Had these w/ Susan this weekend:
1. Nikolaihof Neuberger Wachau (12.5%; BioDynamic; TerryTheiseSlctn) 2015: Screwtop pops when opened; light gold color; some floral/mango/very spicy fragrant lovely nose some like GV w/o the white pepper; lightly tart some prickle/CO2 refreshed/ersatz acidity quite spicy/mabgo/floral very GV-like lovely flavor; very long/lingering lightly tart some mango/dried pineapple/floral/rather GV-like very spicy attractive finish; quite a lovely GV-like white but rather expensive for what it is. $40.00 (AV)
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2. Nigl GelberMuskateller Niederosterreich (trocken; 12%) MartinNigl/Senftenberg 2016: Screwtop pops when opened; light gold color; lightly muscatty some floral/dandelions/spicy slight stony/mineral quite attractive nose; some tart/tangy/bit metallic bit prickly rather stony/mineral light muscatty some floral/dandelions/spicy flavor; med. tart/tangy/metallic very light muscatty some floral/dandelions/herbal bit stony/mineral finish; tiny bubbles rising in the glass & disappate when swirled; obviously CO2 refreshed; quite a pleasant white but just that; worth the $25.00 (AV)
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3. PaulJabouletAine AC: CotesDuRhone Secret de Famille (50% GrenacheBlanc/20% Marsanne/10% Bourboulenc; www.Jaboulet.com) LaRoche de Glun 2015: Med.light gold color; some stony/earthy lightly fragrant/honeysuckle/GB/appley light pear/Viog rather attractive nose; rather tart/lean/earthy/stony some honeysuckle/GB apple/pear/Viog pleasant bit simple flavor; light stony/earthy light honeysuckle/GB/pear/Viog pleasant finish; an altogether pleasant CdRBlanc but just that; bit on the simple side.
$18.00 (AV)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Neuberger: A RoterVeltliner X Sylvaner cross. Although Jancis labels it a PinotBlanc X Sylvaner cross. Supposedly fished out floating down the Danube in the 1860's & planted in the Wachau. Clearly a grape they should be planting all up&down the Coast of Calif.
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2. The Refresh that Pauses: I've been seeing more & more Austrian wines that have been "refreshed" w/ CO2 right afore bottling. The give-away is the slight "pop" when the screwcap is twisted off. Oftentimes there will be a slight prickle on the tongue. The CO2 is supposed to "refresh" and give a sense of acidity on the palate. But don't be fooled into worshiping a false God. It's an ersatz acidity that vaporizes rapidly on the palate and does not persist like an acidity of a truly acid wine that persists on the palate. Clearly this is an "addition" to a wine, though I have not yet noted that SweetAlice is railing against the practice..perhaps because CO2 is "natural". But don't buy into this technique.
Tom