Pfalz wine tasting

[Alberto]

Hello all.

This sunday I will attend a Pfalz wine tasting ; what should I expect from that region? There are some standing out producers to seek for in particular? I have no experience with german wine whatsoever.

Alberto

[DaleW]

I'm no Pfalz expert, but Müller-Catoir is my favorite producer. But Kurt Darting is one I buy most (good, if not as good as M-C, but very inexpensive).

Biffar, von Basserman-Jordan and Burklin-Wolf are some of the other names. Lingfelder's bird label QbA is often a good value.

[Brad Ballinger]

It's sort of a broad, general question (what to look for), but I'll offer what help I can. I was in the Pfalz in October, 2003.

Dale is right about some of the top producers -- Muller-Catoir, Basserman-Jordan, Burklin-Wolf (and the third of the "three B's, vonBuhl). But there are many others as well. Koehler-Rupprecht is a well-regarded producer of very expensive wines. Their Kallstadter Saumagen Rieslings are some of the best wines of the region and all of Germany - particularly those with an "R" designation. A. Christmann also makes some sumptuous wines.

For the 2002 vintage, look for some of the trocken wines. When I was there tasting, I found these to be better than the ones with residual sugar. I've not had any 2003 wines, so I can't comment on those.

Another producer that is well regarded is Egon Mueller (from Forst). The vineyards of Forst, in general, produce terrific riesling grapes.

But you should also try the Weissburgunders (pinot blanc), if any are available. There are certainly many available in the region. Hopefully, you will also have the opportunity to taste some Spatburgunder (pinot noir).

Depending on how big this event is, you may be exposed to some German white wines aged in barrique (even Riesling). If you see wines from Knipser, for example, know that they will have received oak treatment.

If you have more specific questions, I'd be glad to offer any help I can.

[Alberto]

Thanks for the replies! I'll take note.

That particular tasting is organized by Consorzio Tutela Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene as one of the events in the annual prosecco festival; I've searched a list of the guest producers (and their wines) with no results, hence the reason of this topic. The tasting will be lead by Rolf Klein of WeinWelt.

Anyways, I'll enjoy the event for what it will be...

Cheers,

Alberto

[Alberto]

A little report of the day...

In the guided event we tasted six wines under the supervision of Rolf Klein.

Sekt b.A. brut blanc de noirs "Pinot", Weingut Peter Graeber (Edenkoben), 2002

12,5% ABV, 12,7 g/l RS

Inviting greeny gold color, bubbles of medium-to-coarse grain. Clean, delightful fruit in both nose and palate, composed acidity and clean finish. None of the nutty/toasty Champagne markers, more on the Trento style. Smooth, soft, not complex but still better than all the hard-boned Franciacorta I've had.

From this producer, in the free tasting area I tried a simple, flowery 2002 Weisser Burgunder and the 1999 Spätburgunder "Il Pino", a powerhouse of pinot noir at 14,5% ABV and with 30 () months in new french barriques. Open nose and rounded palate, out of the three Spätburgunder I tasted it was the only one that showed defined varietal characters, but still under a layer of oak taste.

Riesling Q.b.A. trocken "Palts", Vier Jahreszeiten Winzer (Bad Dürkheim), 2003

12,5% ABV, 7,6 g/l RS

Quite pale. Fabulous nose of nectarines, candied citrus and sage, rather flat and straight-forward palate without an intense flavor profile and acidity slightly lower than promised (and expected), shame.

From this co-operative winery I also tasted an interesting 2002 red blend called "Premium Rotwein Cuvèe", young and oaky with the color of pinot noir and some muscles and tannins from cabernet and merlot, very long and powerful vanilla-ed finish. Oak is still way too strong to tell.

Riesling Q.m.P. Spätlese Forster Pechstein trocken, Weingut Lucashof (Forst), 2003

12,5% ABV, <8 g/l RS

Great wine from basaltic terrains. Delicate but complex mineral nose, nervous, textured and focused palate, very dry throughout.

The 2003 basic riesling from this producer is labelled as Forster Bischofgarten and offers a simpler profile, less concentrated with a bright open fruit. Slightly disappointing was the 2002 Spätlese Forster Ungeheuer, weighty but pretty uninspiring, maybe a bit closed.

Muskateller Q.b.A. halb-trocken "S", Weingut Gehrard Klein (Hainfeld), 2003

13,5% ABV, 15 g/l RS

Rich passion fruit, apple and gooseberry nose, turning a bit "artificial" (fructose) with time. Substantially dry, plain palate with decent acidity, good feelings but nothing really exciting. Mr. Klein told me that in cooler years they end up with 3-4 g/l of RS.

Among the reds, they brought a 2001 Spätburgunder called "Theatrum-Vinum" which undergoes 18 months of burying in brand-new barriques. Warm coffee, chocolatey nose, not as open as the Graeber's sample but it's younger. Both were not my favourite style, anyways; way too a heavy hand with wood. This one in particular was virtually un-pairable with food, IMHO.

Dornfelder Q.b.A. trocken, Winery Leinigerhof Familie Benzinger (Kirchheim), 2003

13,1% ABV, 4,1 g/l RS

Somehow, this hybrid grape reminded me quite a little of cabernet franc in the nose, but less tannic. Dark purple color, low in acidity, dense but lacking in elegance and complexity, one could have bet that it was coming from much more southern lands. For roasted meat.

Spätburgunder Q.b.A. trocken, Weingut Becker (Schweigen), 2002

12,5% ABV, 1 g/l RS

For me, some cork issues. BTW, it seemed relatively unoaked with a deep, if slightly "green", nose and an extremely young profile, concentrated in the mouthfeel but still duff and unexpressed.

The only sweet (or medium sweet actually) wine I had was the creamy rich but balanced 2000 Riesling Auslese by Dr. Von Basserman-Jordan (Deidesheim), which I found showing the first hints of that famous hydrocarbons aroma said to be a distinctive trait of older rieslings. No further details as the focus started to be lost a little bit...

As a side note, at the festival there were perhaps 200 wines to try; I was able to taste about two dozens Prosecchi, between tranquilli (still) and spumanti (and a buttery 14% ABV barrique-aged Incrocio Manzoni 6.0.13 that a producer brought in abusively ).

Alberto

[Brad Ballinger]

Dornfelder Q.b.A. trocken, Winery Leinigerhof Familie Benzinger (Kirchheim), 2003

13,1% ABV, 4,1 g/l RS

Somehow, this hybrid grape reminded me quite a little of cabernet franc in the nose, but less tannic. Dark purple color, low in acidity, dense but lacking in elegance and complexity, one could have bet that it was coming from much more southern lands. For roasted meat.

I've been to Weingut Leiningerhof in Kirchheim. I left there with two bottles of a 2002 kabinett trocken QmP (but Idon't recall the vineyard). The Dornfelder I liked quite a bit was just down the street at Weingut Kolb.