From Blackpool to Basel

Arachnophobes look away now

2012-01-22T06:46:00.000+01:00

Something non-wine-related today.

My brother-in-law and his wife visited us with their seven-month-old son last weekend. Quite an undertaking for them given the round-the-clock attention Baby Harry demands. We had a lovely time and everything passed off smoothly. Apart from simply chilling out, we went to the Fondation Beyeler in nearby Riehen (the village in which Roger and Mirka Federer got married) to see the "Surrealism in Paris" exhibition that runs until the end of this month. I'm not really the arty type, but surrealism has always fascinated me.

And almost just as intriguing as the paintings and sculptures indoors was the giant arachnid outside in the museum gardens.

Weilberg 2006

2012-01-20T07:48:00.003+01:00

I don't have many GGs in stock chez Jones, but the ones I do are nearly all from Weingut Pfeffingen. I have two bottles left of the 2005 version, and that is developing nicely and probably near or at its zenith. Pfeffingen gave me the chance to pre-order six bottles of the 2006 vintage when it was released. Despite the questionable vintage, I jumped at the chance. The bottle pictured here is now the fourth of the six I bought back then.

Weingut Pfeffingen, Weilberg GG 2006, Riesling trocken, Pfalz, Germany
Yes, the 2006 vintage was a bit of disaster in the Pfalz - rotting set in early, strict selection was necessary, etc. etc. However, I don't have many quibbles with this wine.

Vinified in stainless steel, so a totally different style to the Knipser. Yet this is thick, viscous gloop in comparison. Super ripe in keeping with the hothouse weather we all saw at the World Cup that year. This has a bright yellow-straw hue and is initially all herbal, piquant and honeyed lemon on the nose. Then quince and apricot take over.

Sweet fruit of the aforementioned varieties on the palate, with other exotic notes. There is something there that reminds me of multi-vitamin juice. Super ripe with great density and substance; this envelops everything including the 13.5% alcohol. There are maybe some malty hints, but they lend a rich, earthy character. As I say, it's quite a thick juice with lots of succulence. The acidity is also quite rounded. But despite its weight, this wine is still very balanced. The finish is lovely and long.

Dud vintage or not, I won't be opening the final two bottles of this in a hurry. I think it could even do with a year or two extra cellaring to shed some of its adolescent puppy fat and gain more profile.

Riesling Réserve

2012-01-18T10:22:00.004+01:00

Some things need time. Wine especially so.

In a market such as Germany that wants its GG (grand cru) white wines of a given vintage ready for sale by September of the following year, it's reassuring that there are still some growers out there who hold back in releasing specific wines for a number of years. Obviously, economic considerations mean that not every producer has the luxury of being able to sit on his or her stock interminably. After all, private customers, merchants, restaurants etc. all need supplying.

Being such a successful all-round operation, Knipser Winery from the Pfalz can probably afford to wait longer than most.

Weingut Knipser, "Halbstück Réserve" Riesling Spätlese trocken 2004, Pfalz, Germany
This wine was released for sale in September 2010 after five years of bottle ageing. It was vinified in a traditional Pfälzer 600-litre wooden vat called a "Halbstück". According to the Knipsers, the Riesling grapes used for the wine were selected from old vines in some of their choice vineyard blocks. The result is something quite unlike most Rieslings.

Shimmering gold in appearance, the wine showed an intially oxidised whiff which gradually dissipated to unveil something seriously complex and forceful underneath. During the first hour or so after opening, mature notes from the Halbstück dominated. These felt slightly diffuse and blowsy at first, but then precise ripe citrus fruit took hold - mostly lime - as well as blossom. A day later, banana and pineapple notes emerged. These components were translated almost like-for-like onto the palate. Surprisingly light in alcohol considering the voluminous mouthfeel. The fruit had slowly retreated again 48 hours later, making way for yeasty, multi-layered flavours almost remininscent of dry sherry. Acidity was ever-present, underscoring an elegant, mouthwateringly long finish.

Given its vitality and firm, sinewy, almost "athletic" personality, this is a wine that shows no sign of flagging. Despite drinking excellently now, it might improve even more over the coming decade. I could probably cellar it for 20 years if I had the patience.

The ageing afforded this wine - firstly in the Halbstück, then in the bottle - is what sets it apart from most of its peers, I would say. This is a Riesling built for the duration yet - and this is the good news - one that offers unadulterated drinking enjoyment even now.

Keller's Müller-Thurgau

2012-01-06T21:34:00.001+01:00

Müller-Thurgau has a bad name for itself. Which is why its swish modern synonym "Rivaner" was rolled out some time at the turn of the century. The cunning Swiss were on to a winner from the offset, calling it "Riesling x Sylvaner" [sic].

It appears, though, that the best German examples of said grape continue to go by the good old "M-T" moniker.

Weingut Franz Keller, Oberbergener Bassgeige, Müller-Thurgau, Baden, Germany
There is no mention of trocken on the label, just 2.5 g/l of RS and 12% abv. Dry by nature then, if not by name.

Clear, grey straw in appearance with some miniscule bubbles that cling to the top of the liquid. On the nose, freshly cut chives and some minerally notes, dare I say. Very refreshing on entry and very dry - again with subtle hints of something green and freshly cut. Every so slightly caramelly on the finish according to my moderately trained palate. The overall impression is freshness, but with a level of seriousness I've barely encountered in a Müller-Thurgau. Not too dissimilar in character to a Weissburgunder for the same price. According to the winery, this wine is the perfect accompaniment to oysters.

Power of three

2012-01-03T21:50:00.002+01:00

If you'd caught up with this blog since Christmas, you will have gathered that I'd finally opened that Zind-Humbrecht grand cru bottle I'd mentioned previously. Well, how was it?

In one word: immense.

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, Clos Saint Urbain, Pinot Gris 2005, Alsace, France
Amber gold with a laser-like glow. Initially a slightly oxidative nose - reminding me of how I'd originally mistaken the first bottle I'd owned as having a taint of some sort. In hindsight, I probably would still have come to the same conclusion had the good people at the local wine merchants in Basel not put me to rights. Yet the whiff gradually dissipates this time, and complex aromas unfold. I detect some red berry fruit and plenty of Eastern spice. Chalky layers also emerge.

The palate is rich and opulent. As you may be able to make out in the photo, Olivier Humbrecht denoted this wine as being "Indice 3", i.e. 3 on a sweetness scale from 1 to 5. The resultant lusciousness is obvious. Spices are again prevalent, as are dried prunes and almonds - almost evoking the Christmas pudding that followed our traditional Christmas turkey with all the trimmings. The level of viscosity is relatively high. So is the alcohol, albeit as inconspicuously as 15% abv will ever taste.

Everything is ramped up to the power of three. Complexity and precision countered by a colossal mouthfeel. The finish is extremely long. This is a thrilling (and filling) wine. Almost a meal in itself. Frankly, I'm underqualified to answer to question of whether it's a great wine. That's for others to decide.

But I can say that it's the dream accompaniment to the traditional British Christmas menu.

Heinemann

2012-01-03T08:01:00.000+01:00

Short notes on a pretty decent local Pinot Noir, from a producer who, until now, has barely registered on the radar beyond Baden.

Weingut Heinemann, Spätburgunder Alte Reben 2009, Baden, Germany
A fragrant nose of cherry, spice, sweet oak, mint and herbs. Cherry vanilla on the palate. Powerful and woody, but well integrated on the whole with a refreshing kick of acidity. Purchased for around 8 or 9 euros, I think. Providing plenty of enjoyment for that price.

Schloss Lieser

2012-01-02T10:25:00.001+01:00

A Happy New Year to everyone.

To kick off 2012, here's a wine I opened just before Christmas.

Schloss Lieser, Riesling trocken 2010, Mosel, Germany
Continuing the 2010 basic estate Riesling theme, I picked up this wine solely on the strength of the producer's reputation. The surname Haag is quite a fixture when it comes to Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr and the like. After learning his trade at his parents' estate, Thomas Haag became winemaker at Schloss Lieser in 1992 - a winery that had once enjoyed world renown but had slipped far down the pecking order from the 1970s or so after it had changed hands numerous times. In 1997, Herr Haag and his wife were able to purchase the estate themselves. Since then, Schloss Lieser has gone from strength to strength.

That's enough background, now to the wine.

The aromas unfold within a matter of minutes on the nose. Fairly expressive with distinct pineapple coupled with wet stone. Quite lively and appetising. This translates into lemon sorbet on the palate with pineapple again. Although the wine is dry, there is a generous succulence in the mouth. Two days later, the fruit has disappeared, leaving predominantly stone and vegetal notes. The wine remains refreshing and elegant throughout, offering a lot of interest for 8 euros (purchased at a wine shop in Freiburg).

About to enjoy a good bottle...

2011-12-23T17:49:00.002+01:00

My better half is preparing a pre-Christmas feast as I write, and I've emptied the contents of Zind-Humbrecht's Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, Pinot Gris 2005, into the decanter. This wine has been a long time coming, but tonight is the moment of truth. We'll probably murder it, but it at least it will have breathed enough.

Happy Christmas.

Riesling 2010

2011-12-15T22:14:00.003+01:00

Any self-respecting winery's basic "estate" bottling, or Gutswein as they call it in Germany, has to be that winemaking operation's calling card, as it were. There's no point in pulling monster grands crus out of the hat if your bread and butter offering is absolute pants. Mosbacher Estate from the village of Forst in the heart of the famed Mittelhaardt district has nailed this basic Riesling, despite what was a tricky vintage.

Weingut Georg Mosbacher, Riesling Gutswein trocken 2010, Pfalz, Germany
Sourced from various plots in and around Forst. Lime on the nose followed by ginger, tree blossom and earthy notes. There is a lemony personality in the mouth with some traces of talc (aka what I like to call "white wine tannins"). Sure, the pincer attack of 2010 acidity arrives on the sides of the tongue, but it is precise and refreshing. The wine is well balanced with a pleasant, juicy pithiness. The finish is unremarkable, but this does not detract one iota.

A wine to enjoy and, at 11.5% alcohol, just right for sophisticated quaffing. I need to try more Mosbacher.

Gneis

2011-12-14T21:52:00.001+01:00

"Gneis" is German for gneiss. Confused? Well, gneiss is a type of rock formation. Personally, I've always associated it with granite. Although there was some foundation to this theory, there is apparently a difference between the two.

Weingut Otto & Martin Frey, Grauburgunder "Gneis" trocken 2010, Baden, Germany
From his winery base in Denzlingen in Breisgau, Martin Frey - who succeeded father Otto as winemaker - tends his vines on the south-facing slopes situated at the mouth of the Glottertal valley. The vineyard microclimate is actually quite cool, resulting in more slimlined wines than the norm.

This has blood orange and buttery nuances on the nose. These elements also translate onto the palate, followed by a rather saline characteristic. The finish shows a pleasantly pithy bitterness. On the second evening, there is not much in the way of aroma - apart from some vegetative hints maybe. In the mouth, the salty personality is drier, starker and more blistering than 24 hours previously. This lends complexity.

Overall, I'm impressed.

Grüße aus Deidesheim

2011-12-11T20:35:00.000+01:00

My best man and his wife live in the Pfalz. We paid them a visit this weekend for some Christmas market browsing in Deidesheim.

Out

2011-12-08T16:18:00.002+01:00

As the players walked on to the pitch for last night's Champions League clash between FC Basel and Manchester United, the home end unfurled a huge banner reminding those present of past European nights involving their club; this is my photo from where we were sitting. The message was clear: Brugge, Celtic and Liverpool have all copped it in the past; now for the next exploit, to coin a French term.

Being a Man United supporter living in Basel, things could have gone better last night to put it mildly. That said, full credit to FCB.

Refreshing

2011-12-06T16:16:00.000+01:00

We visited Freiburg last Saturday for the enjoyable ritual of Glühwein, Christmas market stall browsing and a visit to a favourite microbrewery of mine. I also took a detour to Weinhandlung Drexler, where I bought six varied bottles all in the price bracket of between 7 and 10 euros, based on my self-imposed budget. Four came from Baden, while two hailed from the Mosel and the Pfalz respectively. Here's one of them:

Weingut Stadt Lahr / Familie Wöhrle, Weissburgunder Kabinett trocken 2010
A refreshing nose of quince. Mildly spritzy too. Nothing too demanding, but that's fine. The quince theme continues on the palate, along with fresh acidity and some slightly more succulent notes. The finish hints at something minerally. All in all, a good "pick-me-up" of a wine.

As I noted during my visit to the Badische Weinmesse last May, what was produced in the difficult 2010 vintage tended to be on the more refreshing side. This, I feel, was more of a boon than a bane when it came to white Baden Pinot. This Weissburgunder is a good example, even though I would normally be expecting something on the lighter side at Kabinett level anyway.

The winery, incidentally, used to be officially owned by the town of Lahr until 1979, when it was merged with Hans and Monika Wöhrle's property. The Wöhrles have continued to make wine under the "Stadt Lahr" name ever since. Son Markus spent four years as deputy general manager at renowned Pfalz winery Müller-Catoir before returning in 2002 to incorporate his own ideas and expertise.

Bordeaux inheritance

2011-12-04T20:33:00.006+01:00

Before you wonder - no, I haven't come into the possession of a top château by way of blood line. However, two British friends who recently relocated from Basel to Houston (Texas) for professional reasons kindly left us numerous wines which they had accumulated during their time in Switzerland. I can assure you it was heart-wrenching for them, but we were very grateful (and humbled) recipients. Here's one of the wines in question:

Château Maypé Lagrave 2003, Graves AOC, Bordeaux, France
Dark ruby/brick red in appearance with a brownish hue at the edges. On the nose: meaty blood notes, rumtopf, lead pencil shavings. No particular fruit personality stands out - maybe more floral lilac hints if anything.

I was optimistic about this wine before opening due to the vintage. If you couldn't make a nice, generous red in 2003, then you never could. Yet this is no hothouse of a wine. There is a refreshing acidic backbone on the palate with a lovely juicy transparency, elegance, iron tones and finely grained, subtle tannins. Minerally yet understated on the finish.

My exposure to Bordeaux has been limited over the years, but this was as good a reintroduction as I could have got. After some research on the Internet, I found out that the producer releases wines under two names - Château Quincaron and Château Maypé Lagrave. This is slightly confusing, but basically this is a property situated in the heart of Graves not too far from Sauternes. The owner and vintner Carlos Asseretto makes sweet Sauternes, red Graves under the Quincaron label and then "Autre vins", one of which is this specimen. A relatively minor château and wine then, by the looks of it. But it's amazing what a few years of ageing does. (And I don't necessarily mean the dusty appearance of the bottle.)

Same procedure

2011-11-25T22:04:00.000+01:00

Last Friday, Jenny and I turned up at Weingut Ziereisen to attend their annual Christmas tasting, or Weihnachts-degustation. You know that the Christmas "season" is starting earlier than it used to when an event like this precedes our respective birthdays on 20 and 22 November. Maybe "Pre-Advent wine tasting" would have been a better name for it.

Be that as it may, we spent a very enjoyable evening negotiating what was a veritable assault course of tasting rooms, each with a different selection of wines to try. Even the flower shop next door got in the act, providing Ziereisen with an additional tasting venue showing some of the estate's more "basic" red wines.

I'd been to last year's tasting on a snowy Saturday and had bought three bottles of the Jaspis Pinot Noir "Jungfernlese" 2008. This time, we left the property with two bottles each of the Pinot Noir "Schulen" 2008, the Weissburgunder "Lügle" 2009, and Markus Molitor's Wehlener Klosterberg Riesling Kabinett trocken. We acquired the latter wine as Markus Molitor is friends with Hanspeter Ziereisen and sells some of his Riesling down here in Markgräflerland via Hanspeter's winery. Molitor, Van Volxem and Beurer (of Stetten/Württemberg) were all represented at the tasting, albeit not by the winemakers höchstpersönlich.

