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Summer Sippers from O’Briens

The Last of the Summer Wine? Perhaps, perhaps not. We never know how long we will have sunshine in Ireland, so we have to enjoy every sunny day we get. Here are four summer sippers to enjoy while soaking up the last few rays:

Chatelain Desjacques Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Chatelain Desjacques Sauvignon Blanc

This Sauvignon is made by Loire Valley based Les Caves de La Loire, a quality- and sustainability-focused cooperative located in the Anjou. I did note that this particular bottling is a Vin de France rather than a Touraine or other Loire appellation, so I wondered if all the grapes were grown in the Loire. The nose of this wine is unmistakeably Sauvignon Blanc, with gooseberry and grassy notes. The palate also shows lots of typical Savvy character, though on top of the usual green-themed flavours there are also some rich tropical notes, somewhat reminiscent of Martinborough SB – Paddy Borthwick’s is a great example.

Whether they sourced some grapes from outside the Loire – for example the Languedoc – or we are now tasting the effects of global warming, the result really works. This bottle has far more character and interest than expected for €15, never mind the €10 offer price.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €10.00 down from €14.95 until 31st August 2022
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Selbach Mosel Riesling 2020

Selbach Mosel Riesling

Germany’s numerous wine regions produce Riesling in a variety of styles, but I think it’s fair to say that the Mosel’s are the most distinctive: the highest acidity, often with some residual sugar to balance the palate. This “entry level” Riesling from Selbach fits the bill perfectly. The quotation marks are required as this is anything but a basic wine; it’s not as complex as more expensive examples but it is oh-so-juicy. The nose is fabulous, full of lime and elderflower, then the wine goes to work on your palate and delivers a wave of refreshing citrus and pip fruit. It leaves the mouth watering more than Opal Fruits, so another sip is essential. That’s what makes this wine an essential summer sipper!

  • ABV: 10.5%
  • RRP: €13.95 down from €16.95 until 31st August 2022
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Delheim Pinotage Rosé 2020

Delheim Pinotage Rosé

Pinotage might be a marmite grape for some, but lighter, less-extracted and fresher style reds seem to be increasing in popularity with drinkers. It therefore makes sense that a Pinotage rosé would have some merit – and this example from Delheim proves that it can make very tasty rosé indeed. It’s pale salmon in the glass, a little darker than is en vogue at the moment, and all the better for it: it’s also very fruity, which is something I value in a rosé, rather than the so-dry-it’s-austere style that is fashionable at the moment. Vive le fruit!

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €11.21 down from €14.95 while stocks last
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Gai’a 4-6H Agiorgitiko Rosé 2020

Gai'a 4-6H Agiorgitiko Rosé

With their distinctive – and at times unpronouncable – grape varieties, Greek wines aren’t an easy sell in Ireland. Gai’a have helped to build a bridgehead with their distinctive and outrageously good Wild Ferment Assyrtiko, and they have a handful of other wines available here through O’Briens. The ability to pronounce Agiorgitiko is not essential to buying this rosé, however (hell, I can barely spell it!). The 4-6H on the label is the maceration time, the period during which the juice is in contact with the skins (which have all the colour and some of the flavour). The result of those few hours is a magnificent wine that is not only tasty, but also interesting. Fresh red berries mingle with pomegranates and floral notes to make a wonderful combination. This is one of my favourite rosés available in Ireland!

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €12.71 down from €16.95 while stocks last
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores
Make Mine A Double

Wine Review: Dreissigacker Riesling and Robert Weil Riesling

What’s the difference between Rheingau and Rheinhessen?

The nomenclature of German wine can be confusing – even for serious wine enthusiasts – with compound names and a quality system predicated on harvest sugar levels.  When three of the thirteen wine regions contain the word “Rhein” even the places can be confusing: Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Mittelrhein.  Until 1995 there was even a fourth with the Pfalz known as Rheinpfalz.

Rheinhessen is the largest of the 13 German wine regions and grows a large range of varieties; Riesling is the most significant but only accounts for around a sixth of the total, with Müller-Thurgau, Dornfelder and various Pinots also prominent.  Historically it was part of the Hesse region but is now part of Rheinland-Pfalz.

Confusingly, the Rheingau is part of the state of Hesse!  In her book The wines of Germany, Anne Krebiehl MW states that “No other region has shaped the identity of German wine and therefore Riesling as comprehensively as [the Rheingau]”.  Riesling is most definitely king here, accounting for 78.8% of all wines, with Spätburgunder a distant second at 12.2% then Müller-Thurgau leading the small change.

German Wine Regions

This article compares two similar Rieslings from Rheingau and Rheinhessen, both Trocken (dry), 12.0% in alcohol and retailing in the €20 – €25 bracket in Ireland.

Dreissigacker Rheinhessen Riesling Trocken 2015

Dreissigacker Estate Riesling Trocken from Rheinhessen

Jochen Dreissigacker took over his parents’ firm in Bechtheim and set about bringing it right up to date.  A modern winery building was established using gravity to move around the grapes, must and wine.  The vineyards were converted to organic production, with certification coming in 2010, and now biodynamic practices are also used for the majority of the estate.  Minimal intervention is the key so that vineyards and grapes can express themselves to the full.  Dreissigacker never use commercial yeasts, chaptalise with sugar before fermentation nor add “‘süss-reserve” for sweeter styles after fermentation.

The estate has six named vineyards around Bechtheim and Westhofen, each with their own unique soil types, microclimates and identities.  Totalling 21 hectares under vine, the most important variety is Riesling  which accounts for 55% of the total, with Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay among the others.  This estate wine is a blend of Riesling from different sites, mainly with loess and marl soils.

