WTN: Noland Brothers Riesling Tasting

This Easter the Noland brothers gathered for a family Easter Dinner at Bob and Ruth's house. Since ham and turkey were the featured dishes we decided to do a blind riesling tasting. Participants: Bob and Ruth, Tom and Carol, and James

Wine A
Light amber in color. A minerally nose with petrol and bit of light melon. The midpalate had bright acidity with citrus flavors, mostly lemon. The medium long finish was minerally and had some light petrol. This wine was quite acidic at first taste but developed nicely in the glass to a more balanced tasting wine.
With food: Good with smoked ribs whose fat calmed down the acidity of this wine. Not good with shrimp and cocktail sauce, however, as the spicy sauce clashed a bit with the wine.

Wine B
Darker amber in color than A and was the darkest color of all 3 wines. Fruity nose with petrol and a hint of minerals. Midpalate had a balanced fruit (peaches), acidity, petrol and some sweetness. The medium long finish had a nice lemony acidity to it with some petrol. Although dry this wine had the most sweetness on the palate.
With food: Best with the ribs, but also good with the shrimp.

Wine C
Light straw color. Shy nose with hints of citrus fruit and light petrol. Beautifully balance midpalate with bright acidity and a tingly medium long finish of lemon.
With food: Good with ribs but not as good as #2. Best with the shrimp with the wine really lighting up with the cocktail sauce.

Voting on wines:

Best wine: C
2nd wine: A
3rd wine: B

Near unanimous with everyone except me. I just could not vote wine C the best because of its shy nose. I preferred wine B and A over C.

Wines revealed

Wine A: Alsatian riesling Mure 2013 12.5%BV James' wine

Wine B: Alsatian riesling Zind Humbrecht 2010 Turkheim, 13% abv my wine

Wine C: Austrian riesling, 2015 Gobelsburg Schlosskellerei, Bob's wine

Out of whack stat : First riesling tasting done by Noland brothers without a German riesling.

Additional tasting note for the Austrian Riesling: "How can such lightness, such supple slenderness, come with such full flavor? Visions of swirling citrus are made manifest here. Mandarin, kumquat, tangerine: they all dance and flit around a central seam of freshness. Lovely and almost irresistible now, but sure to advance most gracefully." July 2016

[David M. Bueker]

Hi Tom,

On the Gobelsburg, they make a bunch of wines. Was yours the Gobelsberger? Was it a vineyard designate? Schlosskellerei is on all of their bottles, and is essentially "winery."

Hi David,

I think it was the Gobelsberger Riesling and was not a single vineyard, wine. However, you should confirm that with Bob as it was his wine.

The Gobelsberger Riesling and was not a single vineyard. It was a Terry Theise selection Kamptal. I did bring back a couple of single vineyard Gruner's when I was in Austria but I do not think the Noland Brothers have ever done a Gruner tasting...