SF Jazz Center

SF Jazz Center

201 Franklin Street

Jen and I went to the SF Jazz Center to see Marcus Roberts.  Marcus Roberts is definitely one of the best jazz pianists of our generation and the show was fantastic.  He played a variety of jazz standards from Jelly Roll Morton to Duke Ellington.  He slowed down many of the pieces and played them with a hauntingly, beautiful melody.  It is as if the pieces were filtered through a modern Chopin.

Why am I mentioning this on a German Wine blog?  Prior to the show, we stopped at the café/bar at the facility called South at SF Jazz.  We just wanted a quick drink (or two) before the show.  They were busy so I didn’t bother asking to see the wine list - I figured it would just be loaded with new world wines.  I ordered a glass of Scotch and the bartender handed us the appetizer menu along with the wine menu when he brought the drinks.  The wine list is short but the quality is amazing.  There are four German wines on the list including the 2009 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spätlese, the 2011 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Kabinett and the 2011 Jakob Schneider Niederhaüser Klamm Kabinett.  The wine list also included some excellent Austrian Gruners as well as a Riesling from Kamptal. 

At this point, I asked to see the dinner menu to see if they served some Riesling-friendly main courses.  The dinner options include Wild Flounder with fennel and green tomatoes, Louisiana gulf shrimp and grits with Jalapeno and Mary’s free range fried chicken with “Delta” sauce.  The most expensive main course was $21.

Maybe we can schedule an event there.  What could be better than a glass of Dönnhoff with Wild Flounder followed by Branford Marsalis? 

Guided Tasting with Johannes Selbach of Selbach-Oster

Many thanks to Barry and Joan for hosting this event and to Von for working out all the details with Mr. Selbach’s team.  Many thanks also to Harris who works behind the scenes as Treasurer keeping our organization solvent.

This was an incredible tasting.  These were some the best wines I’ve tasted at a GWS event.  Mr. Selbach’s wines are a paradigm of old world winemaking.  The wine world is a huge place and I don’t like to get tangled up in debates about the superiority of one wine style to another.  However, my palate definitely prefers the old world style.  I enjoyed these wines so much that I didn’t take any tasting notes.  When I am drinking truly sublime wines, I want to enjoy them without having to think about them.  So, the tasting notes are courtesy of my wife, Jen.

Mr. Selbach gave a very informative presentation and has a wicked sense of humor.  I could have listened to him talk all night.  He said a few things that really caught my attention.  He mentioned that the best Rieslings from the USA are being crafted in the Finger Lakes region.  I completely agree.  Rieslings from the Anderson Valley, Oregon and Napa just aren’t in the same league as the Finger Lakes Rieslings.  Unfortunately, they are difficult to find.  Occasionally, I have seen them at Whole Foods and Beltramos on the Peninusula usually has a few.

I almost burst out laughing when Mr. Selbach talked about the steps he takes to remove the flavors from the oak barrels by soaking them before using them.  I just had this picture in my mind of a New World winemaker thinking that his brand new oak barrel is not imparting enough vanilla to his wine and throwing oak chips into the barrel. 

I also recall Mr. Selbach saying that if you don’t have great grapes, you can’t make a great wine. 

Can you get anymore old school than that???

 My general impressions of Mr. Selbach’s wines are that they are a touch drier than you would expect for each prädikat level.  Even his declassified wines are not as sweet as you would expect.  The results are fantastic.  I do not necessarily dislike sweeter wines, but I do have a problem with the over-the-top syrupy wines where the honeyed flavors overwhelm the palate.  I enjoyed all of Mr. Selbach’s wines from the Kabinett Trocken through the Auslesen.

The mico block wines (Anrecht, Rotlay and Schmitt) were the stars of the tasting.  For the micro block wines, Mr. Selbach picks all the grapes in one passing from just a tiny block of the vineyard.  When he first said that, I instinctively recoiled – wouldn’t selective picking with multiple passes yield better results?  The answer is no and the proof is in the wine.  Each micro block wine had a distinct, complex palate and these were some of the better German Rieslings I’ve tasted at any price.

