Whilst walking through Hackney after consuming all this wine may not have been the best of ideas, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. JG, SD, do invite me round again sometime!

(by JK)

Pinot Noir from Burgundy

Current theory states that a reasonable 1er cru should be left well alone for five plus years, but I’m afraid a decent steak supper and a rather tough day forced me into a little impatience. Opening the foil of the 2004 Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot Volnay Les Santenots, Volnay 1er Cru (Fortnum & Mason, approx £18, 375ml), I was a little worried, a good fungal growth completely covering the cork, and as I eased the corkscrew in, all was a little too soft for my liking. However, things quickly firmed up, and as I checked the inside, everything looked and smelled perfect. First off, the colour. Lately I’ve been drinking a lot of South American Malbec and Carmenère, and so I was struck by the paleness, almost pink hue to the wine. The legs were robust, but nothing compared to the stickiness of an Argentinean powerhouse. Yet, if I was unawed by the colour, the nose was incredible. The silken smell of soft, perfectly ripe, strawberries and redcurrants covering the subtle aroma of an obviously oaked wine. In the mouth it was soft and silky, while structured and tingling, just enough, all the right parts. The strawberries, redcurrants and cherries again obvious, with hints of vanilla leaving a long and very pleasant aftertaste.

Now I’m not suggesting that wines at this price should be a regular tipple, and that additional patience on my behalf would probably have been rewarded, but the every once in a while set your pulse racing with a genuine reminder of how good Pinot Noir really can be!

(by LP)

Les Blancs de Bourgogne

As the days become windier and wetter and the nights draw in, my mind is drawn back to last winter when we convened for the first time on a cold January evening. I say this because the October Glass Half Fulham meeting was our first, albeit small, milestone; our tenth tasting. Over the last year, we’ve tasted a diverse variety of different wines and explored the viniculture of many different regions. But to mark this occasion, we were to return to one of the most important and historical centers of wine production, Burgundy – source of some of the world’s greatest wines and to the king of white grapes, Chardonnay.

As a way of introduction, LP (our guide for the evening) presented the four major regions of Burgundy – Côte d’Or, Côte Châlonnaise, Mâconnais and Chablis – and described their geography, climate and often confusing classification systems. Burgundy, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, typifies the concept of terroir, and its influence in wine production is one of the major reasons for the region being able to produce consistently high quality wines throughout history.

We explored the region working roughly north to south, beginning with Chablis in the north-west. Our first wine, the 2007 Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons (Berry Bros. & Rudd, £16.55) was a fine example of a traditional dry Chardonnay, typifying a style which has been reproduced around the world. This wine had hints of vanilla and toast (the similarity to Champagne was noted) on the nose, with butterscotch coming through once left to breath for a few minutes. The taste, however, was not creamy, but unexpectedly acidic. LP explained that given the cooler climate and shorter summers, producers in Chablis use techniques such as malolactic fermentation. The malic acid certainly came through in the apple and mineral flavours which were interesting, if not unpleasant. In contrast, the 2007 Domaine Ghislaine & Jean-Hugues Goisot, St-Bris (Theatre of Wine, £11.20) had none of the crispness or sharpness of taste that was expected. The earthly, mouldy aromas gave way to a sour, but full body that challenged the taste-buds. Many tasters commented that the St-Bris would be an excellent companion to a strong goats cheese.

Leaving Chablis, we moved to Burgundy-proper and took a slight diversion away from Chardonnay to experience the regions ‘other’ white grape variety, Aligoté. One of the components in the blackcurrant liqueur Kir, Aligoté has traditionally had a bad reputation as a wine in its own right, but has had a revival in recent years. The 2008 Blason de Bourgogne, Bourgogne Aligoté (Waitrose, £8.99) had a fabulous golden colour and a bouquet that included sherbert, soft fruits, wood and mild incense. It was the fruit notes that came through most intensely on the palate, producing a curious gone-off strawberries sensation. This wine was perhaps not one of the finest examples of a Burgundy white, but represented good value for money and certainly a talking point. The 2006 Nicolas Potel, Montagny 1er Cru (Berry Bros. & Rudd, £14.50), nearby geographically to the Aligoté but a complete contrast in terms of taste, returned us to the Chardonnay grape. The creamy and fruity flavours, with prominent notes of bananas and pear in particular, proved the variety of taste experiences that the same grape can produce. Many members were reminded of the St-Aubin that we tasted back in January. Whilst we were warned not place full trust in the ‘Premier Cru’ label, this was certainly a high quality wine and the most popular of the evening so far.