The hordes came from near and far to taste Ziereisen's wines last Friday. We even spotted a busload of pensioners from Waldshut, of all places. Consequently, personal space was at a premium and there was no chance of doing anything other than imbibe.

Feeling headstrong and merry after an evening's consumption (including schnapps) for the price of 10 euro, we also put in an order for six bottles of the 2009 Jaspis Syrah. These won't be ready for release until March/April 2012, which is just as well given that our post-wedding finances should hopefully have evened out a bit more by then!

Packing 'em in... The scene at one of the tasting stops (which was basically a garage).

Bison

2011-11-22T10:20:00.006+01:00

It was my birthday two days ago. And it's Jenny's today.

This evening, I shall be treating my wife to my dubious culinary skills chez nous. I may not be able to match what was served up for lunch on my birthday, but I'll do my best.

Talking of which, we went to the Landgasthof Rössle in the village of Hertingen for lunch on my birthday. The restaurant is currently in the middle of its annual "Country Weeks" season - when Thomas and Cornelia Engler, the couple who run the place, deck out the interior in country-western decor and serve various steaks including bison, pretty much the leanest, healthiest beef you can eat. I had visited the restaurant once before with a couple of friends when I was living in Germany in the early Noughties and had really enjoyed the food back then; hence it seemed right to pay the establishment another visit.

We both ordered the bison rumpsteak with jacket potato in foil and a selection of sauces - and we weren't disappointed. In terms of quality, friendliness and ambience, the Rössle scores top marks. Note that this is no high-brow eatery with plush decor but a typical rustic guesthouse in an old village in the middle of the beautiful Markgräflerland countryside.

There was, however, one slight misunderstanding with our waitress: I asked for a "Viertele" (or 0.25 l) of Spätburgunder, thinking it would be served in a small jug for the two of us. But what the girl brought to our table was this:

The glass and the measure tickled us so much that we ordered another one so both of us could quaff away contentedly...

Mr and Mrs Jones

2011-11-21T11:52:00.000+01:00

We left Switzerland on 1 November as girl and boyfriend. We returned to Switzerland on 14 November as man and wife.

Our wedding in England was a wonderful, joyful occasion. Guests came from near and far to celebrate with us, and it was simply an unforgettable day.

While I would prefer not to use this blog to write a synopsis or post a photo album of our wedding, I would like to mention the wines we chose to accompany the menu at our wedding breakfast.

As readers of this blog may know, Jenny and I had been doing a fair amount of sampling during our engagement with a view to selecting our wedding wines. Ultimately, we settled on the following:

First, the starter wine:

Riesling "Pfeffo", 2010, Weingut Pfeffingen, Pfalz, Germany
We opted for a starter wine that would pair well with smoked salmon, beetroot relish, rocket and brioche. Judging by the reactions around the room, this one went down well. The slight touch of sweetness meant it held up to the relish, while the acidity helped to cut through the oiliness of the salmon. It was also relatively light in alcohol but high in taste.

Our idea to have a dedicated starter wine centred around the desire to have everyone enjoying the same wine for at least one part of the meal. It also lent a certain structure to proceedings, I would say.

Main course:

"Quintessenz", 2009, Weingut Rings, Pfalz, Germany
To go with venison in a rich sauce with mustard and chestnut mash, baby onions and root vegetables, we could have gone for a Pinot Noir. However, we chose this red wine from Rings Estate without hesitation after trying it earlier in the spring. Judging by our guests' reactions, "Quintessenz" stole the show on account of its sheer drinkability. I doubt many people in the room would have ever drunk a German red before, not to mention one as rich as this. A blend of Merlot, Saint Laurent and Dornfelder (i.e. of "globetrotter" and native grapes), this was the revelation of the evening, I can safely say.

Riesling "Terra Rossa", 2009, Weingut Pfeffingen, Pfalz, Germany
The "Quintessenz" put this wine in the shade somewhat, though I don't think many white wines would have stood up to what was essentially a very hearty autumnal/wintry dish. Maybe in hindsight we could have gone for, say, a Pinot Gris or Blanc from Baden, but this still did a sterling job in the circumstances and is a dry Riesling we both really love.

After the main course, we had the bridegroom's father's speech, my speech and then the best man's speech. This is where our sparkling wine, which had already been poured out to guests before dinner as an aperitif to accompany their fish and chip canapés, made a reappearance.

Pinot brut, 2007, Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, Pfalz, Germany
Nothing that detailed to say other than this predominantly blanc de noirs Sekt more than did the trick.

The surprise came later on our return to Switzerland, when our neighbour knocked on our door to deliver a package containing even more Pinot brut which had arrived while we were on honeymoon. After subsequent inquiries, I discovered that von Buhl had originally sent my order to our Swiss address by mistake. After noticing their error, von Buhl tried to recall the bottles while sending a delivery of 30 bottles to the correct address in the UK instead. Subsequently, 16 of the erroneously dispatched bottles made their way back to Deidesheim while the remaining 14 (an admittedly unusual number for a package) must have got stuck somewhere before eventually ending up in Basel.

Herr Graf at von Buhl said that, given the circumstances, he could make me a very good, reduced offer for the extra bottles that had found their way here. I said that was fine and promptly paid up. We now have plenty of bubbly in stock...

Scheurebe Spätlese, 2009, Weingut Pfeffingen, Pfalz, Germany
To round off our very English menu, we had apple/blackberry crumble and custard (with the custard contained in large jugs on each table). This coupled with Scheurebe was a match made in heaven. There was a slight twist here in that the wine was also served on the plate in a shot glass. What may sound uncouth worked a treat in practice. It was Paul the caterer's idea to incorporate the shot glasses as a way to integrate the wine with the dessert and avoid confusion amid a proverbial forest of wine bottles that would have landed on our guests' tables by then. To stop people from necking the wine like a shot of grappa but enjoying it as a component part of the dessert (athough the former is not necessarily something we would have frowned upon!), we deliberately chose not to refer to the glass of wine on the menu explicitly as a "shot glass" but as a "small glass of dessert wine".

The wine itself had just the requisite sweetness and exotic fruit to hold up to all the components of the dessert. Less the sticky pudding wine some people may have been expecting and more the restorative that guests would continue glugging throughout the evening.

That all the wines came from Germany was no coincidence. Amid what was otherwise a quintessentially English wedding, the unashamedly teutonic wine acted as a counterpoint. And, given the teutonic influence in my family (my mother is German), it also seemed to make sense. That we chose wines exclusively from the Pfalz was, however, less by design and more of a coincidence. All the wines served were simply big favourites of ours, and we hope everyone enjoyed them on the day as much as we did.

Exchanging Rings

2011-10-29T11:43:00.000+02:00

Not too long to go before our wedding day. Almost everything is in place except for a few minor things. I'm taking advantage of a slight pause in proceedings to post a short synopsis of some recent wines.

Weingut Markus Schneider, Riesling Kirchenstück trocken, 2006, Pfalz, Germany
The last bottle in my possession, which was opened over a month ago now. And, frankly, I was glad to see the last of it. The 2006 vintage was not kind on this wine. Harsh, malty, banana-like aromas, followed by an austere, harsh palate. The wine feels slightly oxidised, and then it's the piercingly citric finish that puts paid to any enjoyment. Compare this with my previous notes on this wine, and make your own conclusion.

Weingut Claus Schneider, Weiler Schlipf Spätburgunder CS trocken, 2007, Baden, Germany
The third bottle of a six-pack case bought nearly a year ago. The contrast to the previous wine is like day and night. In fact, I opened this immediately after the Riesling in order to end the evening on a better note. Jenny was away on her hen do at the time, so I needed solace from some source or other.
Lovely ethereal minty note showing cool herbs and spice (cloves). On the palate, profoundly pure and light-footed with a wonderful coolness borne of the acidity. And yet, there is plenty of sweet chalky extract to lift this wine into luscious territory. This is "exhibit A" in the case against those who think that the quality of red wine is directly proportionate to how opaque it looks.

Weingut Rings, Das kleine Kreuz, 2009, Pfalz, Germany
Rings Estate used to be a bit of an insider tip, but their astronomical rise to prominence in recent years has probably put paid to that. Jenny and I stayed a night at the Rings family's adjacent B&B a couple of summers ago, so we have quite a soft spot for this property. Happily, their prices are still on the fairly sensible side in relation to the quality of their wines. Whether this continues to be the case remains to be seen.

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, St. Laurent and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is the "little brother" of the winery's flagship "Das Kreuz". Both are named after the "Schwarzes Kreuz" vineyard just to the south of the picturesque village of Freinsheim. With gravel being the predominant soil there, big, red, Bordeaux-style blends are de rigueur.

On the nose, luxuriant chocolatey aromas, with cocoa, black cherry and hints of Black Forest gateau. With silky albeit substantial tannins in the mouth, backed up with some vanilla and no lack of richness and concentration, this is showing well already. One of those wines which immediately please yet are demanding enough to be stored for many years. I'm curious as to how "Das Kreuz" might taste. The Rings brothers, Andreas and Steffen, also make a killer Syrah which would be worth trying provided I parted with 30 euro (that's their most expensive wine).

"Das kleine Kreuz", on the other hand, is worth an entirely palatable EUR 16 (cellar price), and - for what you get - is worth every penny. Two bottles of this are lying in our basement.

J!

2011-09-30T22:17:00.005+02:00

It's not that long to our wedding, so posts on here will become a rarity as we approach the big day. There has been plenty organised so far, but we'll soon be entering the mildly hectic final phase of preparation, if we haven't done so already.

Nevertheless, I do have some other things to report at this juncture. One concerns a wine I posted about in spring last year. I eulogised about it back then, and until recently, still had three bottles stored away in the basement. A visit from my dad and uncle a couple of weeks ago (the two were due to accompany me on my stag do) was reason enough to crack open another one. It was a good job I did, because the wine in question, Pfeffingens' 2005 Weilberg GG, is undoubtedly at its peak - and will stay this way for quite a number of years, I feel. This time, I served the wine in large round glasses - a move that paid off. The wine has gained an added richness and layer of complexity that impressed us all. The fruit is that little bit more oily but less forward, if you get my meaning. Top stuff.

I didn't want to fall to the floor with a thud after those lofty heights but rather glide down gracefully from vinous cloud nine. The following wine promised a feather-bed landing.

Weingut Benzinger, J! Riesling 2010, Pfalz
This is a wine by the daughter Julia Benzinger. Technically, it's hovering just on the limit of what can legally be called dry, hence the absence of "trocken". Given the more, shall we say, corruscating nature of the vintage, I was expecting a bit of residual sweetness to be just what the doctor ordered. However, this was a funny one in that it actually made me want the wine to be drier than it was (for a change). It certainly made for great quaffing in front of the television while Manchester United were busy throwing away a two-nil lead at home to Basel (didn't know whether to laugh or cry about that result). Yet, on close inspection, I found the sweetness to be ever so slightly cloying; there seemed to be a disconnect between that and the wine's other components, if truth be told. In view of the vintage, this was the last thing I'd have expected.

On the other side of the coin, the wine showed great fruit character very much in line with Frau Benzinger's credo on the bottle's "back label". In this respect, the packaging is very honest: the "front label" is a combination of black and shiny pink with "J!" shouting out in large font. I'll spare your eyes from looking at it. Suffice to say, I think the wine is targeted at a certain demographic and definitely succeeds in this regard. Not that this is a bad thing, I hasten to add.

Champions League in Basel

2011-09-15T10:57:00.000+02:00

As some of you may know, Manchester United are my football club of choice. And they've been drawn with FC Basel in the group stages of this season's Champions League. The last time this happened was in the 2002/2003 season when I watched the two fixtures between both clubs in Basel and Manchester respectively. For Basel's home fixture versus United back then, I had to resort to drastic measures and obtain a ticket through, shall we say, "unofficial means". For the match at Old Trafford, my ticket was bought at face-value from a good friend and fellow United fan.

Happily, procuring a ticket for Basel's home match was a lot easier this time. Nevertheless, doing so entailed purchasing the full three-match package - which also included the visit of Romania's relative unknowns FC Oțelul Galați last night, plus that of Portugal's Benfica in October. United don't arrive in Basel until December.

Nevertheless, forgoing the delights of Benfica vs. United on television, we turned up at St. Jakob Park yesterday evening for Basel's first match.

Now, I knew nothing about FC Oțelul other than the fact that coach Dorinel Munteanu had played for Romania a record number of times. He'd also plied his trade in the Bundesliga for Wolfsburg for a number of years - hence it came as no surprise that his team were a well-drilled outfit, if nothing else. Basel had a lot of trouble breaking down their defence, and their 2-1 win was slightly flattering. But a win's a win. And after the 1-1 stalemate between Benfica and United, FCB are now perched at the top of group C.

Sunday picture

2011-09-11T10:38:00.004+02:00

The mercury rose to over 30C yesterday - what better weather than to go walking in the heat of afternoon sun? Mad dogs and Englishmen, etc.

Bubbles (or lack thereof)

2011-09-09T08:08:00.002+02:00

As mentioned previously, we are looking for a suitable sparkling wine for our wedding. We have almost made our decision. The following Sekt narrowly failed to make the grade - not for lack of quality but more for lack of bubbles.

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, Forster Pechstein Riesling Sekt brut, 2007, Pfalz
Sparkling Riesling is likely to be unknown territory for the majority of our English-speaking wedding guests, but this oh so nearly got the thumbs up from us. Disgorged only this year after three years of ageing on the lees. Rich on the nose with lovely flintstone notes. Full and fruity on the palate, but not overly so. Luscious and biscuity with further mineral depth.

The snag? Well, the perlage was very fine but rather modest and short-lived. Too short-lived from our point of view considering the logistics of a wedding reception. Whatever I may think about the undeniable quality of this sparkler, it's a fact of life that people like bubbles. If said bubbles are inadequate, then we have a problem.

Pity, but I'm glad we still have another bottle of this in the cellar.

Steinacker

2011-09-08T12:06:00.009+02:00

The following wine left an impression on me a number of years ago at the Basler Weinmesse. From a hitherto obscure family-run winery in the northern Pfalz, it seemed to ooze the personality I like to associate with good, honest dry Pfalz Riesling: a certain "earthiness" as well as tasty (exotic) fruit and spice. For some reason, I never got round to procuring a bottle to try from the comfort of our living room. Until now.

I say "obscure", but at the time the family's eldest daughter Silvia had just finished her year-long stint as the latest tiara-clad "German Wine Queen". The appointing of "wine royalty" in Germany is a serious business, with each successive incumbant tasked with spreading the word about German wine to all and sundry. The Weinkönigin's reign invariably involves visits to numerous German embassies round the world, swapping handshakes with the German president, random appearances on "Gary Vee"... that sort of thing.

Be that as it may, it's apparently the family's youngest daughter Julia who has been continuing the family winemaking tradition in tandem with her father. This is their top Riesling:

Weingut Benzinger, Steinacker Riesling trocken 2009
Steinacker is the name of the vineyard in Kirchheim an der Weinstrasse.
Highly expressive, "forward" aromas of minerally lime sorbet, dry herbs, some saltiness, a touch of mint and even some berry fruit. Already quite the charmer, this wine, it maintains this form on the palate, with exotic the mango/peach/maracuja triumvirate initially, but then showing a dry herbal, salty personality. The acidity then acts as a razor-sharp counterpoint. All in all, very impressive on first showing, though less so on the following day when the fruit notes seem a little "telegraphed", to coin a footballing term. The herbal depth that was there initially seems to have dissipated 24 hours later. However, the wine really is more-ish regardless of this minor quibble. And for the price of EUR 8 (or even CHF 15 in Swiss terms), it punches above its weight.