Here are Jen’s tasting notes:

2008 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett trocken

Herbal, minerally, grapefruit, long finish, succulent mid-palate

2006 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken

Spicy, zesty, graphite underneath, lemon curd

2011 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett

Gorgeous florals, plenty of acidity and minerality, fennel, supremely elegant

2011 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett

Fruity, peachy, juicy with spice, creamy mid-palate, long finish, luxurious but not lacking in freshness

2007 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese

Succulent dried fruits, good acidity underneath

2007 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese*

Dried apricot, minerally, quite juicy

2006 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese*

Pretty, delicate florals, quite rich and honeyed.  A de-classified BA.  Plenty of backbone underneath

2011 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling “Anrecht”

Wildly floral, plenty of acidity, long finish, lightest and best of the micro blocks

2011 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling “Rotlay”

Floral, rich, close to BA, honeyed

2011 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling “Schmitt”

Gorgeous, rich, jammy, sticky, don’t even touch this one for a decade.

2003 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

Superb.  Spicy flavors, herbal, good acidity, dried fruits, quite restrained, no botrytis.

Blush'ing in the Castro

Blush! Wine Bar

476 Castro Street

http://www.blushwinebar.com/home

Jen and I spent a wonderful Saturday afternoon at Blush! in the Castro.  I usually struggle to find three or four wines I would like to order at a wine bar.  At Blush!, I could have easily tried a dozen of their wines by the glass.  Everything we ordered was fantastic including the following:

Les Chataigniers, Sancerre

Cave de Ribeauvillé, Pinot Blanc, Alsace

Domaine Matrot, Bourgogne Chardonnay

Domaine Richou, “Les 4 Chemins” Cabernet Franc, Anjou

Georges Vigoroux “Gouleyant” Malbec, Cahors

Bodegas Ateca, “Atteca”, Old Vine Grenache, Calatayud, Spain

They serve over 30 wines by the glass and the selection did include one German Riesling – a Kesseler from the Rheingau.  Most of the by the glass prices are in the $10 to $12 range.

They also have a brunch and dinner menu.  We tried the cheese plate and it was as good as the wine - four cheeses including Camembert and Brillat-Savarin along with pieces of sourdough bread.  The service was excellent. 

My only complaint is that they don’t offer flights or half glasses.  I would have liked to try more wines but one can only drink so much…

Selbach-Oster

Johannes Selbach will be presiding over our June 22^nd tasting.  He will lead us through a guided tasting of his wines.  Mr. Selbach’s wines are some of the finest Rieslings from Germany and some of the finest whites produced anywhere.  This will easily be the event of the year.

His family has been cultivating grapes in Germany since 1600.  In Terry Theise’s 2012 German catalog (Theise is the importer for Mr. Selbach), Mr. Selbach says that he prefers to make moderate wines rather than fruit bombs.  Here is a very brief overview of his portfolio taken from Mr. Theise’s catalog.

Regional Wines:

Most people scoff at regional wines and while I’ve never tasted one of Mr. Selbach’s regional (negociant wines) wines, I’m sure they are up to his high standards.  All of his regionals are 100% Riesling and he purchases them from growers whom he has known for many years.

Mr. Selbach’s Vineyards:

Mr. Selbach’s wines are crafted with grapes from the following vineyards in the Mosel:

Bernkasteler Badstube

Zeltinger Schlossberg

Wehlener Sonnenuhr

Graacher Domprobst

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr    

Mr. Selbach’s portfolio includes a variety of prädikat levels from these vineyards.  His 2011 offerings include a Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett Halbtrocken, a Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese and even a Zeltinger Schlossberg Spätlese Trocken.  Mr. Selbach also crafts over a half a dozen wines from micro blocks within each vineyard. 

Last year, I was fortunate enough to find a bottle of his 2007 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese.  The palate entry and mid palate showed a wonderful, creamy, citrus flavor that was a bit tart but in a good way.  The finish was very minerally and the citrus flavors echoed into a long finish.  It was a wonderful wine and more in the classical, Spätlese style.

I am counting down the minutes until this tasting… 

Marines' Memorial Dinner

Our first dinner of 2013 was a joint event with the Stanford Alumni Association.  The dinner took place at the Marines’ Memorial Club in San Francisco.  Located at Union Square, the building was built in 1946 and was a fantastic venue for our dinner.  We dined in a private room with a fireplace and had a wonderful time.  Once again, thanks to Barry Boothe for donating the Spätlese and the two Auslesen.

Our welcoming wine was the 2010 Gebrüder Simon Sekt Riesling Brut.  This particular Sekt was dosed with a smidgen of Auslesen which gave it quite a rich palate.  It was crisp, minerally and pungent with herbal notes and a granny smith apple flavor.  There were herbal undertones and it was nicely concentrated.