Moving further south to Mâcon, we tasted two wines from the central district of Burgundy: 2007 Héritiers du Comte Lafon ‘Les Maranches’, Mâcon-Uchizy (Berry Bros. & Rudd, £17.50) and 2006 Olivier Merlin, St-Véran (Berry Bros. & Rudd, £13.95). The appellations in the Mâconnais region produce large quantities of both red and white wines on their rolling limestone hills, which benefit from larger quantities of sunshine and heat than their northern neighbours; the Chardonnay grapes here are rarely affected by frost. We noted the influence of the geology in the aromas of both wines, particularly flint, which came through in the minerally Mâcon-Uchizy. However, the acidic taste (even more so than the Chablis) was both unexpected and disappointing, which made the St-Véran even more enjoyable. The second example had both an earthy aroma – typical of an oak-aged wine – and a creamy butterscotch flavour. A powerful wine, which would be a fine accompaniment to strongly-flavoured food.

Our penultimate wine of the evening, the 2006 Bret Brothers Cuvée Terres de Fuissé, Pouilly-Fuissé (Berry Bros. & Rudd, £19.50) was from the southern-most point on the limestone plateau on which Burgundy is grown, and an appellation which famously produces wines commanding some of the highest prices in the region. The Bret brothers, highly respected producers, have a reputation for being the mavericks of the Burgundy region and so this tasting was eagerly anticipated. Despite being ever so slightly corked, the quality of the pouilly clearly shone through in the creamy flavours, and was highly praised by all. Many noted that they would seek this out after the tasting to fully experience the wine.

To conclude, we tasted a classic example of Meursault, a large and prosperous appellation in the Côte d’Or. LP noted that although this AC strangely contains no Grand Crus, the Premier Crus are rarely surpassed (and as expensive). The 2004 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault Charmes, Meursault 1er Cru (The Sampler, £29.99) had notes of bananas, salami and smoked cheese on the noise, leading to a creamy flavour. This wine would probably improve even more during the next five to eight years.

Many thanks to LP for organising such an enjoyable and insightful tasting. Wines of the evening were as follows:

1) Wine of the evening: 2006 Bret Brothers Cuvée Terres de Fuissé, Pouilly-Fuissé
2) Best value for money: 2006 Olivier Merlin, St-Véran

(report by TH)

[JK's note: Because it was AlM's birthday, we also had the 2003 Domaine Pouderoux Vendange Tardive, Maury (Waitrose, £9.99, 50cl). A vin doux naturel, it is unsurprising that it reminded many of a tawny port, since both are made by fortification. Cherry and mulberry, it nicely complemented AlM's birthday cake. Probably a good accompaniment for chocolate as well!]

Next tasting – Les Blancs de Bourgogne

Date/time: 26 October, Monday, 7.45pm

Les Blancs de Bourgogne Recent years have seen shelves filled with Chardonnay from the New World. However, this month we return to Burgundy, exploring the region which produces some of the world’s most scintillating, not to mention most expensive, white wines. From the bone-dry Chablis of the north to the fat, buttery Meursault of the Côte de Beaune, join us in discovering this enigmatic region and understand why, in some eyes, Chardonnay is still the greatest of white wine grapes.

Cost: £10 per person

RSVP: glass (dot) half (dot) fulham (at) googlemail (dot) com by 16 October, Friday. Numbers are limited to 15 and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Wines of Chile, Argentina & Uruguay

It was time again for my favourite Monday of the month, when I leave work with my head held high and a spring in my step, looking forward (and, of course, upward) to another evening of heady and sensuous delights. This particular Glass Half Fulham meeting had an even more intimate character than usual, as all 14 of us squeezed around tables in GMC’s study as our normal gathering place was unavailable. Perhaps I was the only one who thought that the set-up had the conspiratorial air of a French Resistance meeting, but I blame these feelings of bonhomie for my perhaps unwise decision to volunteer to write this blog entry. Although formal qualifications in oenology are apparently unnecessary for the task, I am a vastly inexperienced wine taster and anyone reading further than this should ensure they are aware of the terms of my disclaimer: aside from the occasional foray into my own personal opinion and what I shall euphemistically call ‘public source information’, the following is based on the seemingly bottomless knowledge of our organiser-in-chief (cheerfully plagiarised from his detailed tasting notes) and the openly democratic musings of fellow Glass Half Fulham members.

