Refreshing German Wines, Riesling & Friends, Nosh and Chow, Stockholm (24-06-2018 by Robert Jonasson and Nenad Jelisic)

 

As a first taste of spring, Wines of Germany invited to a tasting of German wines. Just as the title of the tasting suggests, the focus was on wines made of the Riesling-grape as well as other, in Germany, popular grapes. The tasting showed that high quality wines are also made of other grapes than Riesling. The different producers were located so that producers from the same wine region stood next to each other. It was a smart way to facilitate comparing wines from the same wine region. Only a few of the producers are represented at the Systembolaget (a government owned chain of all liquor stores in Sweden). In total, 129 wines were tasted, of which 30 wines got more than 2,5 NJP, i.e. 23%. It may be considered to be an approved result. Unfortunately, only a few wines got more than 3,0 NJP (of possible 5,0 NJP) and not one wine got more than 3,5 NJP. The wine regions that had the most consistent and high quality of the wines were mainly Pfalz and Rheinhessen. In principle, all producers had young wines, mainly from the vintage of 2015 and 2016. One exception was the wine importer Hoff Vinhandel, who offered wines from the vintage 2001 and forwards from the producer Querbach. Hoff Vinhandel should have a gold star for that.

 

The following wines got more than 3,0 NJP (in alphabetical order): 1. Querbach, Milestone Oestrich Doorsberg, 2002, white dry wine, Rheingau, 3,5 NJP, 2. Van Volxem, Alte Reben Riesling, 2015, white dry wine, Mosel, 3,5 NJP, 3. Walldorf, Probstey Riesling, 2015, white dry wine, Rheinhessen, 3,5 NJP, 4. Weingut Andres, Riesling Trocken Deidesheimer Leinhöhle, 2016, white dry wine, Pfalz, 3,5 NJP, 5. Weingut Corvers Kauter, Riesling Spätlese Trocken Rudesheimer Berg Roseneck, 2016, white dry wine, Rheingau, 3,5 NJP, 6. Weingut Henrich Spindler, Rielsing Auslese Forster Ungeheuer, 2015, white sweet wine, Pfalz, 3,5 NJP, 7. Weingut Henrich Spindler, Riesling Grosse Lage Forster Ungeheuer, 2013, white dry wine, Pfalz, 3,5 NJP and 8. Weingut Mathern, Riesling Langenwein Norheimer Kirschheck, 2015, white dry wine, Nahe, 3,5 NJP.

 

The best wine producer at the tasting: Weingut Henrich Spindler. Weingut Henrich Spindler is located in the well-known village of Forst in Pfalz. Today it is the 11th generation Spindler, Hans and Markus, who runs the company. Spindler owns about 20 hectares of vineyards. The vineyards are planted to about 85% with Riesling. The grapes are hand harvested. The vineyards have been handled according to the guidelines for organic wine growing for more than 20 years. Among other things, self-made compost and strict biological plant protection are used, and different green plants are allowed between the vine rows. The grapes are pressed gently, at low pressure. The use of pumps is kept to a minimum by using gravity. Weingut Henrich Spindler produces wines of all quality classes; VDP.Gutswein, VDP.Ortswein, VDP.Erste Lage and VDP.Grosse Lage. The mild climate and the wind protection that the Pfalz forest offers around Forst give excellent conditions for the production of good wines. Weingut Heinrich Spindler is fortunate to own parts of all the high-class vineyards (VDP.Grosse Lage) around Forst; Forster Pechstein, Forster Jesuitengarten, Forster Ungeheuer, Forster Kirchenstück and Forster Freundstück.