[Postscript; 17:56, 08.09.2011: Forty-eight hours later and the herbal sophistication has returned. Maybe it hadn't gone in the first place and I was simply not paying attention. Overall, this wine hits all the right spots.]

The 2011 harvest

2011-09-07T15:55:00.008+02:00

In a few days, I was hoping to report on my experiences as a grape picker at the local vintner's cooperative. Haltinger Winzer are giving people the opportunity to help with the harvest for a day, learn a bit about the work involved, and then enjoy some "Zwiebelwaie" (onion tart) and "neuer Wii" after bringing the grapes back down the hill. Unfortunately, picking on 10 September, the day I was supposed to help out, has been postponed. The other scheduled date for all-comers to carry buckets and secateurs is the following Saturday. However, that's the day of my stag do.

My ambitions as an amateur grape picker have therefore been dashed for the time being. Nevertheless, I can console myself with the fact that the harvest looks a good one this year, judging from what I saw yesterday while out on a stroll just over border in Germany (see the Pinot Gris grapes above). The Gutedel crop looks on the verge of being picked, while Chardonnay and the Pinot varietals (red included) don't look too shabby either. Incredible given that it's still only early September.

[Edit at 20:51, 07.09.2011: I hasten to add that all sorts of meteorological vagaries could still put the cat among the pigeons as far as the 2011 vintage is concerned, one of which is too much rain. We've been there before in 2006, for instance, when the grape skins went "pop" and started to rot. The forecast looks promising for the moment, however. May it stay that way.]

Muskat-Gutedel

2011-09-07T15:08:00.005+02:00

Until last week, I'd never heard of this grape varietal. Like Roter Gutedel, it apparently belongs to to the Gutedel (Chasselas) family. Dirk Brenneisen from the village of Egringen just 13km north of Basel specialises in it.

Weingut Brenneisen, Muskat-Gutedel 2010, Baden
There's Muskat in the name and muscat in the wine. A fair dollop of it, in fact. It fairly dominates the nose, yet hints of nutmeg and almond also emerge, the latter betraying its Gutedel roots, I would say. On the palate, there is certain exoticism, along with grassy, minty, nestlely notes that remind me of dry Scheurebe. Some herbal drops too. Smooth and refreshing, unique and tasty - this offers a little something off the beaten track. Certainly a niche wine, this is best drunk fresh and in ample quantities.

The Maisprach wine experience

2011-08-31T14:33:00.001+02:00

At present, we are gradually tasting our way through a case of different German sparkling wines for our wedding in just over two months' time. The "Sekt" we choose for our big day will not be showcased here until after the event, if at all, because - to put it simply - we want to keep it a secret.

This explains the relatively fewer wines described here of late and the slightly greater emphasis on excursions, trips and similar gallivanting. Saturday provided another case in point, when "das Wy-Erläbnis", which is Swiss for "das Wein-Erlebnis" (or "wine experience"), took place in the vineyards in and around the villages of Buus and Maisprach in the Swiss canton of Basel-Land.

Participant numbers are limited for this annual event, which tends to get booked up fairly soon after ticket sales begin every January. A spur of the moment thing this definitely is not.

The alloted start time for us early bookers (and around 90 others) was 12 noon on the dot. A total contingent of 2,000 took part throughout the day, leaving the village of Buus at half-hour intervals. We proceeded to cover eight different designated stops along the winding three-mile route from Buus to Maisprach, seven of which served culinary treats. Germans would probably call this a "kulinarische Weinwanderung". As you'd expect, the event was organised like clockwork. There was even someone whose designated task for the day was to hold one of those hanging mustard squeezers to squidge a dollop of the old Thomy onto every punter's plate as he or she passed with a plate full of smoked pork and potato salad.

As for wines, we tried some interesting "Riesling-Silvaner" (Müller-Thurgau), Chasselas (Gutedel) and Pinot Blanc, as well as a fair volume of undemanding yet quaffable Pinot Noir.

As a postscript: two British friends who live in the area were kind enough to procure tickets for our group. Their house acted as a convenient base after the walk before it was time to head into the village for the subsequent festivities. They are due to up sticks to Houston, Texas this coming autumn, but I think there'll always be a place in their heart for their house in the middle of Maisprach.

Alte Reben

2011-08-24T14:42:00.003+02:00

I've made one of two surprising vinous discoveries in Basel in recent times. One of these was the presence in a big Swiss supermarket's wine range of two Pinot Noirs from a prominent Kaiserstuhl wine-grower.

My impression is that if you asked the average man or woman on the streets of Basel to name their favourite wine regions, Italy would probably be right up there along with France, Spain and Portugal. Austria is quite trendy. Although its general profile is improving, Germany is still relatively unknown other than being the home of sweet Rieslings from the Mosel.

Which is just as well, because I'd already seen the following wine a number of times at the retail outlet in question and not one bottle had been taken.

Weingut Michel, Spätburgunder "Alte Reben" trocken 2009, Baden
From vines aged over 30 years (hence "Alte Reben"), this was apparently left for 10 months in 500-litre French oak vats. Dark ruby with a watery rim. A basket of freshly picked black cherries on the nose, followed by what I can make out to be dried black prunes, some spicy notes reminiscent of liquorice/cinnamon. The effect is quite heady and warm. This translates into a fiery, warming sensation on the palate. Despite the concentrated mouthfeel, everything is in balance. The tannins are creamy and the oak influence is only noticeable in that it helps bed the different elements together.

Overall, I'm impressed. The wine is quite young but surprisingly accessible, offering a lot for CHF 14.90. I intend to try the "barrique" version before too long. With the best will in the world, there should still be adequate stocks left by the time I get round to buying a bottle or two, irrespective of what I've just written.

Dry Mosel

2011-08-21T15:34:00.002+02:00

Along with other notable refusniks such as Van Volxem, Breuer and Köhler-Ruprecht, Weingut Markus Molitor doesn't belong to the VDP. This may or may not be the reason why Herr Molitor's dry and off-dry Rieslings are not named as such as on the label and just carry the names Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese on their own.

Weingut Markus Molitor, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese trocken 2009, Mosel
The wine maybe gives a clue, as I would venture a guess that the level of residual sugar in this dry-tasting wine is somewhere in the feinherb range from 9 to 18 g/l. Thus, the wine is advertised as trocken but doesn't carry trocken on the label.

On the nose, Granny Smith apple emerges at first, though this eventually gives way to yellow fruit such as apricot. The palate shows lovely ripe acidity and good balance (Molitor tends to harvest well into November, and this is 2009 after all). There is a dense wall of nectarine, and the finish is long and satisfying. Picturebook dry Riesling - though I have a feeling that Germany's wine authorities would be loathe to call it dry.

Two Sauvignon Blancs

2011-08-20T17:12:00.000+02:00

On a recent train journey from Mannheim back to Basel, I picked up a copy of the June/July issue of German-language wine magazine, Weinwelt. Normally, I don't buy wine-related periodals as they tend to be on the pricy side, and much of the information I want can be gleaned perfectly easily via the Internet. I made an exception this one time.

The issue's leading theme was Sauvignon Blanc. Therein, a certain Professor Ulrich Fischer from the "DLR Rheinpfalz" wine research centre in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse explained that elderflower was often a key aromatic trait of Sauvignon Blancs grown in Germany. I mention this apropos of nothing in particular, except that it serves as an introduction to two SBs I've opened over the last month or so.

Pfaffenweiler Weinhaus, Sauvignon Blanc trocken "Sancta Clara" 2010, Baden
Somewhat of a house speciality of this, one of Baden's top cooperatives. I made no notes on this, and the bottle was opened back in July. However, my overriding impression was that of a wine hitting all the right notes as a quintessentially summer wine: sprightly, packed with sunshine yet very grown-up for it's price (under EUR 9 from the supermarket) with some mineral and creamy notes. The wine is already sold-out, which says it all.

Kellerei/Cantina Terlan, Sauvignon Blanc Winkl 2009, Terlano, Südtirol/Alto Adige
This a first: a wine from Südtirol. Winkl is the name of the vineyard. Although not very twinkle-toed in nature, it provided plenty of interest. Quite unlike any SB I've had, its personality almost reminded me of a Grüner Veltliner. There were hints of elderflower and herbs after a while, but the key notes came more from the wine's biscuity earthiness which almost developed into opulence. Certainly a wine that lives more off its secondary aromas and flavours than off gratuitous goosebery and cat's pee. And that's always a good thing in my book.

Table with a view

2011-08-12T16:48:00.000+02:00

A old friend from England who lives in Vienna stayed with us for a night on 31 July, as part of a grand tour of Switzerland he was about to embark on. Being the day before Swiss National Day, there would be a firework extravaganza over the Rhine later on that evening. But prior to this, we hopped into Germany to attend Weiler Weinweg in Flammen - a lovely wine event held along the vineyards from Ötlingen to Weil. Our first stop was in Ötlingen, where we sat in the evening sun behind the vineyard hut belonging to Weingut Schneider and enjoyed the view south down to Basel and beyond. It was 7 p.m. and the sun was still beating down relentlessly. Some vineyards really are heat-traps, and this was one of them.

Recess

2011-08-10T20:43:00.005+02:00

The summer blogging recess has been ongoing of late, in which time my better half and I have been to the UK twice - first on wedding business in Suffolk, then to visit my parents in Lancashire. Both visits were prior to the troubles of the past few days in numerous English urban areas. Apparently, the German foreign office has issued a travel warning for the UK - the sort of thing normally reserved for Syria and Iraq.

Normal service will resume on here in due course. However, for the time being, here are a couple photos from a beautiful walk Jenny and I went on last Friday with my parents - in a part of Cumbria that tends to be less well known owing to its location on the border with Lancashire. After our walk, we rewarded ourselves with a delicious meal of fish and chips at a local hostelry.

No frills

2011-07-19T11:22:00.004+02:00

As its Wikipedia entry explains, Kwik Save was a supermarket chain in the UK which went bust in 2007. I remember frequently going to our local Kwik Save on St David's Road South in St Annes as a young lad to do errands for my mother back in the 80s and early 90s. As a grumpy teenager, I was never that enamoured at the prospect, but it was preferable to going hungry.

In some ways, Kwik Save was the pre-emptive British answer to Lidl and Aldi (in the days before these two German powerhouses annexed the UK discounter segment). The shopping experience at Kwik Save was like no other. I'll always remember the functional shop fittings, the seemingly endless supplies of digestive biscuits and Hob Nobs, and their ubiquitous "No Frills" range.

Now, if there is a local winemaker for whom "no frills" might be a fitting tag, it would be Hermann Dörflinger of the eponymous Dörflinger Winery in Müllheim/Baden. It was Dörflinger's father who - much like the father of his famous Pfalz counterpart Hansjörg Rebholz - refused to ride the crest of the wave of cheap and nasty pap in the 1960s and continued fermenting his wines to dryness. Back then, contemporaries belittled Dörflinger's wines as tasting "sour"; it was only in the 1980s when people began appreciating dry wines again that the winery started getting the recognition it deserved.

I would say that Dörflinger's wines have "no frills" in sense that they exhibit utter clarity. Being fermented often right down to bone-dryness but remaining relatively light in alcohol, they have a very transparent, linear personality. They never leave you satiated after a glass or two, but instead encourage you to continue quaffing. That's always a good thing in my book.

The following wine is a case in point.

Weingut Hermann Dörflinger, Müllheimer Reggenhag Weissburgunder Kabinett trocken 2010, Baden
Light straw-yellow colour with yellow apple and cinnamon crumble on the nose. The palate is completely dry but with an underlying fruit character that shines through. Again, yellow apple emerges, along with pear. The overriding impression is one of freshness, and there is a subtle carbon dioxide tingle that accentuates this feeling on the finish. I wouldn't say that this wine is jaw-droppingly complex, but it is pure and exceedingly drinkable (edit: that was until a pesky fruit fly crash-landed in my glass).

Sektfestival

2011-07-18T15:34:00.004+02:00

This was no mumbo-jumbo sect gathering, but an annual hommage to sparkling wine on Saturday night in the gardens of local vintner's cooperative Bezirkskellerei Markgräflerland. Each year, the Bezirkskellerei opens its doors to the public for an evening of culinary, vinous and - at times, dubious - musical delights. Apart from bubbly, it was also possible to sample the cooperative's normal wines, so there was something for all tastes. Anyway, here are some photographic impressions (look at those industrial-sized vats!).

Wet stone

2011-07-17T15:27:00.002+02:00

Now onto the fruitier, lightier style of Riesling, albeit still tasting fairly dry in the grand scheme of things.

Weingut Markus Molitor, Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett feinherb 2009, Mosel
Pungent wet stone on the nose, with orange zest, floral notes and some yeasty hints. Bantamweight on the palate (i.e. not quite featherweight, to borrow a boxing analogy), with juicy satsuma and a minerally sensation akin to sucking stones. Now, I've never put a piece of slate in my mouth, but I can imagine Zeltinger Himmelreich's slate soils having had an ample hand in this. Following the soupçon of sweetness on entry, the finish is quite dry - and satisfyingly so. Traces of caramel also emerge over time.

I recently bought a case of this wine from a Swiss merchant doing a Markus Molitor promotion. Nearly all the other Molitor wines they were offering were legally trocken, but I consciously chose this one, sensing that it would be more versatile in pairing with food. I don't think I'll be disappointed.

Win-win

2011-07-08T12:02:00.003+02:00

Throughout my 11-year career as a translator in Switzerland, if I'd have earned ten francs for everytime I had to translate a Powerpoint presentation produced by some Swiss banker talking about "ein Win-Win-Szenario", I'd be a rich man by now. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration. And yet, the phrase "win-win" is one that is beloved of the German-speaking corporate world. Bankers, pharmaceutical executives, HR managers, humble project leaders, IT bods... They're all at it.

And just because they did their MBAs in Boston, speak with an American accent or spent two years in London, it doesn't mean they can write perfect English. I'm a native speaker and I can't write perfect English either - though I hope you get half the gist of what I'm trying to say. On the other hand, I wouldn't think for one minute that my written German was good enough to translate into. Why should it work the other way round?

Anyway, rant over.

Weingut von Winning, Riesling "Win Win" trocken 2009, Pfalz
When wealthy local businessman Achim Niederberger bought Weingut Dr. Deinhard in Deidesheim a few years ago, he completed a treble of sorts following on from his previous acquisitions of Bassermann-Jordan and Von Buhl. This is because these three Deidesheim wine estates make up what is still called the "Jordan'sche Teilung" - the result of a bumper inheritance of vineyards that was split among three respective siblings in 1848.

From 1907 until the Great War, the winery was splendidly known as "Hauptmann von Winning’sches Edelweingut", before reverting back to "Dr. Deinhard" in 1918. It was only after Niederberger arrived on the scene in late-2007 that new life was breathed into the old "von Winning" moniker. Many of the estate's top wines now go by this name, although there is also still a very serviceable "Dr. Deinhard" range of wines, and - slightly confusingly - a Dr. Deinhard website.

I must say that, for Riesling lovers, the von Winning website is lovely to behold. My only quibble concerns the English translation which, despite being functional, bears all the hallmarks of a German-native-speaking translator writing in English. It's the little things that give it away.