Torrontés grapes

The first wine of the evening was also our only white: the 2008 Tapiz Torrontés, Mendoza, Argentina (Good Wine Shop, £9.75). As the archetypal Argentinean white grape, I was assured that Torrontés simply could not have been left out of our tasting. The three varieties of this grape produce most of Argentina’s wonderful spicy, aromatic whites. This grape is also widely planted in Chile, but most of the harvest, it seems, goes towards the manufacture of the unfortunately-named ubiquitous South American spirit: Pisco. Perhaps I should not malign Pisco before I have been forced to try it, but this seems like a terrible waste to me. The colour of this wine was a very pale browny-yellow. The aroma was immediately fruity and intense, but also floral, with some describing it as a nectar-like smell. Notes of pear were also discerned. For myself, the aroma reminded me a little of a Riesling from a previous tasting. On tasting, this impression solidified into a persistent honeysuckle nose, with the surprisingly tart flavour, combined with a slight bitterness leading to an impression of grapefruit typical of the variety.

We next moved on to a 100%-Syrah, one of Chile’s newer grape varieties and a hit on the international competitions circuit in 2008. Syrah is being produced in small but growing quantities in Chile and the wine world is watching with anticipation. The wine we sampled, the 2007 Maycas del Limari Syrah Reserva, Limari Valley, Chile (Tesco, £8.99), was an example of a cool-climate Syrah, a class of Chilean wine markedly different from the very recognisable warm-climate Shiraz. Cool-climate Syrah can conjure up detailed and subtle aromas which contrast with the powerfully rich and fruity warm-climate examples of the grape variety. The 2007 Maycas del Limari is deeply, inkily purple with enormous legs befitting its 14.5%. The aroma is immediately full of dark red berries with a suggestion of plums. On closer inspection, meaty and earthy smells can be detected, as well as a surprising and subtle hint of menthol (perhaps another indicator of the wine’s strength). On tasting the wine, the meatiness remains, as does the earthy, slightly port-like taste. Now spiciness in the form of black pepper and vanilla notes also comes through. However, the overall impression of the taste was that it was surprisingly thin for the promise of the aroma and the tenacious tannins sealed my impression of this one: one to try for the complex smells, but not if you want a pleasant tipple of an evening. [JK: I was one of the few dissenters - I enjoyed this!]

Now we moved onto Carmenère and one of the most interesting tales of Chilean wine history. Carmenère was mistaken for a long time for a simple variant of Merlot, even though the two varieties ripen at different times and consequently can impart very different characters to wine if harvested at the same time. The variety was imported from Bordeaux with Merlot vines in the mid-19th century just before the phylloxera epidemic of the 1860s got underway. Carmenère needs quite a dry growing season and the climate in parts of Chile perfectly suited the variety. In addition to this (and this is what makes Carmenère so particular to Chilean wines), Carmenère turned out to be an erratic performer when grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks and so the variety all but died out in the rest of the world. Chile, however, never had a large problem with phylloxera due to the country’s relative geographical isolation. So Carmenère flourished virtually unnoticed in Chile until 1996, when it was officially recognised as a distinct grape variety from Merlot.

Carmenère is a tricky variety to use in wine without blending with other varieties. Its natural growth schedule produces a lots of sugars before the tannins soften and so hot climates can lead to some overpoweringly strong and unbalanced wines. The first offering to be tasted, the 2008 Morrisons The Best Chilean Carmenere Reserva, Colchagua Valley, Chile (Morrisons, £6.74, bought on offer at £3.99), weighed in at 14% and this set the trend for the other two Carmenères to be tasted (14% and 14.5%). The Morrisons Carmenère was ruby-coloured and had a much fresher and more herbal aroma than I would have expected from a red wine. We detected herbs (mint or parsley), redcurrants, blackberries and tar, though the aroma was lacking in complexity. It seems likely that the herbal smells may have indicated that the grapes for this wine were harvested fairly early, which would reportedly impart to Carmenère an aggressive herbal aroma. I’m nearly sure that negative initial impressions of the wine were not the effect of unconscious suggestions made by the wine’s provenance (at this point we did not know the price…). The taste, however, backed up the initial impressions, with the wine being described as initially like saltwater, then balanced, but dusty or musty and without much depth.