We decided to serve four wines with the meal ranging from bone dry to mildly sweet.  The 2011 Spreitzer Hallgartener Hendelberg Riesling Trocken was one of my favorite wines of the evening.  One sip and flavors of Lemon curd, white pepper and nectarine coated your palate.  It is simply one of the best trockens I’ve tasted in quite awhile.

The 2011 Schloss Lieser Braueneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett showed flavors of pear and nutmeg.  It was very good.

I had high hopes for the 2011 Von Hövel Oberemmeler Hutte Riesling Kabinett and was a bit disappointed.  As with a few of the 2011’s we tasted, I think it needs more age before a fair assessment can be made.  It seemed more floral than fruity although my wife did detect a taste of Rainier cherry underneath.

The 2006 Mönchhof Ürziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spätlese was honeyed, syrupy and a bit monolithic.  There was a nice peach flavor but it was much too sweet to serve with food.  This Spätlese is more of a dessert wine.

The two dessert wines were the 2011 Donnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese and the 2011 J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese.  The Donnhoff was fantastic and one of my favorite wines of the evening.  It was amazingly approachable for such a young Auslesen.  The palate showed flavors of peaches, pears, lemon, and tarragon.  This wine had plenty of acidity and a long finish.  It was ethereal, subtle and complex.  Did I say it was fantastic?  The Prum was nice but seemed closed.  I didn’t detect much on the palate.  This one definitely needs some age.

Gerhard Al Alba Vincero Kabinett Trocken

In the opera Turandot, Princess Turandot must marry Calaf after he correctly answers three riddles.  Calaf gives her one chance to free herself: she must guess his name by dawn.  Princess Turandot decrees that no one in her kingdom will sleep that night until the stranger’s name is discovered.  At this point, Calaf launches into Nessun Dorma (No one shall sleep) and loudly proclaims at the end, “Al Alba Vincero” (I shall win).  I’m guessing that Mr. Gerhard is an opera fan…

I have drunk many vintages of this wine and it is one of my favorite, inexpensive German Rieslings.  This version is quite dry and the palate is rather closed right now.  I would love to try it again in five years but still enjoyed it.   The subtle flavors include Lime, Lemon and a touch of Papaya.  The finish is minerally and short.  It’s a nice quaffer.

Members' Only Tasting

I would like to take care of all the “thank yous” first.  Thanks to Barry and Joan for hosting.  Thanks to Barry for donating many of the older wines.  Thanks to Joan for all the wonderful food and thanks to Angela Carlsson for donating the Von Hovel.

The Members’ Only Tasting was a rousing success.  It was our largest turnout of the last several years and the wine and food were excellent.  We had a fantastic array of wines from dry to sweet that included wines as old as 1971 and as young as 2011.  I was quite busy pouring wine all evening so my notes are sparse, but here are my impressions of the wines that caught the attention of my palate.

2011 Eva Fricke Seligmacher Trocken

2010 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Grosses Gewächs Trocken

2010 Leitz Rüdeshemier Berg Schlossberg “Ehrenfels” Trocken

We began the tasting with three dry wines.  Based upon past experience, I figured the Leitz would be a touch sweeter than the other two so I placed it third among the trockens.  I then took a shot in the dark and started with the Eva Fricke followed by the Keller.  In retrospect, I think this was a mistake.  The palate on the Fricke was so powerful that the more subtle Keller seemed weak in comparison.  The Fricke was definitely the most popular trocken of the evening.  I found it to be flavorful and tight with a salty, lemony flavor.  The Keller was simply amazing – the palate was very smooth and integrated with flavors of zest, gooseberry, bitter marmalade and apple.  It had a long finish and was one of my favorite wines of the evening.  My only notation on the Leitz was “delicious.”

1999 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Kabinet

I was quite surprised by this wine although I must admit that for Dr. Loosen, I set the bar quite low.  I’m not a huge fan of Loosen.  I fully expected this wine to be completely ruined but I was wrong – it wasn’t fantastic but it did have a pleasant, sweet, lemony flavor.

1971 Schönborn Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg Auslese

This was another of my favorite wines of the evening.  I’ve probably tasted around a half a dozen 1971’s over the last few years and I’ve thought they were too far over the hill.  This Schönborn was definitely past its prime but amazingly, still showed the faintest hint of primary flavors along with the secondary flavors acquired from aging.  It showed a faded marmalade with wisps of citrus on the finish. 

