A collection of tasting notes by a wine lover and professional (WSET3 w./Dist.)
I have been tasting this wine, 2021 Riesling trocken Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, the basic Riesling of biodynamic winery Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, every year since the 2013 vintage, and it has always convinced me as being a true reflection of the Riesling grape. VDP Gutswein. Dry, mineral (firestone), with citric fruit, apple, some herbal notes. Complex in the nose. Fruity and fresh in the mouth. The 2021 had a slightly higher acidity than the previous year (2020). 12% alc. A beautiful wine.
TBM 90 points.
The 2019 Chardonnay HADES of Fürst Hohenlohe-Oehringen surprised me very positively. HADES is a group of vintners who are promoting the use of barrels for great wines. Now you may say, oh, I don’t like oaky Chardonnay. But this 2019 Chardonnay HADES isn’t made like some Californian wines of that grape. The winemaker Joachim Brand managed to have just the right dose of letting this wine mature in barrels, without making it too oaky.
Straw colour with slight golden reflexes. In the nose, there are intense aromas of yellow fruit like quince and pear, with floral, herbal and mineral notes. A hint of bread or brioche. On the palate, the wine is dry, round, velvety in the mouth. Medium acidity. Very balanced, with a very long finish. A delicious wine!
TBM 93 points.
2020 Bouzeron Aligoté is a white wine from this appellation which honours a specific grape: Aligoté. Bouzeron is close to Rully, but also to Chassagne-Montrachet. Its soil is limestone-dominated: it is white oxfordian marl (which was followed by kimmeridgian, the type of soil encountered in Chablis. Watch this video to get an impression of the terroir). Jean-Baptiste Jessiaume uses the grapes from a small vineyard, only 0,4 hectares in size. The harvest is manual. After short settling of the must, the grapes are pressed, without destemming. Fermentation in vats, maturation takes place in barriques for 12 months (only 10-15% new). JB Jessiaume does not like to overly “oak” his white wines.
The colour is straw, with slight greenish reflexes. In the nose, you note white fruit, particularly white peach. Notes of acacia and white flowers, also a mineral touch. On the palate, the wine is dry, fresh, with hints of citric fruit in addition to the aromas found in the nose. Long and pleasant finish. This 2020 Bouzeron Aligoté really positively surprised me.
TBM 90-91 points
The 2016 Verrenberger Verrenberg Pinot Noir GG of Fürst Hohenlohe-Oehringen has, like one of the leading sommeliers in Brazil ones said, “all the characteristics of a Grand Cru of Burgundy, except for the price”. I had previously tasted the 2012 and 2015 vintages of this GG, or Grosses Gewächs or Grand Cru. The 2016 vintage now has the maturity that one expects. This wine is really stunning and shows the level of excellence that Pinot Noir in Germany can achieve.
Ruby color, this wine has aromas of dark red fruit in the nose, like blackberry, blackcurrant and blueberry, with mineral notes, a touch of vanilla and caramel. On the palate, this wine is dry, complex, with good body, velvety tannins. It is round, well structured and has a very long finish. Once you’ve tried this wine, you may get addicted! Available in Brazil at Primeur Vinhos.
TBM 95 points.
The 2013 Gutswein Charta Kabinett Baron Knyphausen has everything you would expect from a great Rheingau Riesling. The fruit aromas, the mineral notes, the refreshing acidity.
Charta was a private organisation in the Rheingau which aims at cultivating the typicality of the Rheingau Rieslings. Wines are tasted by professionals in the region, and only if approved the wine can be called Charta. In a way, Charta wines were predecessors of what today are the GG (Grand Cru, Grosses Gewächs) wines in the VDP classification. Charta was merged with the Rheingau section of the VDP.
Colour is straw with slight golden reflexes. In the nose, it shows complex and intense aromas of citric fruits, grapefruit, with very nice mineral notes. This wine is fresh, dry, medium and pleasant acidity, with a perfectly balanced structure. The finish is long. This wine is really excellent. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 10 years.
A great Rheingau Riesling.
TBM 93 points.