The next Carmenère to be tasted was in fact a 60-40 Carmenère-Carignan blend: the 2007 Terra Andina Altos Carmenère-Carignan, Central Valley, Chile (Oddbins, £9.99). This wine immediately impressed, with its oaky, resinous smells, described by some (in a not unkind way) as like “synthetic cleaning spirit” on first impressions, though this may have had something to do with the 14% ABV. Also detectable in the aroma were all sorts of berries, which we struggled to describe as like strawberries and cassis until someone said that they were reminded of bilberries. Since no more than two or three of us have ever eaten a bilberry, we will have to take their word for it. The taste of the wine was tart and textured with tannins, though neither impression was overpowering. The “berry clichés” continued and some began to describe the flavour as like coffee or chocolate. We settled on mocha.

Our final Carmenère was an interesting one. The 2007 Errázuriz Single Vineyard Don Maximiano Estate Carmenère, Aconcagua Valley, Chile (Harrods, £16.95) was another dense, inky purple wine and again some smokiness was present in the aroma. Some compared it to dried tobacco and some to burning tobacco. We could even agree on a brand: Gauloises. On top of that were more herbal aromas, this time the woodier herbs: thyme or rosemary. Brandy notes were also present. The basic taste of the wine was simultaneously sweeter than we had been used to and also slightly salty. Smokiness was a continuing feature, as well as a return of the black pepper character noted in the Limari Valley Syrah earlier on. For some reason, I have written ‘pencil shavings’ below all this, but this could have been a moment of madness.

The next two wines were both 100%-Malbec and were from Argentina. Malbec is grown widely in Argentina due to the large swathes of the country that are both suitable in climate for viniculture and also above 1000m, the altitude above which Malbec vines are happiest. The first wine, the 2008 Altos del Condor Trapiche Vineyards Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina (Marks & Spencer, £6.99), was impressive and edged out the Terra Andina Altos Carmenère-Carignan by one vote to become the favourite wine of the night (I must confess I changed my vote to the Torrontés, which upset the tie between the two very good reds). The Altos del Condor Trapiche Malbec was a dark, browny-purple colour and had an enticing aroma of brown sugar and rum, with notes of chocolate. Soft, sweet smokiness was also evident. After tasting, the general impression was of a rich and tasty wine, reminiscent of fruits again, but sweeter ones. One suggestion was peaches. A slight herbal impression was interpreted as a tea-like flavour. We actually tried this with Cashel Blue cheese, one of three delicious cheeses designed to complement the characters of the wines. The blue cheese was a perfect match for this powerful wine.

The next two wines, I am sad to say, showed strong evidence of being corked. The promising 2006 Familia Schroeder Saurus Patagonia Select Malbec, Neuquén, Argentina (Cavas De Gaucho, £14.40) had an initially thin smell which strengthened into strong acetone, some sulphur and rubber. Someone described it as “like being on the air-side of an airport: like burning kerosene”. The taste was predictably thin and acidic and reminded me of the charred bits of grilled chicken. Do not judge this wine on this review, though, as there was clearly a wine fault.

The final wine was our only offering from Uruguay. The 2004 Pizzorno Tannat Reserva, Canelones, Uruguay (The Sampler, £12.49) had an immediate aroma of soy sauce (I thought plum sauce, as you might have on duck). Others said Worcester sauce, balsamic, Bovril and the charming “like the breath of a cow with ketosis”. Listening in to descriptions of the taste, I heard “ick”, “blech”, “eurch”, “ach” and “eesch”. Whilst we were not all in agreement that it was off, we certainly agreed that it was, at best, an ‘unusual’ experience. I, for one, will be seeking out another Uruguayan wine so that I can set the record straight about this promising and usually unmentioned New World wine-producing country.

All-in-all, a very enjoyable tasting was had by all. It was a pity about the corked bottles, but if you never taste a clear-cut example of an off wine, it becomes quite hard to judge whether the bottle you’ve ordered in a restaurant is just cheap or is something worse. On my shopping list are more Torrontés wines to replace the bottle I have just finished (who’s calling me biased?) and that very good value Malbec: 2008 Altos del Condor Trapiche Vineyards Malbec, Mendoza.

(report by GH)

Apologies for the lack of pictures: we forgot to take some this month!

Pinot under £10, which does taste like Pinot!

Everyone now seems to be singing praises of the 2008 Co-op Santa Helena Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, Chile (Co-op, £7.99, currently on offer at £5.99). I might as well just quote the tasting note from the 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards (where it was an International Trophy Winner). “Ripe cherry, violets, chocolate, a hint of minerality and touch of oak. Deep and sweetly fruited, exuberant cherry. Creamy, warm, full-bodied and soft – lots to get stuch into, lots to like.” Upon reading this, I went to my nearest Co-op and bought a bottle – and I heartily agree. The only complaint I have is that it is a tad too hot for me (at 14.5% alcohol). Nevertheless, quick, stock up your wine cupboard, a steal at £5.99!