2005 Knebel Winninger Röttgen Auslese

2005 Rosch Trittenheimer Apotheke Beerenauslese

The two dessert wines were both excellent for their respective styles.  The overwhelming favorite of the evening was the Rosch but I had a slight preference for the Knebel.  The Knebel was like a laser beam of honeyed pineapple and was certainly richer than most Auslesen.  The Rosch was rich beyond belief with flavors of marmalade and stone fruit.

The Unpopularity of German Riesling

I am currently reading a book by Rajat Parr, a sommelier working for Michael Mina, and he loves German Riesling.  Like Terry Thiese, he laments the lack of popularity of German Riesling.  Personally, I’m glad it is not popular and hope it remains that way.

I have put together a mixed case of German Riesling (listed below) in which no bottle is over $30.  These wines are all excellent and I would not hesitate to serve them to anyone.  Now, If I were to try to put together a mixed case of Burgundy or Bordeaux of the same quality, I would have to increase the price per bottle to at least $60.  This is the cost of popularity.  Why would a German Rieslingophile want to see this kind of price inflation with German Rieslings? 

Long live inexpensive, high quality German Riesling!

2010 Spreitzer 101 Riesling, $12.99

2011 Joseph Leitz Rüdesheimer Drachenstein Dragonstone Riesling, $16.99

2011 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Kabinett, $17.99

2011 Dönnhoff Estate Riesling, $20.99

2011 Keller Estate Riesling, $20.99

2011 Eva Fricke Lorcher Riesling, $21.99

2011 Muller Catoir Gimmeldinger Mandegarten Kabinett Riesling Trocken, 24.99

2010 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, $24.99

2009 Fred Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer Riesling, Kabinett $19.99

2009 S.A. Prum Graacher Himmelriech Spätlese, $29.99

2009 Selbach Oster Graacher Domprobst Spätlese, $29.99

2009 Basserman Jordan QBA Trocken, $22.00

Eva Fricke Lorcher Riesling

2011 Eva Fricke Lorcher Riesling Trocken

Rheingau

Before opening her winery in 2006, Eva worked at wineries all over the world including Château Cissac in Haut Médoc and Dominio de Pingus in the Ribera del Duero.  She went to work for Josef Leitz in 2004 and left her job as his vineyard manager in 2011 to concentrate on her own wines.  Eva only grows Riesling and currently offers four qba’s and two Spätlesen.  Her qba’s are not garden variety qba’s and can go for as high as fifty dollars. 

The Lorcher is her bottom of the line qba and for around twenty dollars, it is quite a bargain.  This wine boasts a powerful palate with intense flavors of gooseberry and white pepper.  It is citrussy and tart with a medium, steely finish.  It is drinking fine now but could definitely use some bottle age.    

We will be featuring one of Eva’s top of the line Rieslings at our January 19^th tasting.  It should prove to be a very interesting wine.

2012 Christmas Tasting

Pouring the wines for everyone doesn’t leave me with a lot of free time, but with the help of my wife, I did manage to scribble some notes on many of the wines we tasted.  My three favorites of the evening were the Spreitzer, the Karthäuserhof and the Selbach Oster.

Schloss Schönborn Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Spätlese

Rheingau

This wine showed a rich palate entry with a creamy middle that tasted like stone fruit.  The finish was short.

Spreitzer Winkeler Jesuitengarten Spätlese

Rheingau

The Spreitzer was a bit spritzy which is unusual for a Rheingau.  The palate was quite concentrated with flavors of peach and orange.  The finish was short which  complemented the richness of the palate quite nicely.

1976 von Beulqitz Kaseler Nieschen, Auslese, Mosel

1983 Monchhof Urziger Wurzgarten, Auslese, Mosel

1985 Dr. Crusius Traiser Bastei, Auslese, Nahe

I try to have a wide variety of styles and vintages at the tastings to please everyone.  Members will always discuss their preferences with me at the tastings, and our members’ preferences cover a wide spectrum:  some prefer dry wines, some prefer sweet wines, some prefer older wines, some prefer younger wines, etc.  My preferences run towards the younger and drier wines.  So, I should probably recuse myself from reviewing these older wines but what fun would that be?  The only flavor I tasted in the’76 and the ’83 was melted butter.  The ’85 simply had no flavor on the palate at all.  I did not like any of these wines.

2010 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg, Auslese

Mosel

This wine was juicy and rich with flavors of apricot conserve, apple pie spice and cardamom.  The finish was very long.  A magnificent wine although we drank it far too young.  I’d love to revisit this one in ten years.

