WTN: Barolo and Grosses Gewach

Last night I did steaks, broccoli, and a tomato/basil sauce with fettucine. David and I had dinner, wine, and good conversation (it's kind of weird - in good way- having an adult conversation about complex and sensitive issues - race in Bed Stuy where he lives- with someone that is no longer a kid). The dinner wine was the 1998 Guido Porro "Vigna Lazzairasco" Barolo. A bit thin, red fruit, acidic at first. An hour open does it a world of good, fleshes out, red plums and cherries, smoke, rose petals. Tannins are not very evident, just enough to stand up to meat. Not especially long. Good, not great. B

Opened for cooking and tasted over 2 days, the 2006 Pfeffingen "Weilberg" Riesling Grosses Gewachs. Ah, the 4 Ps: petrol, pine needles, peaches, and pineapple. Moderate acidity, lots of body (13.5% abv), dry but nowhere near austere. Day 2 all petrol and peach. Nice wine, would be interesting blind next to a CFE or an Austrian Smaragd. 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]

Thanks for the notes Dale. I have not yet had any of the Pfeffingen GGs, focusing instead on my tried and true Leitz and Donnhoff for most of my dry German Riesling needs. That said I would like to do a similar blind tasting of some top dry Rieslings not to see which is "better" but rather to see if we can pull out the common threads that make Germany, Austria & Alsace Rieslings all part of the same family despite their differences. Of course we would need to decant the wines due to the distinctive bottles!

I have one other (different) 06 Pfeffingen GG , would be happy to bring to such an event (and I can bring some Alsace and/or Austrian)