Now please don't get me wrong: if it was indeed a German translator who wrote the English version, then it was a very good effort. However, most native speakers would eventually realise that something wasn't quite right with the English, as polished as it might seem at first sight. This isn't the translator's fault - it's just how it is. If anyone let me translate their English websites into German, the results would probably be similar.

It's a shame, given that a winery of von Winning's standing would - I assume - be interested in [please excuse the business speak] optimising its brand for the English-speaking market. Obvious grammatical errors in the German would not be tolerated in von Winning's domestic market; why should they be elsewhere? Sometimes I wish English wasn't the world's "international language".

But now onto the wine (and that "win win" situation).

First, the wine label deserves an honourable mention. It's really beautiful, and reminds me of a Picasso painting the name of which escapes me. The gold-leaved labels for the higher-rated classified vineyard wines are even more wonderful.

Appearance: quite a vivid yellow-straw hue, but nothing jaw-droppingly unusual.
Nose: a sheer precipitous wall of dry herbs; at first, it's hard to scale over this wall, but then hints of tobacco emerge (the sort people use to make their own roll-ups), followed by some red berry fruit and lemon zest sprinkled with sugar.
Palate: herbs continue their narrative here; there is a slight (and welcome) sweetness on entry, but that is quickly enveloped by a minerally dryness; this wine is far from austere though - a very Pfalz earthiness persists, and the herbs continue singing right through to a satisfying finish.

This is the most emphatically classy Riesling in its specific price bracket (EUR 10) that I've drunk in a long while - and you can't say fairer than that.

Summer sunset

2011-07-06T08:34:00.003+02:00

And now for a photographic interlude; pictures taken yesterday evening from the top of Schlipf vineyard above the town of Weil (D).

Gobelsburger GrüVe

2011-07-02T08:20:00.004+02:00

Finally something slightly lighter, from a stately property in the Kamptal region of Austria. The monks who used to run it started growing grapes there in the late 12th century. This wine was a random purchase made at a department store in Basel.

Schloss Gobelsburg, Gobelsburger Grüner Veltliner 2010, Kamptal
Vivid, piercing lemony tones on appearance. This looks more substantial than I imagined. On the nose, apricot jam and white wine jelly with an ample sprinkling of white pepper. Some apricot and peppery notes translate onto the palate - along with some vegetative hints and a knob of butter. I would classify the body as light to medium. The finish is slightly on the short side, and I wouldn't mind a little bit more acidity - even though I realise that "GrüVe" is isn't meant to be that stomach-churning. These are just minor quibbles in the scheme of things. The wine does retain sufficient freshness and interest, and would be a killer with a variety of light dishes.

Trilogy

2011-06-30T20:38:00.004+02:00

I know, I know... It's not what I said I'd do in my last post, but that can wait. I've had to make do with Mario Zelt's humble offering for now. What a hardship.

Weingut Zelt, Cuvée Trilogie 2008, Pfalz
Couldn't resist picking up a bottle of this a few months ago, along with the Saint Laurent I've already written about. This is a Bordeaux-inspired triple blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc - hence the name. Before you start wondering whether Bordeaux-inspired blends are a good or a bad thing in a world awash with them, let me just get straight on to the wine.

This one has a dense yet attractively pure colour. The nose is pretty muted over the first 48 hours. Ideally, the wine probably needs more laying down, but sometimes you have to dive in early when it's just the one bottle in your possession. After 72 hours (during my final helping), subtle hints of black cherry emerge. I would say that there is also something vaguely Amarone-esque.

However, the palate does better. Lovely finely grained, pure tannins, lending suppleness and depth, as well as some liquorice and black fruit notes. A minerally, rather than acidic, backbone provides what is a medium to full body with added complexity.

Not a wine for everyday glugging.

Unseasonal

2011-06-28T10:08:00.004+02:00

So, it's over 30C outside. Time for a low-alcohol Riesling Kabinett, maybe, or at least something along those lines? After all, I've been meaning for some time to drink more Rieslings with residual sweetness, not least because the citrus intensity of some dry Rieslings don't always meet with my better half's approval. Without putting too fine a point on it, her face tends to contort when that citrus zing kicks in on the finish. I usually like the acidic part, within reason. However, I've heard that 2010 - a German vintage of skyrocketing, eyewatering acidity - is excellent for Rieslings with some residual sweetness. The same cannot be necessarily said for the "dry'uns".

Be that as it may, my exploration of Mosel Kabinett and its ilk will have to wait another day. Instead, I have a red wine from the Pfalz. How refreshing.

In my defence, I bought the following bottle for us to taste as a potential wine for our wedding meal later on this year (to precise, they call it "wedding breakfast", but don't ask me why). However, we already made our decision in terms of red wine a couple of weeks ago. I don't want to go into too much detail, but the wine we eventually chose is, like the following wine, a blended red from the Pfalz - and not the Spätburgunder from Baden I'd originally earmarked.

A case of "after the Lord Mayor's show", as us Brits would say. But still worth a try.

Weingut Dengler-Seyler, Cuvée Autumnus 2007, Pfalz
There is a white wine by the same name that combines Chardonnay with Auxerrois. This, its red counterpart, is a blend of Spätburgunder, Frühburgunder and the dreaded Dornfelder. I say "dreaded" because Dornfelders tend to taste rather green and stemmy if the yields are too high - which is often the case. On the other hand, it gives the wine a lot of dark pigment and can lend quite a charming rustic personality to blended reds. If handled correctly.

This is an interesting wine. The Spätburgunder is still very much to the fore, but the other constituents add some substance; less so the Frühburgunder, more the Dornfelder. Dark ruby in appearance, with cherry tones on the nose and a wild berry palate with a dollop of cream and some complexity. In point of fact, Autumnus is a good moniker for this wine. It does have a personality faintly reminiscent of autumn - think red leaves and undergrowth. Quite appealing. For my taste, the oak is well-integrated and unobtrusive, though my better half begged to differ on that count. Chacun(e) à son goût, as our Gallic cousins would say - and I still much prefer the wine we chose for the wedding - but for 10 euro (ordered online from a merchant in the Rhein-Neckar region) this offers good value.

Rieslinghof

2011-06-23T21:06:00.000+02:00

Incidentally, the hotel we stayed at in Wachenheim was called Rieslingho f - a most apt name if there ever was one. Rieslinghof is run by Sigrid Zimmermann-Oster, whose brother is the vintner at Weingut Zimmermann - also based in the village. She greeted us when we arrived and showed us into our rooms.

This blog isn't a hotel review website, but we were suitably impressed by both the accommodation offered and the general hospitality. The rooms were light and airy and there was a balcony, albeit a "communal" one. The breakfast on Monday morning (the Monday was a public holiday, incidentally) was top notch too. But best of all, there was a complimentary 0.5-litre bottle of Riesling Spätlese waiting for us in our rooms when we arrived.

Weingut Zimmermann, Wachenheimer Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese 2010, Pfalz
The "Spätlese" classification is slightly misleading. Even in Pfalz terms, this was more of an Spätlese feinherb (i.e. off-dry Riesling) than a true-blue Spätlese - as evidenced by an alcohol content of 12%. And this was good off-dry Riesling. In a vintage with relatively high acidity, the residual sugar was fighting quite a crazed battle to stay on level terms with the zing of the citrus fruit. It just about managed to, although the game of ping-pong between the two remained hard fought. Sweet and sour with a twist, you could say.

"Weinfest 2.0" or: just another bacchanalian weekend in Wachenheim

2011-06-22T22:27:00.003+02:00

Another belated post during a period in which blogging has come a distant second to the day job. Though this is not to say I haven't forgotten the "playing hard" bit on one or two occasions. A case in point was our trip to Wachenheim to take in the "Burg-und Weinfest" on Whit Sunday (12 June).

Visits to this wine fest have become an annual affair over the years, not least because of the lovely views over the Rhine plain afforded from our perch at Wachtenburg castle over multiple Rieslingschorles. Good friends living in the Heidelberg area have been known to make the trip with me as well. In recent years, however, the "Weinfest" bit down in the village has lagged behind the "Burgfest" somewhat in terms of entertainment and general atmosphere.

With this in mind, a group of locals went proactive this year and set about trying to put things right. What they did was set up a blog expounding the virtues of "Weinfest 2.0", which I'm sure some of you will realise is nod to "Web 2.0". Personally, I get confused with definitions like these. Nevertheless, the motives behind the blog - to give the wine fest the proverbial shot in the arm through active online "Web 2.0" interaction - seemed very worthwhile. I started following the blog's twitter account back in the spring in order to keep abreast of goings-on with regard to the Burg- und Weinfest, so it was with quite a bit more anticipation than usual that we took the train up from Basel on the Sunday morning.

I travelled to Wachenheim with Jenny of course, along with Chris and Carly (two friends from Jenny's home village in Suffolk who were visiting) and two other English friends, Richard and Kate from Basel. Perry, one of the Wachenheim stalwarts who live in Heidelberg, also joined us at the castle later on in the afternoon.

We didn't partake in any "Weinfest 2.0" shenanigans as such, either virtual or in real life, but we had a great time nonetheless. After a long journey (we'd travelled "Schönes Wochenende" class), we checked into our hotel and made our way to the courtyard of Schloss Wachenheim for a celebratory glass of bubby, before walking up to Wachtenburg itself. We love it up there, and Sunday 12 June 2011 was a great day for it. The weather was perfect, the views were perfect, the general atmosphere was too. We finally made it down into town later on in the evening, where, I have to say, the efforts of Weinfest 2.0 seemed to have paid off. There appeared to be more things going on in general, plus a very good mix of young and old all round.

I was told recently by one of my clients that another translator colleague of mine refers to jaunts such as these as "bacchanalian weekends". I have to say that this was one of the best.

Kiefers' Hoffest

2011-06-11T07:50:00.001+02:00

At the beginning of this month, Alexander Ultes - who coordinates marketing and sales at Weingut Kiefer in Eichstetten on the Kaiserstuhl and, like me, blogs now and again - invited me to come along to his winery's annual courtyard fest. Kiefer were also celebrating their 160th anniversary, so the fest promised to be more than just a routine occasion. Jenny and I promptly decided to take him up his offer and took the train there last Saturday - or, that is: Jenny went to Freiburg in the morning to look round the shops; I then met her and another friend there later on in the afternoon from where we took the onward train to Eichstetten.

Our time at Kiefers' was relatively short but enjoyable. Apart from doing a wine tasting, visitors were able to go on a guided tour of the cellar, buy wine in the vinothek, or simply sit down, chat, sip wine, eat and soak in the atmosphere.

But, among other things, we opted for the tractor ride.

Around 20 of us climbed onto an open cart, and then off we went through the village and onwards up into vineyards... Upon arrival at the top of the slope, the vineyard manager proceeded to describe some of the work he and his team do and, in particular, the specific challenges currently faced in 2011, a year which so far has seen a distinct lack of rain. After a complementary glass of rosé, we rattled down the slope again back to the winery. All in all, it was a very informative and enjoyable little excursion.

Obviously, I also caught up with Alex himself and had a chat with him. We'd both been aware of the existence of each other's respective blogs for some time, so it was good to meet in person! Originally hailing from the Pfalz (and Kaiserslautern specifically), Alex only joined Kiefer a year ago. However, simply judging from some of the novel wines on offer at the winery and other examples of attractive labelling and signage, it looks to me as if he's on to a good thing.

Hopefully, we can catch up again in future. For what it's worth, Jenny and I would definitely be keen on attending this lovely little fest again.

Gutedeltag

2011-06-07T19:25:00.001+02:00

Once every two years on Ascension Day, the L125 between Müllheim and Staufen is closed to motorised traffic. Both locals and people from far-flung places such as Basel promptly come out to play and cover the 13-kilometre route on their bicycles, by foot or via other novel means of non-motorised transportation. Ascension Day in Germany is also Father's Day - a somewhat notorious day on which a sizeable proportion of German men like to inebriate themselves. Gutedeltag, the name of this event, provides the perfect stage for this. Strangely, it also seems to attract a good few hen parties.

We also flitted from one village to the next, sampling the local wines. A superb day was had by all, and yes - we were also quite merry by the end.

Now to some wine. The latest on my Reinhold and Claudia Schneider odyssey is a Weissburgunder blend from three different vineyards with three different soils respectively - hence the name:

Weingut Reinhold & Claudia Schneider, Weisser Burgunder Spätlese "trio" trocken *** 2009, Baden
Straw-yellow with banana and pineapple scents on the nose. Slowly, this evolves and becomes more complex - showing minerally, slightly nutty and tropical notes. There is a creamy progression on the palate, underscored with a racy, tingly, persistent, full-bodied mouthfeel. The finish is lingering and biscuity with relatively keen but well-integrated acidity. Some toffee and vanilla, too. Excellent, but I opened the bottle way too early.

Laumersheim

2011-05-19T10:39:00.002+02:00

Knipser and Kuhn are established stars in the German wine firmament, but Laumersheim neighbour Mario Zelt is seemingly hot on their heels.

There seems to be something about the Laumersheimer terroir that got lost in history. Certainly, old parcels such as Burgweg (Im Grossen Garten), Steinbuckel or Kirschgarten never used to share the same renown as the choice vineyards of the Mittelhaardt. Apparently, after the Napoleonic wars, the moneyed classes preferred to settle in choice locations such as Deidesheim and Wachenheim at the foot of the vineyard slope. Consequently, these villages are where the posh wine estate mansions were built in the 19th century. Villages situated out in the sticks like Laumersheim suffered in comparison. Laumersheim's best wines were mostly consumed by the village inhabitants and rarely made it further afield. It's only really been the last 20-25 years or so that people have sat up and taken notice.

I met Herr Zelt at Prowein in Düsseldorf in March and was able to taste a fair few of his wines. One of these was his top Saint Laurent - a grape varietal thought to have originated in the Alsace but which is now mostly native to Germany (Pfalz, Rheinhessen) and Austria (particularly Neusiedlersee).

Weingut Zelt, Grosskarlbacher Burgweg Saint Laurent trocken 2008, Pfalz
Dark ruby with a purplish-red rim. Cranberry, "After Eight" chocolate mints, wooden tobacco box, musty library with some vanilla underlay. (Sorry, my imagination was running a little riot while I was scribbling my notes.) Darker berry fruit on what is a fairly chewy palate. Wild flower notes, firm but supple tannins. Some sweet oak extract and a medium finish. The barrel ageing is noticeable and needs time to bed in. Showing good promise though.

Streamlined 2010s

2011-05-15T17:13:00.000+02:00

At the Badische Weinmesse, Baden's premier annual wine fair, one of the nice discoveries I made were the 2010 Pinot Blancs and Gris. A lot of them were noticeably slimmer than previous vintages. The same applies to other regions like the Pfalz - which brings me smoothly to the following short notes.

Weingut Philipp Kuhn, Weisser Burgunder "Vom Kalksteinfels" 2010, Pfalz
Lovely little bubbles of CO2. Apricot on the nose. Blossomy and some melony notes. Very attractive. Slimline but retaining substance on the palate with further yellow fruit accents and a slight caramelly hint. Noticeable minerally tang on the finish.

Roter Gutedel

2011-05-12T18:01:00.000+02:00

Vintners' cooperative "Haltinger Winzer" was in the local news recently after winning one of the four designated categories in the annual Gutedel Cup. Winemaker Markus Büchlin is understandably quite proud. What was unusual about this victory was that the grape varietal wasn't pure Gutedel, but a mutation called Roter Gutedel (or Chasselas Rosé). However, the wine in question was, technically speaking, still white.

Jenny and I were able to taste the wine within the cooperative's grounds during our bike ride on 1 May, and were suitably impressed. Later, on a recent supermarket visit to Germany, it was evident that the wine was selling like the proverbial hot cakes, so I quickly grabbed a couple of bottles for future consumption.