2010 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich, Eiswein

Mosel

I absolutely love Selbach Oster’s wines and this one did not disappoint.  It was not as sweet as one might expect from an Eiswein and it had a luxurious, silky plate.  The flavors included honeyed apple and floral notes and were backed by a firm acidity. 

2003 Reinhard and Beate Knebel Winninger Röttgen, Trockenbeerenauslese

As one would expect from a TBA, this was incredibly decadent.  The palate was so rich that I almost laughed when I tasted it.  Their was a honeyed overlay on the palate which included flavors of mince pie, orange peel and caramel.  It was a bit rich for my palate but a fantastic example of a TBA.

Unusual German Varietals

At the June tasting, many people were curious about the origins of some of the red varietals that we tasted.  After conducting some research, here is what I discovered.

Bläufrankish is a crossing of the Heunisch variety and an unknown varietal.  Heunisch is the name for a variety family that was possibly brought by the Magyars of Hungary to Central Europe.  Over 75 varietals have Heunisch in their family tree including Chardonnay and Riesling.  Bläufrankish is also known as Lemberger in Germany, Kekfrankos in Hungary and Gamé in Bulgaria but don’t confuse Gamé with Gamay of Beaujolais which is an entirely different varietal.

Dornfelder is a cross of Helfensteiner, which is itself a cross of Frühburgunder and Trollinger, and Heroldrebe, which is itself a cross of Blauer Portugieser and Bläufrankish.

             I was unable to find a source that would go out on a limb and give the parentage of the St. Laurent varietal.  The best answer I found comes from Dr. Ferdinand Regner of the Federal Office and College of Wine and Horticulture Klosterneuburg.  Dr. Regner explains, “An origin stemming from a Pinot crossing appears logical and explains the similarities to Pinot Noir.  Despite that, we find no traces of the other parent.  There are genetic attributes that we have not yet found in another grape variety.  If the second parent still exists, it would be easy to identify because it has left very clear traces in St. Laurent.” (www.thewinecellarinsider.com/2011/10/st-laurent-austria%E2%80%99s-rare-red-wine-grape-treasure).

VDP Classification System

           At our last wine dinner, I served a wine classified as “Grosses Gewächs.”  This obviously prompted the question, “What in the world does Grosses Gewächs mean?”  The answer to that question is quite interesting and starts with the VDP.

VDP stands for Verband Deutscher Qualitäts-und Prädikatsweingüter.  This roughly translates as The Association of German Quality and Prädikat Wine Estates.  The VDP is a winegrower’s association with around 200 members.  The requirements for membership include adherence to an internally imposed standard of quality that regulates everything from cellar facilities to yields to must weights.  The membership list reads like a “Who’s Who” of the German wine world.  In the Mosel, members include Dr. Loosen, Grans-Fassian, Von Hovel, Egon Muller, Joh Jos Prum and Fritz Haag.  In the Nahe, members include Schlossgut Diel, Emrich-Schonleber, Donnhoff and Schafer-Frohlich.

The VDP attempted to change the German Wine Law of 1971 that established the Prädikat system that we all know and love.  The VDP wanted the classification system to place a greater emphasis on the vineyard than on must weight.  Their attempts were unsuccessful so they bypassed the government and created their own classification system.

They unveiled their new classification system in 2002 and it has been a work in progress.  The system was overhauled in 2006 and then revised in 2012.  I will skip the 2002 version and start with the 2006 version since this is largely the system they are using today.

The 2006 model is the “Erste Lage Classification” and it divides German wines into the following three tiers:

               Erste Lage – This designation indicates a wine from the best vineyards of Germany.  A dry Erste Lage wine from the Rheingau is labeled Erstes Gewächs and a dry Erste Lage wine from all other regions is labeled Grosses Gewächs.  A sweet Erste Lage wine will have Erste Lage on the label followed by a Prädikat designation.

               Klassifizierte Lage – These are wines from classified sites of superior quality.  They can be dry or sweet.

               Guts-und Ortsweine – These are high quality, regional wines.

Of course, Erste Lage wines level must meet criteria that are much more comprehensive than the just the quality of the vineyard.  An Erste Lage wine must meet yield restrictions, comply with designated harvest procedures and even has to follow certain marketing guidelines.

This 2006 classification model should look familiar to any wine lover.  The system is similar to some of the French classification systems and the 2012 modifications go even further in that direction.  The 2012 modifications create a four tier system that is based on the Burgundian classification model:

1.      Grosse Lage (comparable to Grand Cru in Burgundy)

This top classification retains the Grosses Gewächs and Erstes Gewächs designations for the dry wines and a Prädikat designation is added for the sweeter wines.

