WTN: Nigl Dornleiten '06 & Haut-Bailly '88

A late lunch early / early dinner with Antti:

• 2006 Nigl Riesling Dornleiten - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal (6/15/2008)
  Gloriously mineral nose upon opening but is rather soft on the palate. With air, it turns into a more spicy - perhaps even a touch honeyed - Riesling. Though not highly acidic, it seems to gain grip also. Persistent and quite powerful on the finish. Nice, and I'll never turn down a glass, but I did hope for a bit more lively acidity.
• 1988 Château Haut-Bailly - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/15/2008)
  The nose had a mix of dark fruit and red berries, lots of tobacco and wet earth and clay, lovely lifted and pleasantly herbal aromas. Medium bodied, very elegant though still shows good structure and fruit, very refreshing and moreish. Astonishingly lovely. Drinks well now, no hurry.

Posted from CellarTracker

2006 Nigl Riesling Dornleiten - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal (6/15/2008)
Gloriously mineral nose upon opening but is rather soft on the palate. With air, it turns into a more spicy - perhaps even a touch honeyed - Riesling. Though not highly acidic, it seems to gain grip also. Persistent and quite powerful on the finish. Nice, and I'll never turn down a glass, but I did hope for a bit more lively acidity.

Otto, how about the alcohol? I remeber tasting the '06 Rieslings at Nigl in '07 (so rather early) and was distracted by the alcohol levels showing in a coarse and almost bitter finish with some heat. The Privat was about 15%, and if I remember correctly, the Hochäcker was quite similar.
Dornleiten is the entry level, so it might no be that bad.

Regards, Robert

The Dornleiten was 12,5% abv. But it still showed a bit more ripeness than ideal.