On our wedding anniversary last week, my wife and I went to Freiburg to eat some sushi and then go shopping for some household items. The latter activity wasn't necessarily my idea, but afterwards I was allowed to browse around a wine shop stocking an excellent collection of German wines, young and old. For a few minutes, I was as wide-eyed as a boy in a sweet shop...Despite the fabulous array of dry German Rieslings on show, I opted for two aged Riesling Spätleses and a 12-year-old Pinot Noir. This is one of the Rieslings.
Weingut Keller, Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Spätlese 2000, Rheinhessen, Germany
Beautiful deep golden with an amber tinge. It's obvious that this has a few years under its belt. On the nose, it has a wonderful beeswax aroma along with honey, caramel and a slightly savoury, buttery whiff. Clear on the palate with honey and wax. Despite only having 7.5% alcohol, this is far from the sugary gloop that certain people would have you believe (usually those who think they just like "trocken" and nothing else). Its silky body feels almost weightless in the mouth. This is thanks to the acidity which just about keeps the lusciousness in check and contributes to what is basically a dry-tasting, complex finish that still manages to remind me of caramel and, specifically, of those Highland Toffee bars I used to enjoy as a child. It is a sensation that lingers in the mouth for a good couple of minutes.
It's great to try older Spätleses. They remind me of when I first got into German Riesling.
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