2.      Erste Lage (comparable with Premier Cru in Burgundy)

Dry wines will be labelled Erste Lage and the sweet wines will carry a Prädikat designation.

3.      Ortswein (comparable with Village in Burgundy)

The sweet wines will have a Prädikat designation

4.      Gutswein (comparable with a regional wine in Burgundy).

No Prädikat designations are used.

This new classification system represents an interesting development in German wines.  Is  this new system better than the Prädikat system?  I think so and I also think that this system may help popularize German wine.  Most oenophiles like to drink dry wine with a meal.  If you are having a juicy steak for dinner, you reach into your wine cellar and grab a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  Now, imagine opening the Châteauneuf and sipping it only to discover that it was sweet.  You would be horrifed and would either open a different bottle of wine for your meal or, gasp, open a beer.

Of course, this would never happen – Châteauneuf-du-Pape are quite obviously dry.  However, if we change the scenario so that you are buying a Kabinett to go with your oysters, you could not be certain that it would be dry.  The Prädikat designation is simply not a reliable indicator of sweetness.  So, needing a dry wine, you buy a Chablis instead.  

Instead of throwing out the Prädikat system, German winemakers could place a greater emphasis on the terms trocken, halbtrocken and feinherb to indicate that a wine is dry. However, I think there is a very simple reason why the VDP did not go this route.  People tend to view the Prädikat system as a pyramid of quality.  The higher pradikats are seen as “better” than the lower Prädikats – a Spätlese is better than a Kabinett, an Auslese is better than a Spätlese, etc.  While you may not know whether a Kabinett or a Spätlese will be dry or sweet, it is fairly safe to say that Auslese, BA and TBA will be dessert level sweet.  Thus, the Prädikat system appears to favor the dessert wines over the dry wines.   Under the VDP classification system of 2012, the great, dry wines are now in the top category along with the great sweet wines.  The sweetness bias has disappeared.

          Will this new system actually change people’s perceptions towards dry, German wines?  I think it will.  Imagine a person wandering into the German wine section at his local wine shop and asking the salesman what “Spätlese Trocken” means.  The salesman would have to give a brief explanation of the pradikat system and must weights.   Before he finishes, the customer’s eyes glaze over and he buys a bottle of French wine.  If that same bottle of wine is labeled “Grosses Gewächs,”  the classification explanation is much simpler.  This wine is of the highest quality from a top vineyard.  It is the  equivalent of a Grand Cru from Burgundy.  The customer buys the wine and is forever addicted to German Rieslings.

An Excellent Spätlese

2007 Selbach-Oster

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr

Spätlese

Mosel

Spätlese is probably my least favorite Prädikat level.   I’ve had too many Spätlese that are sweet and relatively simple declassified Auslesen.  That is not the case with this wine.  The palate entry and mid palate show a wonderful, creamy citrus flavor that is a bit sour but in a good way.  The finish is very minerally and the citrus flavors echo into a long finish.  This is a wonderful wine and tastes the way I think Spätlese should taste. 

I recently purchased this wine at Draegers.  Draegers is an upscale grocery store with locations in Blackhawk, San Mateo, Los Altos and Menlo Park.  They have an excellent German wine selection and frequently stock older vintages.

Shane Dickinson

Newsletter Volume 11-3

Volume 11-3

Dear Members and Friends,

The rain has stopped for the moment.  The blue skies and sunshine remind me of our next tasting, featuring the wines of Wehlener Sonnenuhr, home of a lovely old sun dial, as well as some truly amazing wines.  But before we get to that:

THERE IS STILL TIME TO JOIN/RENEW!

Join or renew your membership today, and take advantage of member-exclusive savings on tasting fees!  Please send checks, payable to German Wine Society, to:

Jennifer Dickinson

121 Laurie Meadows Drive #360

San Mateo, CA 94403

Annual dues remain $70.

New members, please add $25 for your one-time initiation fee.

OUR NEXT TASTING IS THURSDAY MARCH 24, 2011:

Wehlener Sonnenuhr is a very steep vineyard covered with broken shards of blue slate.  The vineyard produces some of the most spectacular wines in the Mosel.  This tasting features wines from 7 different producers and includes three Auslesen from Joh. Jos. Prum.  You do not want to miss this event!   