P.S. If you live in Fulham, there is a Co-op by Parsons Green tube station.

(by JK)

Next tasting – Wines of Chile, Argentina & Uruguay

Date/time: 21 September, Monday, 7.45pm

Wines of Chile, Argentina & Uruguay After Europe, South American is the world’s most important wine-producing continent. European vines have been grown here since 1531. For too long, winemakers have been concentrating on quantity, but this is now changing as they turn their attention to exporting. Out of 24 International Trophies awarded at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (there were 10,285 entries from around the world), Chile picked up 4 of them, and Argentina 2. In this tasting, we shall explore the dazzling array of wines produced by these countries, and discover that the best wines do not necessarily have to break the bank!

Cost: £10 per person

RSVP: glass (dot) half (dot) fulham (at) googlemail (dot) com by 11 September, Friday. Numbers are limited to 15 and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

The hidden charm of German Rieslings

German wine-making has a long and venerable history but this is hardly reflected in the way German vintages are perceived in the English-speaking world. In the nineteenth century high quality German Rieslings competed on equal terms with the top produce of Bordeaux. Following the disruption of the two World Wars the wine export trade was seriously damaged and quality controls were lessened, resulting in wines reaching the overseas market which were by no means representative of the best Germany could produce.

One attempt to combat falling standards was the Wine Law established in 1971 to control wine description in terms of geographical origin, quality, sweetness, whether chaptalization (the addition of extra sugar to the unfermented grape must to increase alcohol content) is allowed and a range of other variables. Unfortunately the classification, while safeguarding standards, often confuses the unwary drinker and adds difficulty to selecting a wine to enjoy.

Nevertheless, the attempt is well worth making because German wines, particularly the Rieslings that are are focus this month, can be extraordinary. One of the features of Rieslings which is particularly prized is their ability to transfer the geological and mineral character of the vineyard, its terroir, into the flavour and aroma of the wine. All the wines tasted this month were 100% Riesling, yet the range of aromas and flavours produced was incredible.

Our first wine was the 2007 Melsheimer Reiler Mullay-Hofberg ‘Langeberg’ Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (The Winery, £15.99). The problem with German wine naming may already be evident! Melsheimer is the producer’s name, Reiler indicates a wine grown near the village of Reil, followed by the vineyard (Einzellage) name. Kabinett is one of the subcategories of Prädikatswein, the highest quality wine designation. Kabinett indicates a wine made from fully ripened grapes with the lowest sugar content in the grape juice (the must weight). The residual sugar is not generally defined by the category; it is possible for an Auslese (‘select harvest’, usually a sweet wine) to be dry. The addition of Trocken (‘dry’) indicates that most of the sugar has been fermented.

The Melsheimer shared its pale yellow to green hue with a number of the other wines on display. The similarity in colour might not seem that surprising since they all come from the same grape, but it sat strangely with the diversity of flavours which followed. This wine exemplified some of the characteristic fruit aromas of the Riesling grapes; peach, gooseberry and apricot with additional notes of almond, acacia and butter.

Up next was the 2006 Clemens Busch Pündericher Marienburg Riesling Spätlese Trocken ***, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (The Winery, £21.50). The Spätlese designation indicates a late harvesting, producing a medium-style wine with a fuller flavour and more body, which was certainly represented in this wine. More golden in colour than the paler Kabinett it swirls in the glass with a syrupy motion giving off an aroma of butter, currants and mince pies, the Botrytis adding a hint of hazelnut. This wine’s taste was less sugary than the aroma suggested would be the case and it developed well in the mouth, with strong fruit flavours of caramelised peaches and pineapple. The complexity of the taste continued to build with successive mouthfuls bringing out the slightly steely aftertaste which perfectly balanced the wine’s sweetness.

Our third wine represents an interesting feature of the German wine classification system, under which wine producers sometimes declassify a high quality wine from Prädikatswein to the lower category of Qualitätswein to avoid complying with the strict regulations on must weight. The consequence of this is that a wine of the highest quality can be labelled under the lower classification. The 2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Trocken, Nahe (The Winery, £23.99) is certainly a high quality wine, from the south-facing slopes of the Nahe region. Pale yellow in colour, this wine has a less fruity, more mineral aroma, tinged with lavender. However, the smell was quite lacking in depth. The wine’s flavour mingled sherbet lemon, fresh mint leaves and a base of slate in a tangy, staccato mixture. An unlikely wine to drink on its own, this would certainly make an ideal accompaniment for a strongly flavoured cheese.