Haltinger Winzer, Roter Gutedel 2010, Baden
Straw bordering on golden, with a honeydew melon reflexes showing up the colour of the grape varietal. Not really a pale rosé, but with the same suggestive hue as, say, a blanc de noirs.
Lovely red melony notes on the nose. Expressive and inviting. Maybe even some minerally hints. The honeydew character translates onto the palate. Luscious yet sappy and light. Delicious.

It just occurs to me that Roter Gutedel might actually be blended by winemakers in Markgräflerland into regular "Gutedel" bottlings as a matter of course. I suspect this might be their secret weapon of sorts, adding extra personality to the finished wine - in much the same way Alsace's vintners add touches of Auxerrois into their Pinot Blancs. However, I stand to be corrected on this.

Pictured here is a Roter Gutedel vine; I took the picture quite randomly in early September 2007 in a parcel situated at the edge of the Haltinger Stiege vineyard (bordering Weiler Schlipf). Maybe it's the parcel used for the wine(?).

Pfalz blending

2011-05-11T20:40:00.001+02:00

The 2007 vintage of the following wine has been covered in The Wine Rambler. My focus of late was on the 2008 version.

"Basic range" red blends costing anything from 7 to 13 euros are all the rage in the Pfalz at the moment, it seems. The Pfälzer, in particular, have cottoned on to a winner here: combine international varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and the like with indigenous grapes such as Dornfelder and Portugieser, with new crossings such as the voluptuous Cabernet Cubin or Cabernet Dorsa, or with old Mitteleuropa favourites such as Blaufränkisch (Lemberger) or Zweigelt, and, hey presto! The result is affordable, smooth dark red wine with an individual, interesting and faintly Germanic personality. At least that's the idea.

Without doubt, some bottlings are better than others. Mano Negro, one of Philipp Kuhn's interpretations, would probably make it into the category's top echelon - though that's not to say I don't have my quibbles.

Weingut Philipp Kuhn, Mano Negra 2008, Pfalz
Opaque ruby. Haven't seen a wine this dark for a long time; "Mano Negra" is Spanish for black hand, by the way. It used to be called "Terra Nigra" at the beginning, but the property had to switch from that for trademark-related reasons, I think.
Spicy nose with some oak sweetness and dark chocolate. Restrained at first with notes of green paprika. Over the next couple of days, forest fruit emerges.
Supple on the palate but with an acidic backbone and blackberry flavours. There's a bitterness in the tannins, though, which remains throughout and tempers my enthusiasm and enjoyment. Maybe this is a characteristic of the relatively cooler 2008 vintage.

The density and yet balance of this wine are impressive. However, I'm missing some lighter notes. Not necessarily my type of wine.

PS: I attended the Badische Weinmesse on Sunday and tried lots of Pinot Noir; it made me remember how much I love that grape.

This and that

2011-05-10T21:25:00.003+02:00

Owing to work, the blog has suffered slightly over the past couple of weeks. We've also managed to get out and enjoy life, though - which, in the scheme of things, is more important.

First, we had a lovely Easter. One of a number of highlights was going hiking in the Jura on Easter Monday.

We then celebrated Kate and Wills getting hitched at a barbecue with friends in Basel-Land, before going on a May Day bike ride in Germany, stopping at various points along the route for a Gutedelschorle (spritzer). Pictured are a May pole and a stork.

"Shoy-ray-beh" from the Pfalz

2011-05-01T12:18:00.000+02:00

Something sweeter now.

Weingut Pfeffingen, Scheurebe Spätlese 2009, Pfalz
No apologies for my focus on a few Pfeffingen's wines of late. After buying directly at the winery, it's just the way the cookie crumbles at the moment in terms of wines we've been drinking.

Going merely on memory: an exotic, highly expressive nose of blackcurrant and lychee fruit. Sweetish entry on the palate, but in balance with the acidity which gives the wine backbone. Textured and well structured, this went well with our dessert of apple crumble. Considerable length. Scheurebe rocks.

Pfeffo

2011-04-28T21:06:00.001+02:00

This is an old favourite of mine. The 2010 vintage may have a touch more acidity than normal, though the limestone soils in Pfeffingen's vineyards have helped to temper things nicely.

Weingut Pfeffingen, "Pfeffo" Riesling 2010, Pfalz
Dominant mirabelle (yellow plum) on the nose. Now classed as a "feinherb" - which sounds better than its previous "halbtrocken" incarnation - and officially referred to as a dry wine on Pfeffingen's price list. Although this is not entirely dry, the character of the vintage results in something more streamlined than I'm accustomed to, yet with no less flavour and balance. Still embued with succulence, this got the thumbs up from my better half - which is praise indeed.

Fünfschilling

2011-04-25T20:17:00.005+02:00

We had a quiet time of things this Easter, but one of the highlights was a bike trip into the nearby German countryside in the early evening of Good Friday. Our destinaton was the village of Fischingen, where we had a meal and some wine at the Fünfschilling.

As far as I know, the Fünfschilling began life as a Straussi (as they say in the local dialect) which, strictly speaking, denotes a farm or other agricultural business permitted to sell its own produce and operate as a restaurant or bar at certain times of the year. The Markgräflerland region is full of them and all the better for it. However, this particular Straussi in Fischingen is a sizeable business open all year round. Apart from a restaurant area, it has a farmer's shop selling an array of organic fruit and veg as well as wine from the in-house winery, gourmet produce, confectionery and more besides. Fünfschilling produce is also sold every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning at the local market in Lörrach.

It is a huge operation - and hugely popular at that. Almost too popular, I would say, though that must be a good sign.

Pictured is the "alternative" facade of the winery building. Why do graffiti artists write like that? Maybe I'm naive, but surely they'd want people to understand what they mean.

My first Knipser

2011-04-25T08:01:00.001+02:00

Yes, it's taken this long.

I've heard and read loads over the years about this property. Maybe I've been deterred to date by the cost of buying their top wines, though I realise that quality has a price. Hence cheapskate here decides to purchase their red blend costing under 9 euro.

Weingut Knipser, Cuvée Gaudenz 2007, Pfalz
This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Dornfelder and Lemberger, i.e. a clash of native German varietals with Bordeaux's very own.

Opaque ruby with a violet rim. Paprika, redcurrant and cream on the nose. A couple of days later, these aromas metamorphose into blackcurranty, chocolately notes. Initially, that old friend Dornfelder dominates the palate with super-dry tannins and that rustic, rusty personality. In time, the Cabernet gradually takes over. For the price, this is certainly very good value if a little formulaic. All the same, this would nonplus and surprise any newcomers to German (red) wine.

Weilberg

2011-04-24T20:34:00.003+02:00

Back in the blogging groove.

Weingut Pfeffingen, Weilberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs trocken 2009, Pfalz
Quite an innocuous straw-yellow in appearance, if truth be told - which belies what lies within.
Rather muted on the nose to begin with, but it's amazing what a bit of air does. A lovely fragrant combination of yellow fruit flavours, peaches and herbs. On the palate, fully loaded with sunshine: peaches again, elegant yet complex, intense and highly strung; the feminine pendant to the manly Herrenberg. While the latter is earnest and firm, this is more of a diva. And a pretty one at that.

Spring

2011-04-18T09:03:00.002+02:00

As seen in the Pfalz on Friday.

Bad Dürkheim

2011-04-17T08:26:00.003+02:00

On Friday morning, I travelled up by train from Basel to Bad Dürkheim to attend the Pfälzer Wein- und Sektmesse, the annual wine fair for the Pfalz. Although many of the top wine estates in the Pfalz head to Mainz instead for the annual VDP extravaganza, the Bad Dürkheim event still attracts the rank and file of the Palatinate wine community.

All in all, it was an enjoyable if tiring day. My time at the fair was preceded just after lunch by a visit to Pfeffingen Estate, where Jan Eymael took time to accompany me through a tasting of a selection of wines. The 2010s we tasted all had a lovely freshness about them. This certainly wasn't one of the easiest of vintages, but the wines we tried show promise even at this early stage.

The Messe was quite a straightforward affair. Representatives of the varous wineries were lined up behind stands with a selection of their latest wines, and I would float from stand to stand, tasting one or two wines before introducing myself. Attending on the Friday afternoon probably spared me from the weekend hordes, so I was able to speak to a fair amount of people without too much argie bargie involved.

2011-04-10T11:01:00.003+02:00

Apologies if posts are currently thin on the ground at moment. However, certain non-essential things like blogs are currently on the back burner while I do other things like designing our wedding invitation template, fielding translation jobs and promoting my fledgling business.

All I can say is, please bear with me.

Bristol

2011-04-08T08:31:00.003+02:00

It's been quiet in recent days owing to a trip to Bristol to see my fiancée's brother and his wife. I'd never visited Bristol before, so I was suitably impressed.

Pictured is the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

A day in Düsseldorf

2011-03-30T14:45:00.000+02:00

My visit to Prowein in Düsseldorf was an enjoyable one.

It was an early start on the Sunday after the clocks had gone forward: my train from Basel left at quarter past six, and I arrived in Düsseldorf at just after half past ten. I didn't get back to Basel until 1 a.m. on Monday morning.

Although I had an open mind as to what to expect at Prowein, nothing prepared me for the sheer size of the event. Divided over halls 3 to 7 at Düsseldorf Trade Fair, Prowein is huge. Amid all these cavernous halls, I thought it best to stick with what I know best and concentrate on Germany. Even within this focal point, I had really only scratched the surface by the end of the day in terms of stands visited. The VDP's own area of stands, for example, would have been worth a day's visit alone.

That said, a lot of the wineries I managed to talk to were ones whose stands I'd been interested in visiting all along - starting and ending with the Pfalz, with a sprinkling of Baden, Rheinhessen and the Nahe inbetween. Other regions such as the Ahr, Mosel, Württemberg or Franken will have to wait another day. Next time, I should maybe stay in Düsseldorf overnight and take in a couple of days in succession. That way, I might also be able to wriggle my way through to some stands that were so popular they resembled flies buzzing around a light bulb in summer.

Still, it proved to be a good basis to be going on with. Some encouraging contacts were made. It's a question of following it up now.

Athlete

2011-03-26T09:40:00.000+01:00

Brief notes on a robust Pinot Blanc enjoyed over the last couple of days.

Weingut Reinhold & Cornelia Schneider, Weißer Burgunder Spätlese trocken *** 2009, Baden
Luckily, I have another bottle of this and will be saving it for a substantial meal some time in the distant future. Exceptional though it is, this is not a wine suited to casual sipping with salad or on its own in front of the television.

Reticient nose that never really came to life over the two evenings the bottle was open. Instead of fruit, a prickly sensation and some minerality eventually emerged. There was, however, an underlying potency, as confirmed on the palate: athletic, taut and sinewy like a 400-metre runner. Few specific flavours to speak of, but complex and flavoursome in terms of its kinetics. (Did I really just write that?) Not really my better half's cup of tea, but I liked the searing finish which went on and on. Very much a masculine wine for grown-ups, happily without any of the caramelised notes I noticed in the "lesser" Spätlese.

Off the wall

2011-03-25T11:06:00.005+01:00

The following wine sold out a good while ago. It is extremely popular owing to the various accolades it has won over recent vintages. In hindsight, I maybe should have bought more than one bottle when we visited Bassermann-Jordan last summer. That is one of the drawbacks of travelling to wine country on Deutsche Bahn with minimal baggage.

Weingut Bassermann-Jordan, "Auf der Mauer" Riesling trocken 2009, Pfalz
The vinothèque at this famous Deidesheim property is very modern, plush and inviting. Nestled in the old part of the village, it is situated next to the Ketschauerhof, an even plusher-looking complex comprising a hotel, restaurant and function rooms. I noticed at the time that they host weddings - though this was never going to be a serious proposition: ours is going to take place in England, in the bride's home village in bucolic, rural Suffolk.

"Auf der Mauer" means simply "On the wall", referring to the location of the plots from which its fruit was sourced, all on relative plateaus overlooking the edge of the village, each at the top of high perimeter walls made of sandstone - hence the name. As you can see from the picture, it's even been registered as a trademark (®). All of these vineyards are cultivated using biodynamic methods and the wine is fermented spontaneously via the grapes' natural yeasts.

This Riesling is quite unlike anything I've tasted since Leiner's Calvus Mons. Then, like now, it was as if someone had stripped the Riesling of its acidity. I do like a bit of zing in my Rieslings, but will often settle for something with more stomach-soothing properties whenever push comes to shove and my better half has a say in the matter. This, on the other hand, feels oddly devoid of any "zing". Nevertheless, I had better start from the beginning.

Almost golden yellow in appearance; the nose shows dried grass and herbal notes plus a hint of mineral. Above all, I get strangely jammy aromas. Specifically, they remind me of the "Weissweingelee" (white wine jam) we spread on our bread rolls for breakfast at a hotel in the Pfalz last summer. This sensation continues emphatically on the palate: wild jammy notes flanked by intense apricot and peach. The mouthfeel is unusually luscious and chewy. And then comes the finish... Well, there isn't one. There is little or no acidity to speak of.

This wine is more off the wall than on it (I think I probably mean that in a good way).

Eventually, over a couple of days, it levels out somewhat. Strangely, it tastes more like a conventional Riesling as wild succulence gives way to something slimmer and more streamlined.

It's very hard to categorise this wine, let alone judge it at this early stage in its development. With only one bottle, I could have either drunk it now or waited a few years and maybe missed it in its vibrant youth. That's always a dilemma.

Gault Millau - a (brief attempt at a) critique

2011-03-22T14:31:00.012+01:00

The 2011 "Gault Millau Wine Guide" has been a frequent companion on my desk in recent months. Still probably the best-known ratings guide to Germany's wineries and wines, it was the subject of much discussion and controversy a couple of years ago when a small but prominent group of wine estates decided to boycott the guide for reasons which, on the surface, seemed quite banal but culminated in the resignation of chief editor and co-publisher Armin Diel. At the time, the whole furore was the talking point among German wine bloggers. Although things seem to have calmed down since then, I have no desire to disturb that hornets' nest.

Instead, my critique, if you can call it that, concerns the ratings and judgements made in the guide itself.

By and large, I think the method which Gault Millau applies of rating not only a winery's latest vintage but the winery's standing as a whole on the basis of its track record over numerous years makes sense. I've read opinions criticising the fact that winery "xyz" with a three-star rating achieved better overall scores in a given vintage than an established four-star winery, citing this as a weakness in the rating system. Frankly, I believe this argument misses the point. The Knipser brothers, for example, who were elevated to five-star status this year, may or may not top the ratings at every quality level for each of their wines, but - to borrow a phase from the world of pop and art - it's their body of work over many vintages which arguably justifies their promotion to the quintuple-starred ranks of "world class".

Leaving that aside, what irritates me slightly about this year's edition is that, in a number of cases, personal preferences seem to have had an inordinate impact on the overall ratings conferred. Of course, subjectivity is the name of game when it comes to scoring wines, but in the Pfalz specifically, dry Riesling seems to be regarded as sub-standard if its residual sugar level exceeds a relatively misely level. That's my impression at least.

On various occasions, I notice comments to the effect that the personality and specificity of certain wines are diluted by the fact that the winemaker has not fermented the juice down to bone-dryness. However, I often suspect that vintners purposely leave anything from 5 to 9 g/l of residual sugar to prevent their still-dry-tasting Rieslings from becoming imbalanced.