When:  Thursday, March 24, 2011; 7:00-9:00pm

Where: Gatehouse, Fort Mason

Price: Members: $40; Guests: $60.  NB: each member may bring one guest at the member’s price, and first-time guests may attend at the member’s price.  Please make checks out to the German Wine Society and send them to:

Jennifer Dickinson

121 Laurie Meadows Drive #360

San Mateo, CA 94403

	Vintage	Wine	Prädikat
1	2006	Kerpen	Kabinett
2	2007	Meulenhof	Kabinett
3	2008	Hauth-Kerpen	Kabinett
4	2009	Joh. Jos. Prüm	Kabinett
5	2006	Wegeler	Spätlese
6	2007	Wegeler	Spätlese
7	2008	Meulenhof	Spätlese
8	2009	Dr. Loosen	Spätlese
9	1983	Joh. Jos. Prüm (Gold Capsule)	Auslese
10	1990	Joh. Jos. Prüm	Auslese
11	2005	Kerpen (Two Stars)	Auslese
12	2005	Joh. Jos. Prüm (Gold Capsule)	Auslese
13	2009	Selbach Oster	Auslese

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Welcome to a new feature of the newsletter, in which we will ask a member to tell us how they came to join the German Wine Society, and what they enjoy most about their membership.   If you would like to be featured in the newsletter, email Jennifer Dickinson!

This month’s member in the spotlight is Shane Dickinson (he lives with me; he couldn’t get out of it)!

I joined the German Wine Society to taste a wide variety of German wines.  I enjoy tastings that feature wines I’ve never tried or that feature wines that I don’t think I will like.  Why go to tastings that feature only wines I like?  That would be boring.  I want to challenge my palate.  That is why I chose non-Rieslings as the theme for my first tasting as cellar master.  Prior to that tasting, I had never tasted an  Elbling or a Chasselas and I truly enjoyed drinking them.  I hope that each tasting I present to the membership will feature many wines you have never tried.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

·         Dee Vine Wines and Jardiniere are having a wine dinner  on Monday, March 7, featuring the wines of  Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch.  Sofia Thanisch will be there!  Call Jardiniere directly to reserve your spot: 415-861-5555.  The three course dinner with wine pairings is only $45!

·          

      On March 24, Vin Vino Wine in Palo Alto is featuring a tasting of Austrian wines (they also have quite a portfolio of German wines and are happy to show you their inventory list and pull some bottles for you). 

·         On March 26, Omnivore Books on Food presents Palmento: a Sicilian Wine Odyssey, with author Robert Camuto and Shelly Lindgren, wine director of San Francisco’s very own A16 restaurant.  Details on Omnivore’s events page.

GET INVOLVED

·         Current members who refer new, paid members to the society get a bottle of German wine, compliments of the society!

·         Do you have German wine or cultural news?  Tell us about it and we will feature it in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.  All contributors will receive an entry into a drawing for a bottle of wine, to be given away at the wine dinner.

·         Need to make room in your cellar?  Donate wine to the GWS!  The German Wine Society is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.   Plus, any wines you donate are tax-deductible at fair market value (because we drink ‘em, not sell ‘em!)

CONTACT US

Jennifer Dickinson, President  & Secretary

jendewitt2000(at)yahoo(dot)come

Harris Holzberg, Treasurer

coachharris1(at)comcast(dot)net

Shane Dickinson, Cellar Master

shane_dickinson66(at)hotmail(dot)com

Von Hurson

Membership & Trade Liaison

wynelady(at)sonic(dot)net

We look forward to seeing you on March 24!

Warmly,

Jennifer

Newsletter Volume 11-2

Volume 11-2

Dear Members and Friends,

Join me in thanking Punxsutawney Phil for the early spring we are hopefully about to enjoy!

OUR NEXT TASTING IS THURSDAY MARCH 24, 2011:

We will be featuring a diverse selection of wines from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard (full list below).   There is still time to renew and take advantage of member-exclusive savings on tasting fees!  Please send checks, payable to German Wine Society, to:

Jennifer Dickinson

121 Laurie Meadows Drive #360

San Mateo, CA 94403

Annual dues remain $70

Initiation fee is $25 for new members.