The nose on this wine is easily identifiable as Riesling: lime, lemon and apple blossom.  On tasting the strong core of acidity is striking, but there’s also breadth and texture – in fact more than one might expect from a Riesling.  The lime notes are joined by a touch of honey and a pleasant bittersweet tanginess, and it ends with a dry, textured finish.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RS: 5.0%
  • RRP: €23.99 (2019 vintage)
  • Stockists: 64 Wine, Glashule; Alain and Christine Wine and Card Shop; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Martins Off Licence, Fairview; Redmonds of Ranelagh; The Wine Centre, Kilkenny; wineonline.ie; World Wide Wines, Waterford
  • Source: purchased from 64 Wine

Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Trocken 2019

Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Trocken

Weingut Robert Weil has over four times as much vineyard area as Dreissigacker with 90 hectares, all of which is planted to Riesling.  The eponymous Dr Robert Weil purchased his first vineyards in 1867 while teaching German at the Sorbonne, but shortly after had to return home as tensions rose between the two countries.  There he became a journalist while expanding his holdings and his range of wines; his Auslese Riesling became famous throughout Europe. 

Robert’s son Wilhelm (from 1920) helped to steer the winery through turbulent times and was a leader for the winegrowing industry.  His grandson Robert (from 1959) helped Weil’s Rieslings to regain their reputation for excellence.  The current owner/manager is another Wilhelm who took over in 1987.  He undertook serious investments in the vineyards and cellar, even introducing the distinctive and now iconic “Tiffany blue” labels.

Although they have just a single variety, Weil make an extensive range of wines, and differing sugar levels necessitate as many as 17 different passes through the vineyards during a harvest which can last ten weeks or more.  In the winery – as with Dreissigacker – gravity rather than pumps is used to move juice and wine.  Both wild and commercial yeasts are used for fermentation, with fuller bodied dry wines in large oak casks and sweeter or fruit forward wines fermented in stainless steel tanks.

This 2019 Riesling Trocken pours very pale in the glass, as you’d expect.  The nose has intense, fresh lime overlaying a mineral edge.  The palate initially shows soft citrus fruits, backed up by a strong streak of acidity which underpins the whole show, and then juicy orchard fruits.  This is a well made, balanced wine that gives a lot of pleasure.  It’s not the most complex of wines, but it is the entry level from Robert Weil and represents fantastic value for money.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RS: 8.4 g/L
  • RRP: €24.95 (currently down to €21.95)
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswines.ie
  • Source: Sample

Conclusion

So what can these two wines tell us about the differences between the Rheingau and Rheinhessen?  I think this is too small a sample to compare the two regions, but it does make for a comparison between the two producers and two vintages.  The Dreissigacker is four years older than the Robert Weil so it is further along its journey to maturity; the Weil is still fresh and shows more primary fruit, fitting for their desire for wines to be both food-friendly and pleasant to drink on their own.  The Dreissigacker is more textured, mineral and serious, perhaps slightly less obvious or accessible for some drinkers. 

I really liked both!  For a refreshing sip in the sun with friends I’d pick the Robert Weil, but for a dinner with some good food the Dreissigacker would be my choice.  Perhaps more investigation is required…


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Make Mine A Double

The sheep’s dangly bits! [Make Mine a Double #32]

I don’t know if its use is common outside the UK and Ireland, but the phrase “that’s the dog’s bollocks” is for some reason very high praise – as opposed to “that’s bollocks” which means that something is nonsense or useless.  So, when doing a bit of research into the Bocksbeutel of Franconia (Franken) I found that one of the purported origins of the name is due to the bottle’s resemblance to a ram’s scrotum (read more here) – who’d have thought it?  The bottle shape is protected under EU regulations, though is probably better known in these parts for Portuguese rosé.

Anyway, onto the wines – a pair of aromatic whites from Horst Sauer

disclosure: samples were kindly provided for review, opinions are my own

Horst Sauer Esherndorfer Lump Riesling Trocken 2016 (12.0%, RRP €23.60 at Karwig Wines, Carrigaline and karwigwines.ie)

 

Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Riesling Trocken 2

Even though Franken is better known for its Silvaner (it’s the best region in Germany for Silvaner) of course there’s great Riesling grown here as well.  Classed as a Trocken, this is definitely dry, though far from austere – I’m pretty sure there are a few grams of residual sugar balancing the fresh acidity.  There’s plenty of ripe fruit and minerality; it’s a well balanced and delicious wine with all its elements in perfect tension.

Horst Sauer Esherndorfer Silvaner Trocken 2016 (11.5%, RRP €20.90 at Karwig Wines, Carrigaline and karwigwines.ie)

Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Silvaner Trocken 2

So here we have Silvaner (with an “i”) rather than Sylvaner (with a “y”) as in Alsace, but it’s just the same grape.  I have previously described the grape as having characteristics in between Pinot Blanc and Riesling, but the additional minerality of this Horst Sauer Silvaner also brought to mind some aspects of Burgundy’s white grapes:

Silvaner (1)

Of course this is my personal interpretation but I’d be interested to hear other people’s take.  It’s a fairly subtle wine but it really grows on you.  With clean, fresh notes it makes a great aperitif or as a match for salads, fish and shellfish.

So which is the better wine?  I really enjoyed both, but, although the Silvaner is one of the best I’ve tried, I narrowly preferred the extra intensity of the Riesling.  Try them both and see which you prefer!

 

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