Gelbe Erde

Here are brief notes on the "yellow-soiled" counterpart to a wine I recently blogged about.

Weingut Braun, "Gelbe · Erde" Riesling trocken 2011, Rheinhessen, Germany
Unassuming straw-yellow with a whiff of tropical fruit - or mango, to be precise. The mango really isn't that loud but quite distinct nonetheless. Maybe some fennel and a hint of earthiness in there too. (Incidentally, my better half detests fennel. Luckily, she still liked the wine.)

For all the sunshine-in-a-glass yet mildly agricultural notes on the nose, this has a surprisingly demure, cool, dry taste. However, at the risk of contradicting myself, it still feels quite generous in the mouth. The body weight is a modest light to medium, though the acidity feels relatively moderate. Maybe the wine actually lacks the same minerally pinpoint precision as "Weisse Erde" as a result.

While its white counterpart is mineral-driven, this wine is more upfront fruity. Though there is nothing wrong in that per se, and the experience is certainly a worthwhile one due to the comparision it affords.