Dry German Rieslings are top-notch

I’m writing this on Sunday while watching the football divisional championships. Initially this was easy as the Pack seemed to have put the game away early. An occasional pause for a replay, signaled by a huge surge in fan volume, was easy to abide, since I had my notes somewhat organized. The second half was another issue, and I almost forgot about the column. NE provided the same scenario in the first quarter and I am bound and determined to finish before more scoring ensues. Turned off the laugher at 28-7.

I am a huge fan of critic Jancis Robinson, and due to my cook training from chef Juergen Darstien, I am also a big fan of German wine. When Robinson wrote of Weingut Keller, "If I had to choose one wine to show how great dry German Riesling can be, I would show a Keller Riesling. Those wines are the German Montrachets." I decided to search out an affordable example for miene lieben freunde who read here. A very lovely Wiengut Keller Riesling Trochen 2013 will fill the bill. At 91 points under $25, it opens with a mixed bouquet of grapefruit, oranges, yeast and petroleum with hints of lemongrass and minerals. On the palate, fruit core with racy acidity, finishes long with clean, focused grip. Keller is well known for producing some of the best Rieslings in the world and possibly the best dry Rieslings in Germany. Rare in Germany, Keller isn’t wedded to the past. Over the past five years, Keller changed its focus from sweet to dry Riesling. It now produces about 80 percent dry wines. From bone-dry Rieslings that are regularly cited as being among the very finest white wines in the world to Spätburgunder that rivals top-class Burgundy, the move has been well received.

Poderi Oddero Barolo 2010 is their best in the past 15 years at 94 points. Since Suckling named it the “best blended Barolo ever from here” and awarded 95 pts and WS rated it 39th in the 2014 top 100, it ran to $50 and has fallen back to the $390/case range, $39/bottle. Oddero 2010 is a great QPR under $40/bottle and should drink well 2017-40.

Paul Hobbs seems to have no winemaking boundaries. He joined with James Stewart in 2012 using juice from the Max and Red Hen vineyards to produce a 100 percent Cab named Hollis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, a black ruby opaque beauty that suggested the complex bouquet of black fruit, cherries and tobacco undergirded by oak-driven spice and some smoke. On the palate ripe fruit, toast, smoke, barrel-driven spice, riding a balanced, silky, well-constructed frame of ripe tannins and perfect acidity. Previous vintages of Hollis have generally received 87-89 McD points and a drink soon rating. The 2012s are $37 wine worth $70, 91 McD. I’m really excited about the 2012s’ future in your cellar.

They have the structure, black fruit, oak-driven cedar notes and tannic grip to tell me the wine will evolve into a stone winner. Buy as much as you can priced under $37, drink 2016-25.

Mike enquired of Shannon Ridge why does it get such mixed reviews winning double golds and bronze medals in the same vintage at different venues. This is a great question, and this partial answer reflects the reason I frequently give price points. Briefly, Mike, the format for judging varies. In many contests, each varietal wine is placed in flights with tight price points, say $16-20, while in others the range may be wider: under $20; under $30 etc.

The top choices in each flight are then flighted together at the end and best of class awarded. I prefer the tighter stops when I rate lower-priced wines because winemakers, in addition to wishing to produce the best wine, due to the demands of their debt and business model are driven by what they can sell to remain viable.

This may preclude making small quantities of terrific wine, which they may not be able to market at a sufficient income to keep their doors open. The answer to your question is far more complex, but I think in most cases these are the primary reasons.

There is a lot of great wine made that never sees the market because the production is miniscule, making their marketing impossible.