Ernst Loosen – barrel-aged, dry riesling
Barrel ageing dry riesling sounds like a quirky new thing to try to broaden the appeal of one of the wine industry’s (but not consumers’) best-loved grape varieties. In fact, Ernst Loosen, of Dr. Loosen in Germany’s Mosel valley, has been revitalising riesling in the fashion that was the norm for his grandfather.
The Finest Wines of Germany, by Stephan Reinhardt
For a lover of cool climate wines I’m already pre-disposed to want to like this book.
Eclipse Riesling 2011
New from Marks and Sparks is this wonderfully refreshing Eclipse Riesling 2011, made by Cono Sur.
A Kamptal quintet
During a recent visit, a group of five growers hosted a tasting from their small corner of Kamptal, which is renowned for its grüner veltliners and rieslings.
Helm Wines
Helm Wines, in the Canberra District, produces the tastiest Australian rieslings that I’ve come across.
Chapoutier’s Schieferkopf in Alsace
A five-hectare vineyard plot in Bernardvillé forms the core of a new Michel Chapoutier Alsatian joint venture for a series of wines sold under the Shieferkopf label. The first, 2009 vintage, wines were presented in London.
A sextet of historic Rheingau rieslings
The Rheingau VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) rocked into London in early March to promote riesling in their small Rheingau region of Germany, and brought along an historic sextet of riesling to illustrate the point.
Ten minutes with Louisa Rose
When Negociants UK put on their ‘icon tasting’ in London in November 2010, their chief winemaker, the highly respected and supremely talented Louisa Rose, came over from Australia to be at the tasting. She answered a few questions for me.
Canberra District – riesling rising
Canberra seems to get a bum rap from Aussies who don’t live there, but the capital has a strongly emerging wine region.
The conundrum of riesling
Riesling is a much-loved variety, in the wine industry, for its precision, its focus, its flexibility of style, its ability to rather accurately reflect its origin, and not least for its high quality and intense flavours. So why is this grape such a tricky variety for many consumers?