Take Phillip Kuhn, for example - winner of this year's "Up-and-coming winemaker of the year" award ("Aufsteiger des Jahres") for the whole of Germany. I had to smirk last year when Kuhn's grand cru Rieslings attained scores of 89, 89 and 91 respectively and were criticised in the same breath for having too much residual sugar. These scores have now risen to 90, 92 and 92 this year, so it may be logical to assume that the sugar levels have been "reined in". Personally, I'm unable to judge whether Kuhn's 2009 Rieslings are actually superior to his 2008 versions, but whether they are more enjoyable to drink is another matter.

Comments about a wine's perceived sweetness run like a thread through the ratings (e.g. see the reviews for Ackermann from Ilbesheim, Scheu from Schweigen, Wolf and Pflüger from Bad Dürkheim respectively, Meyer from Heuchelheim-Klingen, Schreieck from Maikammer or Stern from Hochstadt). Don't get me wrong: the scorers' opinions are clear and consistent in relation to residual sugar, and that has to be acknowledged. However, their views seem to me to be a little dogmatic at times. To the extent that, far from deterring me from said wineries, they actually encourage me to learn more about them.

And then there is the case of Sven Leiner from Ilbesheim.

I've covered a few of Leiner's wines in the past (click here, here and here) and been fairly impressed. However, I've also been left cold by a wine of his on one occasion, meaning that the proverbial jury is still out as far as I'm concerned. Nevertheless, I'm baffled by the assessment of his wines in this year's Gault Millau. Based on a total of seven wines (of which all four of the whites belonged to the winery's more basic level in his quality range), the scorers have come to the conclusion that Leiner has "lost his way". Now, I haven't tried any of his 2009 vintage, but I would think that a basic dry Riesling costing EUR 6.40 and rating at 85 points is pretty good by anyone's standards. Leiner's three red wines don't score too badly either (84, 86 and 87 respectively), although these latter are more ambitiously priced. The worst two ratings are 81 and 82, for his two basic Weiss- and Grauburgunders, though this, too, is far from catastrophic. None of Leiner's top white wines are covered, however, so I am assuming that the criticism of Leiner's style refers more to his red wines. But that he should then be relegated from two stars to one star based on such an incomplete picture is somewhat harsh if you ask me. And I don't seem to be the only one who holds this view.

I don't belong to Herr Leiner's marketing department, I hasten to add, but I'd be more than a tad miffed if I were the winemaker.

It's that time of the year again

2011-03-15T16:12:00.004+01:00

Basler Fasnacht

Prowein 2011

2011-03-10T12:41:00.003+01:00

One of Europe's premier wine fairs, Prowein has long been the exclusive reserve of wine professionals. Held in Düsseldorf each year, it is the event to attend if you count among one the great and good of German wine. For us mere mortals, on the other hand (i.e. bloggers who don't necessarily work in the wine trade per se), gaining accreditation to this wine fair used to be nigh on impossible. Yet things have changed.

Perhaps reflecting the growing importance of web-logs within the wine scene, Prowein has now opened up to bloggers. Well, since last year to be precise. I only learned of this a couple of weeks ago and was frankily dubious as to whether the author of a blog such as this would be considered for accreditation. All the more of a surprise then when an e-mail arrives in my inbox this morning containing the personal user name and password required to purchase a ticket.

Now I have my ticket and travel itinerary sorted, and will be hitting the fair on Sunday 27 March. This is very exciting.

My aim on this, my maiden visit, will be simply to get a feel of the event and general atmosphere, do some people-spotting, and taste some good wine. If some business leads come about as a result, that of course would be a bonus, but I'm just looking forward to attending the fair as a wine lover first and foremost.

Continued adventures in Weißburgunder

2011-03-09T09:33:00.004+01:00

I've been tripping a lot on Weißburgunder recently and this, the "lesser" of four different 2009 Weißburgunders ordered directly from Schneider Estate in Endingen, was no exception.

According to the Schneider family, the 2009 vintage was a great year for Pinot Blanc at their small winery situated on the northern tip of the Kaiserstuhl region. So much so that they were also able to bottle this specimen, a notch below their "***"-designated premium range but already drinking superbly.

Weingut Reinhold & Cornelia Schneider, Weißer Burgunder Spätlese trocken 2009, Baden
What a beautiful label.

The nose opens up fairly quickly, toeing the line between dried apricot and Toffifee caramel cups. Fresh peach melba, exotic melon and minerals follow. Later, some herbal notes emerge. Medium-bodied and quite viscous on the palate, showing fresh apricots, spice and caramelised notes. The mouthfeel is quite electrifying and multi-layered. A substantial wine, but flavoursome in a light, lithe style - and with a tingling, lingering, satisfying finish.

For EUR 10, this is - dare I say it - a absolute steal. Did that all sound a bit gushing? Maybe, although my one minor quibble would be with regard to the caramelised notes, which, if I were honest, this wine could happily do without. But this is just my personal impression.

Serve this wine to any of my family and friends in the UK, and they would be blown away - of that I'm sure.

Huber's Muskateller

2011-03-07T21:23:00.000+01:00

Due to the demands of the day job, short notes must suffice at the moment. The Muskateller varietal can be a very "obvious" in its aromatics, in the same way as, say, a Gewürztraminer. I love them, though.

Weingut Bernhard Huber, Malterdinger Bienenberg Muskateller Kabinett trocken
Light straw-yellow. A lovely note of grapes, muscat and elderflower. Quite a persistent and intense bouquet. If anything, the palate is even more splendid, showing those same muscaty signature notes, as well as cassis, whitecurrants, elderflower and more grapes. Dry from a sensory perspective, but embued with a fruity sweetness and soapy, chalky extract that provide length and persistence. At EUR 11.20, this is almost a cheap as you can get when it comes to the wines of Bernie Huber. It's worth it, though.

Saturday walk

2011-03-06T21:17:00.002+01:00

Jenny and I both needed some fresh air and sun yesterday. The photo, taken literally where the border between Germany and Switzerland turns 90 degrees, shows the vineyards on the eastern side of Tüllinger Hill with the town of Lörrach in the background.

Laible's "SL"

2011-02-25T08:05:00.002+01:00

Another Laible today, this time a notch higher in the ripeness stakes. Does "SL" stand for "Selektion Laible"?

Weingut Andreas Laible, Durbacher Plauenrain Riesling Spätlese trocken "SL" 2009, Baden
Lovely citrus/lime nose showing hints of elderflower. A refreshing understated palate of citrus, peach and minerals. My better half says she likes it. Ripe acidity and an elegant, long finish. Everything feels quite effortless - or nonchalant almost. A cool balanced mouthfeel. The 13% alcohol is barely noticeable. More feminine and alluring, and less earnest, than Pfeffingen's Herrenberg. At EUR 11.50, a relative bargain.

Herrenberg

2011-02-24T10:47:00.004+01:00

Nestled at the foot of grand cru vineyard Ungsteiner Herrenberg, Pfeffingen Estate is the epitome of picture-book Pfalz.

Weingut Pfeffingen, Riesling Herrenberg "M" Riesling Grosses Gewächs trocken 2009, Pfalz
The "M" refers to "Mardelskopf", which is a sub-plot of Herrenberg that can be pinpointed on old land registers. Demarcated by sandstone walls and hedges, it offers an ideal microclimate for growing Riesling with its limestone soils covered by a top-soil of loess and loam.

An aroma quite unlike anything I've experienced springs out of the glass. Eventually, the best descriptor I can apply to it is "pickled artichoke". I'm still curious though, so I search the Internet for previous tasting notes. Finally, I stumble upon this, where the word "graphite" is used. Graphite? Spontaneously, I think of golf clubs made of graphite, but they don't smell of anything. But then the penny drops: "Oh, graphite as in pencil scrapings. I see..."

Moving swiftly on, I also detect peach - though that's far less interesting than pencil lead in the grand scheme of things.

Peach also envelopes the palate, along with apricot, lime, redcurrant and spicy, earth notes. The best thing about this wine, however, are its tactile qualities. By this, I mean the way it feels in the mouth. There is a certain viscosity and warmth there, plus the finish just goes on and on, leaving me with a satisfied glow. Very dry but very balanced, this Riesling is merely a toddler in ageing terms, but it is a very earnest infant.

Siamese eagle

2011-02-20T16:18:00.002+01:00

Fritz Keller is a busy man.

Son of the late Franz, who founded the eponymous Franz Keller winery, he not only makes wine but also oversees operations at the adjoining Schwarzer Adler ("Black Eagle") restaurant. And that's not all: he has been heavily involved in running German Bundesliga club SC Freiburg for a good many years and was recently officially voted in as the club's new chairman - succeeding the late Achim Stocker.

In terms of wine, Fritz also entered the world of cheap 'n' cheerful a couple of years ago, with the launch of his own "Edition Fritz Keller" range for Aldi - an admirable if somewhat left-field move, if you ask me. What is certain is that it caused quite a furore.

The Aldi range has been covered sufficiently elsewhere on the web; instead, the following wine is from Herr Keller's main wine estate selection.

What struck me from the outset was the wine label. The black "siamese eagle" emblem in the middle with golden sword, staff and crown is very impressive and very German. In fact, I would go out on limb here and challenge anyone who can present me with a more German-looking label. I actually quite like it. In a parallel world, you could almost imagine it lining up in midfield for the Germany in the "Wine World Cup". (And as Gary Lineker once said, football is all about 22 players in shorts running after a ball, and in the end the Germans win.)

Anyway, the wine...

Weingut Franz Keller, Oberbergener Bassgeige Grauburgunder QbA trocken 2009
"Bassgeige" is German for "double bass", which apparently refers to what the shape of the vineyard in question used to look like before it was reparcelled in the 1960s and 70s.

Straw in appearance with red-goldish reflexes. On the nose, cloudy honey, smoky notes, mirabelle and roasted peanuts. Medium bodied on the palate, with further smokiness and a slightly roasted characteristic. Having said this, the wine is refreshing yet has some gravitas and succulence. The finish is minerally and long. In terms of enjoyment and quality, this Grauburgunder is neck and neck with the Bercher Weissburgunder. In general, "WBs" always seem to edge it for me over "GBs". Nevertheless, I'm very much taken by this wine's bone-dry elegant style.

Blisteringly good

2011-02-18T07:16:00.007+01:00

We bought the following wine almost a year ago at an Iberian wine tasting event; its time finally came recently. Remembering how inordinately minerally it tasted back then, we were looking forward to matching it with a nice slab of steak.

Doing steak, there is always a fine line between triumph and disaster. Prepare it for too long, and the meat will end up rubbery and hard. However, taking the steak off when you think it's sufficiently done (medium-rare in our case) is always a bit of a dare. That uncertainty until you finally cut through the steak can be unnerving. This time, the meat was perfect.

And the wine?

Joan Simó, Sentius 2006, Priorat DOQ, Catalunya
Opaque cherry/ruby with a minty and - yes, you've guessed it - minerally entry on the nose. It's not so much fruit that I come up against, but a complex wall of tannins instead. Full-bodied, soft and creamy on the palate. Said tannins are massive but velvety. They envelope the mouth and give off minty, greeny peppery notes here and there. Meanwhile, the minerality is positively blistering. The whopping 15% alcohol is hardly noticeable, though you already feel the effects after one glass. If there was ever a red wine that cried out for oak, this is it. Yet, what roasted notes there are remain discreetly in the background.

Grown on Priorat's slate soils, this is a blend of Garnacha, Cab Sauv., Merlot, Syrah and Carignena - and for the price (CHF 28.50), it's a top wine. Drinking very well at the moment, but I have no doubt it will continue to improve for some years. For the moment, everything is humming away behind a monolithic wall of radio disturbance. [Blimey, did I just write that?] If I were to borrow an analogy, I would probably pick the following song by Oasis. The year is 1996, and Liam and Noel are at their zenith but about to slide down the slippery slope of self-parody. Not that this wine is anywhere near the slippery slope yet, I hasten to add. Anyway, nifty helicopters.

Does exactly what it says...

2011-02-15T22:44:00.003+01:00

Wine descriptions on wine bottle labels can often sound quite twee and samey. "Chief winemaker xyz has crafted a wine that evokes xyz's local terroir...fruit driven...picked at optimum ripeness...ideal with cheese and pork scratchings." (I made the last bit up.)

I'll save you my amateurish description of the following wine, not just because it has been covered elsewhere (I concur with the final comment at the bottom of this post, by the way), but because the label does my job for me.

I'll translate instead:

Weingut Ziereisen, Steingrüble 2009, Baden
"Fully ripened, hand-picked grapes from 25-year-old Gutedel (Chasselas) vines were spontaneously fermented in a large wooden vat, using the grapes' own yeasts. The wine was bottled after being left on its lees for 11 months. Flinty notes with ripe, elegant acidity and minerally hints on the palate."

Beer for Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T09:59:00.003+01:00

My better half knows what I like...

...and I like what she knows.

Ortswein

2011-02-11T18:56:00.005+01:00

The castle overlooking the village of Wachenheim has to be one of my favourite places in the Pfalz. From there, you can survey the expanse of vines extending into the valley for about two to three miles beyond, and then further into the fertile plains of the Vorderpfalz and the Kurpfalz with the cities of Mannheim, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe and Ludwigshafen visible on a clear day. (Admittedly, Ludwigshafen isn't the easiest on the eye from closer up.)

From this vantage point, it is also possible to spot the various properties owned by Bürklin-Wolf in and around Wachenheim: an English garden, a croquet lawn, various stately mansions and courtyards, a small theatre... You get the idea.

Bürklin-Wolf dominate Wachenheim like no other property. My memory of them dates back to Easter 1997 when I took my parents there to taste and buy some wines. That's a long time ago now, but the nostaglia lingers.

But now to today's wine:

Weingut Bürklin-Wolf, Wachenheimer Riesling trocken 2009, Pfalz
Bürklin-Wolf adhere to the Burgundian classification system. This Ortswein is the equivalent of a Burgundy Cru Villages.

A whiff of citrus and herbs on an otherwise quite reticent nose. Acidity is this wine's friend. We served it with fish cakes and home-made tartar sauce on the first day, which dulled this effect somewhat. On the second day, the acidity was clearly there, but ripe and appley with a faint herbal tinge. Anything but a fruit extravaganza, this drinks well but has a certain austerity.

Now on a tweet near you

2011-02-07T21:58:00.003+01:00

I've bitten the bullet and signed up to Twitter.

Let's hope I don't descend into any Kevin Pietersen or Darren Bent moments.

Beautiful Weissburgunder

2011-02-05T15:30:00.008+01:00

I'll let you into a little secret: Jenny are I are currently in the deadly serious process of trying various white wines that could potentially make it on to the table at our wedding. Around nine months before the big day, and we've already decided on the red wine. I'm not naming any names, but it was a relatively simple choice in the end. Sourcing enough of the stuff could be the tricky part, but we'll see.

It could be a more complicated proposition with the whites, because there are a plethora of possible permutations. But first things first: you can never go far wrong with Weissburgunder. This wine was the latest in our exploratory mission.

Weingut Bercher, Burkheimer Feuerberg Weissburgunder Kabinett trocken 2009, Baden
Purchased in Freiburg last Saturday, along with the Laible and four other wines as a sort of "tester pack". Medium-intensity aromas of pear, cream and peaches. These translate into a succulent palate of pear and dried fruit. The wine is uplifting, pure and elegant. Relatively mild but still refreshing, Weissburgunder is kind of "everyone's darling", and I'm sure this one would stand up to scrutiny from our respective relatives and friends. I love it, but I might be tempted to go up one notch to the dry Spätlese for practical purposes. Anyway, it's still early days.

Andreas Laible

2011-02-01T11:40:00.000+01:00

Baden isn't that famous for Riesling, but there are pockets of top quality here and there: in Ihringen, for example, and in parts of the Ortenau such as Neuweier and Durbach. The latter village boasts a small handful of excellent properties including Weingut Andreas Laible, probably the most renowned "Riesling winery" in Baden.

