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Posted to alt.food.wine
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TN: Nice Mosel, ok Burg Blanc, not so good Rioja
"Bi!!" > wrote in news:f14d1f2c-d320-47da-8178-
:
>
> You know Dale, I really struggle with German wines regarding the
> sweetness issue. Generally speaking I'm not a fan of sweet wines with
> food although I've had some Auslese that were just superb. This wine
> really points out the conundrum. I would expect a Kabinett to be
> pretty darn dry yet you describe "Spatlese sweetness" and without
> opening and tasting one would have no idea what to expect.
I disagree with your statement that a Kabinett should be pretty darn dry,
for a certain residual sugar is needed to counterbalance the acidity,
specially if you need what the Germans call "ripe acidity" (which means
that grapes arrive to phenolic ripeness which is usually associated with
must weight.
When I drink a Kabinett I want a very balanced wine that does not leave
me a sweet aftertaste, but that's different from being dry. I hope I
managed to express myself.
Most Mosel Kabinetts are now harvested at Spatlese levels, specially from
big vintages (which usually are which appeal the American market). It
might be an issue with global warming, better knowledge of vineyard
management or other causes but it is quite a fact.
If you look for true Kabinetts, my suggestion is to look for vintages
such as 2004 or 2008 where it was actually possible to make them.
Another option is to look for the "Feinherb" or "Halbtrocken"
designations in labels. Kabinett Feinherb or Kabinet Halbtrocken usually
hit the spot for me nowadays.
Some Mosel Kabinetts are also made in a "Trocken" style and they are
pretty darn dry as you put it, but I usually find them unbalanced, with a
character in the sourness that is not of a big appeal to me. I favour the
Feinherb.
I guess
> I'd prefer some standardized method across the board for expressing
> sweetness even if it means just including the RS level on the label.
Not a bad idea, but the problem here is that it can be misleading. The RS
alone is not the only parameter to take into account, and a wine with
higher RS can taste dryer than one with lower RS.
Normally, every Weinhaus or Weingut tries to make a wine that resemble
what a Kabinett should be, but the degree to which they sucess is related
to what Nature provided that harvest.
Best,
s.
Best,
Santiago
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