Wine number four was the 2007 Peter Jakob Kühn Landgeflecht Riesling Trocken **, Rheingau (The Winery, £24.99). This wine was described as being the colour of greengages and its aroma as a combination of spent fireworks, peach and ammonia with an earthiness reminiscent of leaf mould. The ripeness of the aroma was continued into the taste with a strong flavour of overripe pineapple giving the wine a fizz and tingle on the palate which was quite striking. Other flavours to be detected were chalk and almonds, the overall flavour being rather fresh and clean with strong acidity.

Wine number five illustrates a peculiar trap of German wine-naming, in that it is not always possible to distinguish between an Einzellage, a small individual vineyard, and a Grosslage, a collection of Einzellagen. The 2007 Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau (Waitrose, £9.49) is from a tiny Einzellage in the Rheingau region, but Rüdersheimer Rosengarten is also a large Grosslage in the Nahe region. Almost colourless and with a refreshing aroma, this wine is lower in alcohol and consequently has a higher residual sugar level. Despite this the wine is sweet without being sickly, its strong grape flavour on the tip of the tongue then moving along the sides of the mouth with a sweet aftertaste. While this wine is very drinkable and exhibits the balanced sweetness and acidity which is the secret of good Riesling, there was much debate about whether this was a ‘representative’ Riesling – perhaps it was rather too straightforward to fit in with the more complex wines that made up the rest of the tasting.

The 2006 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (The Winery, £21.99) also exemplifies the problematic naming system mentioned above; Piesport is a village famed for its excellent vineyards, but Piesporter Michelsburg is a less good Grosslage. The aroma was a mixture of peach, honey and mangoes, a syrupy combination with blackcurrant notes derived from the terroir of the vineyard. The flavour was sweet but short-lived, richly fulfilling the blackcurrant promise of the wine’s nose. The prominent sweetness of this wine was supported by its acidity. A promising accompaniment for foie gras, this was the most popular wine from the evening’s selection.

Moving through the subdivisions of Prädikatswein brings us to an Auslese (literally ‘select harvest’). Our representative of this class was the 2006 Bastgen Kestener Paulinshofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (The Winery, £19.99). In my opinion this was the most interesting wine of the selection. Its smell added a layer of petrol and meatiness to the buttery hazelnut underlayer and its flavour was a complex mixture of tropical fruits – mangoes and passionfruit – lemon and honey in an earthy, lingering experience. Rather special.

Another special treat in this tasting was the 1996 C. von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (The Sampler, £27.99). This wine shared the darker golden colour of the next wine from 1976, a reflection of its age. A delightful aroma of passionfruit and lychee, mixed with leaf litter, pinetrees and lush, green meadows heralded a fine Reisling flavour of plum, with musty, stone cellar elements. This wine had such a stong presence in the mouth that it was almost like a fortified wine, perhaps a white port.

To round off the evening, the 1976 J. B. Becker Rauenthaler Steinmächer Riesling Spätlese, Rheingau (The Winery, £25.99). This was a daring move as wine of such an age, unless of an exceptional quality, can be very disappointing. The presence of precipitated crystals of tartaric acid testified to the wine’s age, as did its deep golden colour. Its aroma was, confusingly, rather like a red wine, dark, smoky and redolent of red fruits. However, the flavour was less exciting than the build up promised; not unpleasant, but short, quite nutty and with the peaty quality of a whiskey. We concluded, with regret, that this wine has probably past its prime.

It is truly remarkable what a diversity of aromas and flavours it is possible to achieve in ten wines all made entirely from one grape variety, but that is the joy of Riesling. Hopefully these drinking ideas will encourage everyone to experiment with what we have discovered to be a diverse and stimulating family of wines.

Wine of the evening: 2006 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

(report by EC)

The Hermit Crab

In keeping with my current obsession with d’Arenberg, I cracked open the 2007 d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale (£9, Waitrose). Made from a blend of Marsanne and Viognier (both Rhone grapes), this pale straw coloured wine has a nose of dried apricot, white flowers and mineral. There is also that smell which seems to accompany all oaked whites. On the palate, it has a firm acidity and lovely medium buttery texture, which would suggest that this would accompany seafood perfectly. Ripe fruit, though more melons than pineapple, and also some peach. Nice long finish which continues to intrigue. 17/20

(by JK)