Andreas Laible's son Alexander is making a name for himself with his own variety of wines, one of which I tasted in 2009. Yet, it's Alexander's dad who's still the reference point for all things Riesling in Baden. Time to acquaint myself then.

Weingut Andreas Laible, Durbacher Plauenrain Riesling Kabinett trocken 2009, Baden
I chose this Kabinett as a light introduction. I wasn't disappointed.

A wonderfully floral nose eventually evolving into succulent peach and orange zest. More exotic peaches on a mouthwatering palate. Medium-light in terms of body, but with ripe acidity and so much flavour. The finish is satisfyingly dry and briny. Text-book dry Kabinett.

Oaked Chardonnay from Baden

2011-01-30T14:34:00.006+01:00

Going against my better instincts, I purchased this, Schneiders' premium oak-aged white wine, last week for EUR 12.80. I say "better instincts", because there was a time not so long ago when oak-aged Chardonnays were the last wine I would have chosen to buy. This is due to too many past experiences with vinous belly-flop fatties from the New World that smelt like sawdust and gave you whopping headaches the next morning.

Yet, if anyone could get it right, I was sure Schneider could.

Weingut Claus Schneider, Chardonnay "Barrique" trocken 2009, Baden
Jenny was put off immediately by the smell, which she equated to barnyard (which, if you had have seen the impromtu addition she made to my scribbled notes, is somewhat of a euphemism). Certainly, the aromas jumped out of the glass and evoked a certain whiff. Nevertheless, after this initial sensation, there were hints of yeast, banana and Schneiders' signature notes of chalk. The acidity was mild and the mouthfeel slightly chewy, albeit light years from the fatties of the Barossa. The oak was actually fairly well integrated, and the chalk notes helped stop the banana descending into bubblegum kitsch. On the following day, roasted peanut notes appeared, but minerally notes continued to provide firmness and interest.

No doubt a fine wine, if not entirely to my taste. However, I suspect it will show better in, say, three or four years' time, because there is a youthful awkwardness about it at present.

Schlossgut Istein

2011-01-28T09:21:00.008+01:00

Not much spare time at the moment between translating and negotiating ongoing red tape related to setting up one's own business. Nevertheless, I managed to "fit in" the following recently:

Schlossgut Istein, Riesling trocken 2009, Baden
This is a fresh and breezy sort of Riesling with firm acidity. Limpid in appearance, slimline in body but with some minerally bite and saltiness. Citrus fruit and maybe some peach. Refreshing if not overly complex. Enjoyable nonetheless.

This property has a very good reputation locally, but fell into a slumber a few years ago when the long-time owner was forced to hand over the reins. Now things seem to be looking up again under the ownership of Swiss jewellery and art dealer Herbert Faubel. The wine estate has also entered into a partnership of sorts with the vintner's cooperative in Schliengen. In future, the property's marketing, sales and logistics will be taken care of by the cooperative, with vintner Thomas Abels taking care of what he probably does best: growing the wine.

Faubel also owns Weingut Emil Marget in Hügelheim, and all of Marget's wines will from now on be vinified in Istein. However, the two wineries will continue to operate independently.

Incidentally, managing director Wolfgang Grether left the winery at the end of October 2010 to rejoin the Schliengen cooperative which he had previously managed for some 15 years. He had only left Schliengen to head up Schlossgut Istein at the end of March 2010. Apparently, the new director at Schliengen, Andreas Slabi, didn't quite see eye-to-eye with his new colleagues as regards business strategy and soon handed in his notice. As Slabi's replacement, the cooperative seems to have opted again for Herr Grether's safe pair of hands.

*PS: [28 Jan. 2011, 10 a.m.] By coincidence, I've just read an article literally 20 minutes after writing this post, in which Faubel firmly denies rumours that he is about the sell Schlossgut Istein. He also puts the relationship with the Schliengen cooperative into perspective, insisting that it is less of a cooperation and more of an interim solution after Grether's sudden departure last autumn.

Wolf-Dieter Salwey

2011-01-27T21:28:00.000+01:00

Just heard the news that Wolf-Dietrich Salwey has passed away. I never met him or his son - who is around my age - but it is sad that such an evidently tireless ambassador for German wine is no longer with us. To date, my one and only encounter with a Salwey wine took place last year, but even then, I was struck by its disarming elegance. This prompted a recommendation by Torsten from The Wine Rambler as to what I should maybe try next from the Salwey range. Alas, I've never got round to buying any more. I'll try to make up for that.

RIP

Kalkbödele

2011-01-21T20:59:00.004+01:00

Merdingen is probably best known as the village in the Tuniberg district of Baden where former professional cyclist Jan Ullrich used to live. It is also home to Weingut Kalkbödele.

As an admirer of the German Alemannisch dialect (which tends to be slightly gentler on the ear than Baslerdytsch), I think the name "Kalkbödele" is extremely evocative. In standard German, Kalkbödele would be Kalkboden (or "chalk soil"). Its diminutive ending ("-bödele") also conjures up a sense of place and - dare I say it - terroir in a rather playful manner. One senses that the people at Kalkbödele certainly understand terroir as being more than just the soils but also the local people and way of life. I should maybe stop now before I become even more poetic, but you get the picture.

When I met Martin Schärli from Weingut Kalkbödele last November in Lörrach, I expected, and indeed tasted, impressive Pinot Noirs. However, the following wine caught my attention almost just as much. I spotted a bottle of it recently which I simply had to buy. Sadly, it didn't quite live up to my admittedly sizeable expectations.

Weingut Kalkbödele, Pinot Gris trocken "im Holzfass gereift" 2008, Baden
Strangely reminiscent of Chardonnay on the nose. Melons, and lots of them. Some spice and vanilla notes. On the few days that followed, more of an apple compote aroma. On the palate, maybe apricot and more melons. The oak was well integrated. Tasty and excellent with fish. In the grand scheme of things, this wine is very good. It blew me away at a busy wine fair over two months ago, but it didn't quite do so on this occasion.

Kabinettstückchen

2011-01-16T14:32:00.000+01:00

Which in English normally means "party piece", "collector's item" or "one for the crowd". In footballing parlance, it equates to, say, the Brazilian Ronaldinho leaving a defender floundering with a fleet-footed piece of skill. However, the problem is that purveyors of such skill are often ultimately destined to have unfulfilled careers due to their lack of application or general all-round flakiness. Ronaldinho is a case in point. He now plays for Flamengo.

Frankly, I'm not sure what this equates to in wine terms; I originally thought the word might make a good pun for this post. However, what I am sure about is that the following Kabinett is a bit of an odd-ball.

Schlossgut Istein, Isteiner Kirchberg Weissburgunder Kabinett trocken 2009, Baden
There was a time when dry Kabinetts had around 11.5 to 12% alcohol at the very most. This one has a whopping 13.5%. I know many dry Spätlesen that have less alcohol than that. Without guessing the grape sugar levels, I'm pretty sure this must have had something approaching 90 Oechsle, which is definitely Spätlese level. Being a Prädikatswein, chaptalisation would have been prohibited.

So, why has the wine-grower decided to call it a Kabinett?

Whatever the rights and wrongs of such an approach, the wine itself deserves to be judged on its merits. And lo and behold, it's actually quite Kabinett-like in appearance: straw yet almost limpid when held in front of a white background. Green apple and kiwi aromas on the nose, followed by pears, nuts and a prickly minerality/dryness on the palate. No hint of oak, which is no bad thing (maybe the difference then is that the Spätlese version had a lick of wood?). This dryness is a maybe touch unforgiving in that it accentuates the alcoholic heat ever so slightly. Nevertheless, this is as light any wine with 13.5% alcohol is ever going to get, and worthwhile for the experience.

Cherry schnapps

2011-01-10T18:15:00.002+01:00

Following my previous experience, I was willing this particular Chablis to perform even better.

Domaine Begue-Mathiot, Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 2004
Alas, it was corked.

When it comes to mistaking certain aromas for cork taint, I do have previous. However, this smelt and tasted of cherry schnapps and nothing else. I know this because we recently bought a bottle of cherry schnapps off a friend who lives in the Black Forest. Best cherry schnapps in the world, in my humble opinion. Shame about the wine.

(Note to German speakers: "Schnaps" really is "Schnapps" in English!)

Winter sun

2011-01-06T09:56:00.000+01:00

Ötlingen (D), looking west over to France. I took this photo yesterday afternoon.

Rivaner's revenge

2011-01-05T13:33:00.009+01:00

Müller-Thurgau (or Rivaner) is an oft-derided grape. Planted the length and breadth of wine-growing Germany, it is synonymous with the bad old days of Liebfraumilch. Its planting acreage has generally fallen over the last 15 to 20 years in favour of other varietals. However, there may now be a counter-movement afoot. Berlin-based wine writer Stuart Pigott recently launched his own 2009 "Grosses Gewächs" vintage from a Müller-Thurgau vineyard lent to him by Weingut Stahl in Franconia. And Stahl themselves have been earning plaudits for their own interpretation of this, the ugly duckling of grapes.

Attitudes to Müller-Thurgau are probably more relaxed in Switzerland. This may be because Hermann Müller, the oenologist who cross-bred the varietal, hails from the Swiss canton of Thurgau. Müller didn't want to lend his own name to the varietal's moniker in his country of birth, which is why the Swiss call it "Riesling-Sylvaner" instead (previously "Riesling x Sylvaner"). This synonym conveys quite an imposing if misleading image, given that Müller-Thurgau's cross-breed parentage has relatively little to do with either Riesling or Sylvaner/Silvaner. Nevertheless, the "Riesling-Sylvaner" name has stuck, which, I suspect, has done the wine's domestic sales no harm at all.

The following Müller-Thurgau was interesting as it hails from the Swiss tip of the hill on which Claus Schneider makes his fabulous Pinots barely a 100-200 metres away in Germany.

"Schlipfer", Riehener Riesling-Sylvaner 2009, Gemeinde-Rebberg, canton of Basel-Stadt
This wine is vinified and bottled by Swiss supermarket chain Coop, but the municipality of Riehen is responsible for tending the vines and harvesting the fruit. Very brief notes, these: showing subtle muscat notes on the nose, with a clean, bright palate of lemon zest. Quite elegant for what it's worth. A short yet fresh finish to what is an engaging if everyday wine. I enjoyed quaffing it too much to write much more.

French connection

2011-01-02T20:44:00.002+01:00

The family of one of my better half's French colleagues at work owns and runs a property in Chablis. Before visiting her nearest and dearest there, said colleague took wine orders from some of her fellow workers in Basel. I was able to get my particular order in (relayed via Jenny) just in time.

Of all French regions, I've always been quite interested in Chablis due, ironically, to the similarity of its Kimmeridgian clay/chalk soil to that of Franconia in Germany (the spiritual home of the Silvaner varietal). My experience of Chablis is, however, extremely limited.

Domaine Begue-Mathiot, Chablis Premier Cru Vaucopins 2004
Golden straw in appearance, the nose hints at garden greens, chalk, pineapple and brioche. On the palate, a mineral attack followed by a bright back-palate of pithy, citrusy mouthwatering bitterness. Somewhere inbetween, there are some mild stone fruit notes (greengages maybe). The finish is long. From the 2004 vintage, this is still as fresh as a daisy and could have a few years more of development ahead of it, I would say. Very impressive and, for just under EUR 11, a relative bargain.

Another premier cru to follow shortly.

Schneider CS

2010-12-22T19:55:00.001+01:00

The "CS ***" 2007 version, I've already covered this year, but Schneiders' "basic" CS (short for "Claus and Susanne") also deserves some attention. It's a wine I've come back to again and again over the past three vintages or so. I tried the 2007 back at the wine fair in Lörrach, when it was drinking particularly well, and promptly ordered six (at a 10% fair-only discount), which I picked up earlier this week.

Weingut Schneider, Weiler Schlipf, Spätburgunder trocken "CS" 2007, Baden
An enticing ruby colour, this one. Strangely, there are notes in this that are vaguely reminiscent of cool peppermint. Creaminess and chalkiness abound on the nose - by no means "chalk 'n' cheese", but an elegant combination. More strawberry than raspberry, underscored with some darker fruit and more savoury notes.

On the palate, this seems to have no less stuffing than the "CS ***". I feel the difference - or one of the differences - is in the ageability; the latter seemed a lot more reticent and closed when I tried it again at the fair. Here, my mind is drawn back to a recent observation made on The Wine Rambler blog about the fact that you can't just simply load more concentration and power onto your wines the higher up the quality range you get. The differences, as Julian wrote, are more in the fine-tuning.

Having said this, the basic "CS" could barely be more fine-tuned for its own particular price bracket (EUR 8.90). Both light and firm, this has excellent balance, fine tannins, elegance in spades, freshness and yet an almost haunting mineral undertone. Exceedingly drinkable, but with a gravitas that would surprise many a Burgundy lover.

Maispracher Sunneburg

2010-12-20T22:17:00.002+01:00

The area around Basel boasts some notable pockets of wine-growing activity, one of which is the idyllic village of Maisprach. The following 50 cl bottle of wine was received as a Christmas gift from some friends who live there. Their house appears in the drawing on the bottle label.

Maispracher Sunneburg, Buess Weinbau und Weinhandel AG, Baselbiet
As for the vintage, I haven't a clue - no such information was given on the label. I only realised this when I came to writing this post - not that it would have prejudiced my opinion of the wine (I'd like to think). Yet, it would be pretty for safe for me to say that the varietal was Pinot Noir.

Cherry, cloves and burnt rubber on the nose - and I mean this in a good way. Sappy fruit, nice tension and acidity on the palate, but smooth and moreish. Great complexity is not this wine's raison d'être, nor would I expect it to be. Just good, honest wine for sipping on a Sunday evening. I wonder why it had no specified vintage, though?

Einzelstück

2010-12-15T21:16:00.010+01:00

We got the Christmas tree up last Sunday - or that is, Jenny got the Christmas tree up while I fretted about various bureaucratic matters related to setting up a business. I know who had the more enjoyable time. That said, I'll be glad next year when the new day-job can begin in earnest.

To sooth my disposition, I opened this, the last of the six "Einzelstücke" I bought around three years ago.

Weingut Markus Schneider, Einzelstück 2005, Pfalz
Opaque ruby with brownish cherry rim. Fruity, floral, earthy and mildly savoury aromas all at once. Plum, cherry schnapps and violet perfume underscored with wild mushroom, dark chocolate, creamy vanilla and mocha. Supple, smooth and understated body with finely grained, silky tannins enveloping the palate, savoury roasted notes, some minerals and ample complexity. What follows is a long finish. This is not the jammy fruit blockbuster one might expect. The moderate aging has mellowed the various components, while the acidity is just sufficient to keep the taste buds keen.

At EUR 26, these wines weren't cheap. At the time, it was way more than I had ever coughed up per bottle. In fact, it's a figure that has only been exceeded once or twice since, and even then, only for the odd bottle - not a whole case. However, this particular purchase was made out of curiosity.

So, was the outlay worth it? I would say yes, to a degree.

When I first tasted this three years ago, I was dubious as to the merits of barrel aging for a wine made from Portugieser vines that were almost 80 years old, subscribing to the view that it was a shame that oak should get in the way of something so unique. However, the last three bottles consumed over the past year were eminently more enjoyable. They seemed to be at their peak already, "So why wait another three years?" I thought. Overall, the experiment was a good one.

Anyway, they're all gone now. Would I invest - if that's the right word - in another six bottles? I wouldn't rule it out, but maybe I should simply look at it as another box to tick off on my list.

