| No. |
|
Grape |
% |
Provider |
£ |
Comments |
Rank |
| 1/. |
Hanewald- Schwerdt,Sekt 2019 |
Riesling |
11.5 |
WoodWinters |
18.00 |
The first of ten “Trocken” (dry) German wines. And the first of five from this estate in northern Pfalz
(Palatinate), where it sits on a limestone reef with the Harz mountains to the east.
This pleasant Sekt was
liked by all. Light, with apples on the nose. Freshness, with a bit of sweetness. Although made by the
champagne method, less assertive bubbles than in many sparkling wines, almost pétillant. Perhaps this allowed
more flavour to come through. |
|
| 2/. |
Hanewald- Schwerdt,Auf der Pochel 2022 |
Riesling |
12.5 |
WoodWinters |
14.00 |
This is the estate’s big seller. Very pleasant.Were there lychees on the nose? Yes/no/YES!…On the palate
citric, mineral, petrol, with hints of tropical fruit. But still a delicate wine with a fragrant end. Not
surprisingly this is a well-known wine.(The “Pochel” is a cairn built by people moving stones out of the
vineyards) |
Best Value (tied) |
| 3/. |
Hanewald- Schwerdt,Gewurtztraminer 2022 |
|
11.5 |
WoodWinters |
13.00 |
A very delicate, light Gewurtztraminer. More subtle, and less in your face, than the more assertive Gewurtz
normal in Alsace. Distinct notes of melon – Honeydew! |
|
| 4/. |
Hanewald- Schwerdt,Reitefad 2021 |
Riesling |
13 |
WoodWinters |
18.00 |
The bouquet was lighter, but on the palate this had more body and was heavier than the previous Rieslings.
Not much petrol or minerality, but an explosive end – too explosive for some! A more intense wine, despite
being from a lighter year. |
3rd (7 points) Best White |
| 5/. |
The Society’s ExhibitionRheingau Riesling 2020 |
Riesling |
12.5 |
Wine Society |
14.50 |
This wine comes from Hochheim am Main, the town which led to the use of “hock” to describe Rhine Rieslings.
These wines were popular in Victorian times, and the Wine Society asked a leading producer to provide a modern
take on this German classic.We found this a very, very good wine. A subtle and pleasant bouquet with a touch
of petrol. The palate was less acidic and slightly sweeter than the previous rieslings, again with petrol
notes, and a hint of fizz. |
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| 6/. |
Julg vom Kalk 2022 |
Weissburgunder |
12.5 |
Wine Society |
14.95 |
This lovely wine had a degree of richness, but was not sweet. Intriguingly, the grapes are grown in Alsace
but made into wine in Germany. Pinot Blanc may be bottom of the pile in Alsace, but is popular in Switzerland.
|
Best Value (tied) |
| 7/. |
Ruppertsberger Linsenbusch 2022 |
Grauer Burgunder |
13 |
Wine Society |
8.95 |
Tropical fruits on the nose. There is balanced fruit acidity on the palate (definitely acidity rather than
minerality). The acidity then mellows into tropical fruits during the long finish. |
|
| 8/. |
Anselmann Edesheimer Rosengarten 2022 |
Dornfelder |
13.5 |
Wine Society |
9.50 |
Dornfelder is a dark-skinned variety created in 1955 by crossing two other varieties, and is considered to
be the most successful of modern German crosses. This very pleasant wine was intense, dark and velvety and
went well with food (in our case pâté). It had cherry on the nose, with cherry, liquorice and tobacco on the
palate. An old fashioned style of wine. |
Best Value (tied) |
| 9/. |
Hanewald- Schwerdt,Spatburgunder 2020 |
Spatburgunder |
13.5 |
WoodWinters |
16.00 |
Spatburgunder is German for Pinot Noir. This wine was quite young and tannic despite being a 2020. Some
found orange peel on the nose, others cherries, others raspberries, and others a vegetal nose! A very
interesting wine, intense, noticeably dry with good fruit content – but still easy drinking. |
2nd (11 points) Best Value (tied) |
| 10/. |
Marenges Premier Cru,Le Clos des Loyeres2020 |
Pinot noir |
13.3 |
Wine Society |
26.50 |
The first of two French Burgundies for comparison. This wine from the southern Côte de Beaune area is
neither filtered or fined. It had a velvety richness – classic Burgundy. Less tannin than the previous wine,
and more fruit. Blackcurrants for some, blackberries for others, but smoother and more bland than either fruit
for yet others! |
|
| 11/. |
Domaine Changarnier,Monthelie 2021 |
Pinot noir |
13 |
Wine Society |
29.50 |
This was another Monthelie to compare with the 2018 vintage tasted at the last tasting. However, 2021was a
cooler year than 2018, and this wine was correspondingly different – fresh, lighter in both colour an weight.
But still a high class Burgundy. |
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| 12/. |
Hanewald- SchwerdtKalkriff, Leistadt 2019 |
Spatburgunder |
13.5 |
WoodWinters |
22.00 |
Differing opinions on this last wine. For some much closer to French Burgundy, with cherries on the nose,
fresh fruit acidity and a touch of pepper on the palate, good with food, in fact superb! Others found compost
heap on the nose, and saw it only as quite nice on the palate, though subtle. Vive la différence! |
1st (12 points) |