WTN: MSR Feinherb, CdR

Last night I was gathering leftovers from fridge for dinner, opened the 2007 Delas Saint-Esprit Cotes du Rhone. I had bought this partially because it was 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache, but shows this night as more Grenachey. Red fruit, sweet bordering on confected, a touch jammy. A bit of alcohol shows on the finish. On the positive side, there is some noticable countering acidity, and a nice smooth texture. Not especially long. For the $8.25 we paid for this, a decent Rhone (I split a case with a couple of friends, the most New World oriented one loved this). B-

After a glass, I just wasn't grooving on the Delas. So I veered in the other direction, with the 2007 Steinmetz Muhlheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Feinherb. Just a hint of sweetness, yellow plum fruit, good acidity but with a rather creamy texture. Good, but not compelling. However, another glass a couple hours later was more interesting, with herbal and mineral notes. I was happy to drink the first glass, and also happy I only had the one bottle. Second glass makes me think I want more of this. B++

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
 

[David M. Bueker]

I've seen Steinmetz around but never bought any. I do like the feinherb style though, so perhaps it's worth a shot.

I do like the feinherb style though

David,

Could you refresh my memory on what style of German wine producers aim for when they use the term feinherb? Particularly in contrast to the (admittedly legally-controlled, if memory serves) halbtrocken.

Not David, so hope you don't mind me butting in... but Halbtrocken is a measure defined under German law - I think between 10 and 18 g/L of residual sugar - that specifically indicates the amount of sugar in a wine, whereas growers can use Feinherb as and how they want. So there are a lot of almost-dry wines that taste like trockens/halbtrockens but with more than the legal limits of residual sugar that can be labelled 'Feinherb' to indicate that they're drier in style (I know Knebel does this to differentiate his drier-tasting Spatlese from his sweet Spatlese) - and there are others that could legitimately be labelled Halbtrocken but are called Feinherb instead at the winemaker's preference.

German wine law, gotta love it.

growers can use Feinherb as and how they want. So there are a lot of almost-dry wines that taste like trockens/halbtrockens but with more than the legal limits

Got it, thanks Salil!