Ungeheuer

2010-12-12T13:37:00.007+01:00

In the Pfalz, Bassermann-Jordan are one of the three "b"s, alongside Bürklin-Wolf and von Buhl - the three wine estates whose wines have graced many a royal dining table over the last 150 years or so.

The following bottle was purchased last June at the winery's vinothèque in Deidesheim.

Weingut Bassermann-Jordan, Forster Ungeheuer "S", Riesling trocken, 2009
I love Stelvin enclosures. So easy. The only problem with a wine like this one is treating it like a bottle of pop and forgetting to open it in good time before tasting. Into the decanter it went for some fast-track airing...

Laser lime-yellow appearance in the decanter, this shows a salty minerality on the nose somewhat reminiscent of flint. The soil in Ungeheuer has smatterings of basalt running through it, and one is indeed tempted here to make that association with the terroir. On the palate, a certain richness emerges, with stone fruit and more exotic notes. The acidity is taut and fine, lending elegance and structure. There are also some hints of redcurrant and, again, some stoney saltiness. What I like about the finish is the total lack of alcoholic heat. Instead, the faintest hint of sweetness is gently smothered in warm minerals and a talcy powderiness. This is less of a charmer and more a wine with pretentions.

As legend has it, Otto von Bismarck is supposed to have taken a shine to wines from Ungeheuer (German for "monster"), once exclaiming, "This Ungeheuer tastes monstrously good." Depending on whom you believe, the name Ungeheuer dates back either to 1460 when the term "Ungehuwer" is supposed to have been recorded, or to Johann Adam Ungeheuer, a scribe who lived in nearby Deidesheim and died in 1699.

Cheer up Alan Shearer

2010-12-08T14:17:00.008+01:00

As a certain football chant sung by Manchester United fans begins... I was humming the tune to it while writing this post, so please bear with me - it's not as incongruous as it may seem.

We've just returned from a long weekend at my parents' in Lytham St Annes for some pre-Christmas festivities. The main reason for returning to England in early December, however, was to watch the Premier League match between Blackpool and Manchester United. Courtesy of family connections, we had been kindly invited to take in the match from one of the executive boxes, complete with the proverbial three-course menu of prawn sandwiches. Being a United supporter who was born in Blackpool, I can safely say that it would have been one of the highlights of my footballing life, irrespective of the hospitality on offer. I had also been looking forward to throwing chicken scraps down to my dad and aunt sat with the have-nots in row one.

All the more disappointing then to hear the day before that the match had been postponed due to the freezing weather. Blackpool's pitch is the only one in the Premier League without undersoil heating, and it was apparently bone-hard even despite the slight thawing we had on the morning of the game. The fixture should be rescheduled for midweek some time, but whether I'll be able to fly back to watch it is another question.

As consolation, here's a picture of the tangarine chocolate delight I received instead.

Incidentally, on our easyjet flight from Zurich to Manchester last Thursday, fellow passengers on the plane included former players Andy Cole, John Barnes and a rather glum-looking Alan Shearer. All three were on the way back home after England's World Cup bidding debacle.

Cheer up Alan.

Mea culpa

2010-12-02T17:44:00.004+01:00

As a belated celebration at home last weekend, I cracked open a bottle of Zind-Humbrecht's finest. My better half bought it for me as my birthday present last year. A special treat indeed, and now it's time had come.

I poured the wine into the decanter, and... oh: "This looks suspiciously brass-coloured," I said. I've drunk extremely luscious Pinot Gris before, but this time I wasn't entirely convinced. Not sure what to expect, I dipped my nose into the glass - and was none the wiser. Hm.

Not one to take risks with such a lovely bottle (which cost my dearest a good few bob), I returned it to the shop in Basel on Monday, citing oxidation and/or cork taint.

The next day, another bottle of the same wine and vintage was ready for me to collect. The gentleman behind the counter proceeded to explain to me that he and all his colleagues had tasted the dubious bottle in question, and the unanimous verdict was that the wine was perfect in every respect. He went on to say that it was common for such wines to be more than a touch amber in appearance, but it was no problem, here was another bottle to take home with me..

Oh, the embarrassment.

Ziereisen Christmas tasting

2010-11-28T22:07:00.007+01:00

Amid a flurry of snow, I ventured out on Saturday to attend the Ziereisens' Weihnachtsdegustation. A very enjoyable few hours ensued, tasting the winery's latest bottlings and sampling some wines from befriended properties such as Van Volxem, Beurer and Domaine de l'Horizon. What struck me most was the friendly, down-to-earth welcome I received from all concerned.

As a little treat, I bought three bottles of Hanspeter Ziereisen's maiden vintage from newly planted vines up in the Jaspis vineyard above Efringen. As the vines are so young, the wine costs slightly less than the established Jaspis Alte Reben. You normally wouldn't think such youthful vines would make such a substantial wine.

Weingut Ziereisen, Pinot Noir Jaspis "Jungfernlese" 2008
Quite opaque ruby for a Spätburgunder. Wet wood on the nose, some cherry/raspberry fruit as well, but very understated. On the palate the elements are still quite tight but loosen markedly on the second day. Sweetness from the well-integrated oak, plenty of extract, well-integrated tannins, strangely pleasant bitterness on the finish. Astoundingly tightly woven, although this needs time (i.e. years) to unfold. The other two bottles will be left well alone for now.

Incidentally, things have been fairly quiet of late on the blogging front. But for good reason. In addition to preparing to become freelance, I proposed to Jenny on 20 November. We were in Paris to celebrate our respective birthdays, which are two days apart, and it seemed to me the perfect time to fall on one knee and pop the question.

She said yes!

Pride of Swabia

2010-11-26T21:22:00.006+01:00

Some of you may already have heard that Germany's "Gault Millau Wineguide" has awarded Weingut Aldinger with this year's "Collection of the Year" prize. Based in Fellbach on the outskirts of Stuttgart, the Aldingers enjoy an excellent reputation throughout Germany for their consistently outstanding range of reds and whites. Yesterday evening, I watched Gert and Matthias Aldinger being interviewed on the weekday magazine programme Landesschau Baden-Württemberg, with presenter Jürgen Hörig quizzing them about winning the accolade.

It was an entertaining little feature. Hörig descended somewhat into hyperbole, referring to the Aldingers' Lemberger as the "bester Lemberger aller Zeiten" ("the best Lemberger of all time"), and as a "Wuchtbrumme" ("powerhouse" may be the best translation given the context). Matthias Aldinger's reference to "Kontrolliertes Nichtstun" ("Measured idleness") to describe his approach to vinification also rang a bell as a particular mantra employed by umpteen winemakers across the land. Rather quaintly, Herr Hörig mistook this for modesty.

Anyway, a proud day for all Swabians.

The interview can be viewed here.

[Edit: In hindsight, the comment "Rather quaintly, Herr Hörig mistook this for modesty." sounds a bit snobbish. However, I just think sometimes it would be refreshing if Winemaker XY said something like, "No, actually, we ensure optimum cleaniness in the cellar, add a cultured strain of yeast to kick-start the fermentation process, apply temperature control throughout, regularly rack the wine..."]

Expovina and Gaga

2010-11-17T19:41:00.008+01:00

Another wine fair was on the agenda last Sunday, as was Lady Gaga.

Travelling to Zurich with my better half and a handful of other friends at midday, we first hit the wine ships at Bürkliplatz. Wine tasting on a boat is not something I'd attempted before, so this seemed novel enough to try out. From my point of view, the idea of attending was somewhat less professionally motivated than it had been at the previous two wine fairs, and more for the sheer fun of it. Having said that, I still managed to part company with a few business cards. Overall, we had an enjoyable visit, despite feeling vaguely seasick by the end.

Now, Lady Gaga is probably not to everyone's taste, but she certainly can't be accused of not putting on a good show. Originally, I had passed up the chance for a ticket to her concert. However, I was lucky enough to claim a ticket at the second time of asking. Which was just as well, because it was a brilliant show.

Wine fairs

2010-11-11T22:04:00.006+01:00

On the last two weekends, I've attended two different wine fairs. The first one was the Basler Weinmesse, Switzerland's second-biggest wine fair), the second a more local affair in Lörrach, Germany: "Hieber's Weinmesse". Armed with my new business cards, my respective visits were admittedly less about the wines and more about meeting winegrowers face to face and explaining what I have to offer from a translation perspective. It was a worthwhile experience for me on both occasions, and I even managed to get my face in the paper after the fair in Lörrach (click here; it's an unflattering photo: I'm the one smiling goofishly and looking deceptively thin as the man from Winzer Krems pours some Grüner Veltliner into my glass).

Aside from professional matters, some general observations:

The Basler Weinmesse was without doubt the bigger, slicker affair. Nevertheless, the fair in Lörrach is also very well organised (by local supermarket chain Hieber). At both fairs, the emphasis was both regional and international.

In Basel, you had stands devoted to Swiss growers from the Basel region and further afield, and stands devoted to wines from "old world" countries such as France and Italy (the latter being a firm Swiss favourite) and from the new world. Then there were the guest regions: Austria and the Geneva area.

In Lörrach, the "demographics" very much reflected the make-up of the wine community in Baden, i.e. cooperative-focused yet with a good handful of private properties. There was also a fair selection of wines presented from overseas.

On balance, I probably preferred the slightly cosier, more familiar experience offered in Lörrach. Set in a popular concert house, the event has become a firm fixture on the local social calendar. And I could see why. With room to mingle and free finger food (antipasti) included in the price of the ticket, the ingredients were there for having an enjoyable time. The idea of splitting the event into three distinct sessions (Fri night, Sat afternoon and Sat night) was also inspired, I thought. I went on the Saturday afternoon as the other two sessions were already sold out. This was probably the best option in hindsight, as I had more chance to devote enough time to all of the stands I visited.

There were a number of highlights, although the following two encounters stood out for me: 1) the lovely chat I had with Simone Lanz at the Basler Weinmesse and the beautiful Grüner Veltliners she poured me from Kremstal, and 2) talking in Lörrach with Martin Schärli, the head of operations at Weingut Kalkbödele and tasting his winery's gorgeous selection of Weiss-, Grau- and Spätburgunders.

Fruit cake

2010-11-07T23:05:00.000+01:00

My aunt and uncle visited us last weekend, bringing with them the most succulent, raisiny English fruit cake you could imagine. Baked from a mixture that included more than a good dash of brandy, it is one of those cakes that would probably last a year and more if stored correctly. Interesting as it would be to test that theory, I can't imagine it lasting that long, if you catch my drift.

We both ate a piece each this evening, to follow a main meal of steak with mushroom and red wine sauce. The accompanying wine was purchased earlier this year.

CARM, Quinta do Côa Reserva 2006, Douro DOC
Firstly, CARM stands for "Casa Agrícola Roboredo Madeira". The grapes are all indigenous Portuguese varietals - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz - and were harvested from one of the Douro's synonymous terraced sloped vineyards. Quinta da Côa estate is found found in an area "designated as a World Heritage Site, where the paleolithic rock carvings in the valley of the Côa, a tributary of the Douro, reveal a flourishing culture which goes back 25,000 years" (see website).

Opaque in appearance with a ruby rim; we're talking Australian Barossa darkness. The nose is a brooding mass, showing floury black and red fruit, spicy, oaky sweetness and raisin. This floury notes continue on the palate. Almost monolithic in body. However, in terms of structure, a juicy vein of acidity lends immense drinkability, belying the 14.5% alcohol, while the tannins are suggestive of a certain wildness and minerality. The finish is long and smooth. A wine to be drunk when the weather is dank and cold outside. Potential for a good few years to come, but drinking just fine at the moment. Decanted over two hours prior to serving, which was just as well.

Wine translation

2010-10-27T19:03:00.019+02:00

Dear Reader,

You may have noticed from my blog profile that I am a translator by profession. Specifically, my job involves translating written texts from German and French into English, my native language. Since 2000, I have worked mainly as an in-house, salaried translator specialising in a wide range of texts - primarily for financial services providers, but also in other areas such as tourism and life sciences.

Over a month ago, I handed in my notice with my current employer with a view to setting up my own freelance business from 1 January 2011. I intend to offer English translation services to clients within the wine trade. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time. My focus will be on providing English-language translations of websites, advertising material, newsletters, brochures and more besides. I aim to collaborate with winemakers, wine marketing agencies, regional wine associations, journalists and other wine professionals. It is a prospect that excites me.

Wineries, in particular, need quality English translations of their websites and other written output in order to appeal to a wider audience. Unfortunately, many such websites are translated into English by non-native English speakers. However well meant, and regardless of whether the author has an excellent command of spoken English, the results can still leave a lot to be desired. Although I speak fluent German, that does not necessarily make me qualified to translate into flawless written German - there is no reason why it should be different the other way round. A significant part of my job will be to get this message across.

This blog will soon include relevant contact details and information relating to my business. However, "From Blackpool to Basel" will otherwise remain non-commercial in nature, albeit with some judicious plugging for my business in the right-hand margin.

Freisamer

2010-10-24T09:17:00.002+02:00

Freisamer? No, I'd hadn't heard of it either.

Apparently, it's a cross between Silvaner (Sylvaner) and Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and is a varietal almost exclusive to the eastern Swiss canton of Graubünden. It does have some minor plantings in Baden (D), too. Be that as it may, it was certainly new to me.

The Cottinelli property is based in the relatively high-altitude climes of Malans, in the heart of Graubünden's wine country.

Weinhaus Cottenelli, Freisamer AOC 2008, Graubünden
Straw in appearance with golden reflexes. Medium nose of the finest honey you could ever want to taste, married with the succulency of William's pear, a certain nuttiness I find hard to fathom, plus a hint of marzipan and minerals. Even some floral notes. A merry dance between pear and honey on the palate. Bitter pithy pip notes and subtle acidity which offsets the lusciousness of what is a powerful, filling mouthfeel. A slightly wild, yeasty note, too. Maybe more akin to Pinot Gris than to Silvaner, yet unique in character and highly interesting and enjoyable.

From Spätburgunder to Riesling

2010-10-23T14:20:00.008+02:00

Two wines tasted over the last week. Alas, notes again are rudimentary. The first one was finished in the space of an hour with the help of friends, the other one was a slow burner drunk over three days.

Weingut Kranz, Ilbesheimer Rittersberg Spätburgunder trocken 2006, Pfalz
Had I opened this too early in its lifetime? The rim looked quite purple around an otherwise ruby core. My last glass of this was the best one, again demonstrating the often underestimated effect of air on wine. Very pure and focused with good depth. Some sour cherry, some raspberry. Held in shape by drying tannins and keen acidity. Almost Italian style in that respect. Balanced and understated, although still showing the puppy fat of youth.

Curiously, the back label showed "Ilbesheimer Rittersberg" as the vineyard of origin, yet "Kirchberg" was shown on the front (the name of an old vineyard delineation?).

Weingut Becker-Landgraf, Riesling trocken (Gutswein) 2008, Rheinhessen
Green-gold leaf tinge, reticent nose, but slowly developing an interesting steely sharpness. The palate is as clear as glass. Lime and puckering, steely acidity. Clean and refreshing. Slight heat from the alcohol. In my book, it could do with a touch more residual sugar to be more accommodating, although I do respect it for it's no-holds-barred dryness. A solid estate wine.

Swiss on a roll?

2010-10-16T10:46:00.004+02:00

A picture from last Tuesday's Euro 2012 qualifier in Basel between Switzerland and Wales. In the end, a fairly straightforward if slightly flattering 4-1 win for the hosts. We were in exactly the same seats as we were for the England match, only this time the fencing behind the goal was gone!