	Vintage	Wine	Pradikat
1	2006	Kerpen	Kabinett
2	2007	Meulenhof	Kabinett
3	2009	JJ Prüm	Kabinett
4	2006	Wegeler	Spätlese
5	2007	Wegeler	Spätlese
6	2008	Meulenhof	Spätlese
7	2009	Dr. Loosen	Spätlese
8	1983	JJ Prüm	Auslese
9	1990	JJ Prüm	Auslese
10	2005	JJ Prüm	Auslese
11	2009	Selbach Oster	Auslese

When:  Thursday, March 24, 2011; 7:00-9:00pm

Where: Gatehouse, Fort Mason

Price: Members: $40; Guests: $60.  NB: each member may bring one guest at the member’s price, and first-time guests may attend at the member’s price.  Please make checks out to the German Wine Society and send them to:

REMAINING 2011 DATES:

Date	Description	Location
Thursday, June 23, 2011	A Selection of Kabinetts (and a special sticky!)	Fort Mason
August (TBD), 2011	Wine Dinner	TBD
Thursday, December 1, 2011	Sparklers & Stickies	Fort Mason

TASTING NOTES FROM JANUARY 15:

(1) 2009 Wurtz Trocken, Rheinhessen, QBA.  The wine is bone-dry and a touch minerally.  The first taste is slightly salty, but with time in the glass gives way to juicy, citrusy fruit.  (2) 2008 Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Alte Reben Trocken, Mosel, QBA.  Zesty acidity; flavors more floral/herbal than fruity. (3) 2007 Leitz Rüdesheimer Drachenstein, Rheingau, QBA.  Very pleasant with a gentle sweetness.  Apricot/peach highlights.  (4) 2002 Dr. Loosen Blue Slate, Mosel, QBA.  Showing surprisingly well for its age; the orange marmalade flavor hints at the lovely fruit that would have shown in its youth.  (5) 2000 Müller-Catoir Haardter Burggarten, Pfalz, Kabinett.  An interesting palate showing granny smith apple with exotic hints of jasmine and spice.  (6) 2007 Schäfer-Frölich Bockenauer Felseneck, Nahe, Spätlese.  Delightful; roundly fruity, slightly honeyed and floral.  (7) 2005 Doctor J. Wegeler Bernkasteler, Mosel, Spätlese.  A decadent palate of zesty, perfectly ripe summer fruits; hint of apricot preserves.   (8) 1998 Von Simmern Erbacher Marcobrunn, Rheingau, Spätlese.  Soft dessert flavors; warm fruit notes and spices.  (9) 1989 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger, Mosel, Spätlese.   Quite minerally; difficult to detect primary fruit flavors, though there is definitely a zest underneath; hints of spice.  (10) 2005 Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke.  Epic sugary apple flavors with laser beam minerality underneath.  Delicious.  (11) 2005 Knebel Winninger Röttgen, Mosel, Auslese.  (NB: order changed at tasting; this one was before the Donnhoff).   Ridiculously sweet and ripe, in a very good way indeed.  Palate is teeming with bright strawberries.  Texture is clingy, unctuous and gorgeous.  Very decadent.   Must be a declassified BA.  (12) 2005 Rosch Trittenheimer Apotheke, Mosel, Auslese.  A beautiful, melodious wine; rich, intensely floral.  A note of rosewater is quite pronounced.

Following the set tasting, a group went down to Barry’s cellar, and chose the 1976 Schloss Eltz Auslese to finish off the evening.  The winery is no longer in production, so an opportunity to taste this wine is quite rare.    The primary fruit flavors are gone, yet what remains is an attenuated elegance featuring cardamom, pepper and hints of honeyed preserves.  The finish is quite long.  Deep gold color.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

·         Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Dee Vine Wines will be presenting a Wine and Chocolate Tasting on Saturday, February 12 from noon to 4:00pm.  Details are on their website, or call: 877-389-9463.

GET INVOLVED

·         Current members who refer new, paid members to the society get a bottle of German wine, compliments of the society!

·         Do you have German wine or cultural news?  Tell us about it and we will feature it in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.  All contributors will receive an entry into a drawing for a bottle of wine, to be given away at the wine dinner.

·         Need to make room in your cellar?  Donate wine to the GWS!  The German Wine Society is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.   Plus, any wines you donate are tax-deductible at fair market value (because we drink ‘em, not sell ‘em!)

CONTACT US

Jennifer Dickinson, President  & Secretary
jendewitt2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

Harris Holzberg, Treasurer
coachharris1(at)comcast(dot)net

Shane Dickinson, Cellar Master
shane_dickinson66(at)hotmail(dot)com

Von Hurson

Membership & Trade Liaison
wynelady(at)sonic(dot)net

We hope to see you on March 24!

Warmly,

Jennifer