Finished some work early today so I decided to stop by The Winery on my way home, as they were pouring German wines with Heidi Kegel from von Othegraven in the store. It was nice talking to Heidi as she told me how the 2007 harvest is already roughly 3 weeks in advance, even though there haven't been many "normal" vintages in recent years. She did not necessarily miss the absence of kabinetts from a stylistic perspective, as she preferred to sink her teeth into the bigger wines for personal consumption, but she definitely agreed that kabinetts were easier to sell.
For those of you who may not be aware of The Winery, they focus on young quirky (and often uneven) German producers, so von Othegraven is actually one of the more classic and reliable wines in their stable. As such the range of von Othegraven wines today was one of the best on display. Their 2006 Riesling trocken was a bit bitter and difficult to taste with so many other richer wines on display, but the 2003 Wiltingen Kupp Riesling offered more delicious depth and drinkability, even though it was not the most complex at the moment. Leave that to the 2005 Ockfen Bockstein Riesling, which was juicy, deep, so well balanced, and with more electricity. The OB was in fact showing better than the 2005 Kanzem Altenberg Spatlese, although the KA may be the better wine with rich, poised minerality and a lovely balance just waiting to unveil itself over time, but for the rapid fire tasting the OB was a clearer pleasure.
von Othegraven’s winemaker Andreas Barth has also been making his own wines just outside Koblenz under the Lubentiushof label, and his 2005 Lubentiushof Burg von der Leyen Riesling trocken was a Mosel trocken I could enjoy with plenty of firm fresh fruit and even a bit of expression amidst the neutral gray flavors. But, the 2005 Lubentiushof Gäns Riesling trocken was even better, old vines and plenty of deeper spicier fruit with intensity balance and expression that almost make it worth purchasing for home, if it didn’t cost the damned equivalent of $34. (Would like it much better at half the price, but then one can always say that)
Other wines on display included some difficult riesling trockens, a 2005 Flick Wickerer Stein Riesling Kabinett trocken from the Rheingau that was way too much for me, orange and rich flavors with a thin frame and annoying bitterness, not my favorite combination. Even worse was the 2003 Jochen Beurer Riesling "Junges Schwaben" trocken from Würtemberg, which was going in every direction, yeasty, spicey, cranky, bitter. Something was wrong, but I’m not sure if it was the glass the bottle or the wine.
Some fellow (Markus Wöhrle) who was an apprentice at Müller-Catoir and apparently turned down the job of being their top wine maker has started making his own wine in Baden and his 2005 Wöhrle/Stadt Lahr Grauburgunder Kabinett trocken was a fine enough rendition of the grape but a bit boring, just like his 2005 Spätburgunder trocken.
There was a delicious 2005 Nelles Spätburgunder "Classic" from the Ahr, which was plush chewy fun, but not necessary to buy either at the $30 price tag.
A few other odd and forgettable wines dotted the table, and I will keep looking out for Andreas Barth and the Lubentiushof wines, but needless to say tomorrow’s VDP tasting should be much more delicious.
