WTN: '03 Ch du Donjon & '03 JJ Prum GH Auslese

[Redwinger]

2003 Chateau du Donjon, Grande Traditional (Minervois)

I really enjoyed the 2001 Cuvee Prestige bottling from this producer that I posted on earlier this year, so when this arrived in town I figured it was worth a try to accompany a simple dish of grilled chicken.

A blend of some sort that I’m guessing has a chunk of Grenache, some Syrah, and perhaps a few other varietals thrown into the mix.

This wine was exactly what I would have expected from a hot vintage… ripe, very fruit forward, soft, low acid, and little in the way of tannic structure. It is not hateful, nor is it ill-conceived (actually an easy drinker, that people who are not obsessed with wine would enjoy as a quaffer), but it is not at all compelling to me. About $13

Imported by Handpicked Selections

2003 JJ Prum, Graacher Himmelreich, Auslese

Store tasting.

Upon opening there was a solid dose of sulphur which blew off quickly. Lots of typical “Prum spritz” in the stem. Pale yellow, with a body was particularly light, especially for an Auslese. Some citrus and apple notes, but the wine lacked acid, lacked intensity, lacked complexity and came across as generally uninteresting. Certainly nothing here that prompted me to open my wallet and dish out the $35 asking price. In fact, I immediately snatched up a few remaining bottles of 2001 L. Von Simmern Kabinette ($16) that were being shunned in a remote bin.

I didn’t jot down the AP on this.

After tasting 12-15 of the 2003 German Rieslings over the last few months, I can only echo the advice of others: This is a vintage to taste before you buy.

Redwinger