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Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist - Michael Vaughan  

  When Riesling Ruled the World

(Publishing Date: Saturday April 15, 2000  - Toronto Section

It’s hard to imagine that as a teenager in Toronto, German whites ruled uber alles! Yes that little Blue Nun was everywhere. It made sense, for here was a flavourful white which was inexpensive, refreshing and yet just slightly sweet with fruity hints of grapefruit and honey that went with anything. Better yet it was low in alcohol so no fear of a hangover! We irreverently called it live-frog’s-milk (better known  as Liebfraumilch)! In those days Black Tower, Deinhard and Blue Nun reigned supreme.

And perhaps that was the problem. At the time, about 90, 000 German families own small parcels of vineyards in different localities resulting in over 25,000 individual wine names! This was much too complicated for most - meaning that few were able to graduate from everyday German wines to the greats. And while the number of names dropped to less than 3,000 in the 1970’s, it was too late. Fans deserted to the new shrine of Chardonnay.

This really is a shame because Riesling is often a delicious drink. In an attempt to get things back on track, today’s Vintages release features “A Taste of Germany” with 18 new products. If I had one product to salute this surprisingly well executed LCBO effort, it would be with the deliciously fruity, crisp, melon-flavoured sparkler Furst Von Metternich Riesling Sekt at $18.55. The “Extra Trocken” means extra dry and this one has both versatility and wide appeal.

Moving from dry to the off dry kabinett class, a good buy would be the spicy bright Balbach 1988 Nierstein Pettenthal Riesling Kabinett from the Rheinhessen at only $11.80. The gently honeyed, tangerine citrus and ripe grapefruit flavours are perfect for a spring day. Also worth exploring, this time from the more southerly warmer Pfalz region is the just slightly sweeter Kurt Darting 1998 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett at $13.95.

Moving from kabinett to the slightly sweeter spatlese classification, you can’t do better than the classic Rheingau Kloser Eberbach 1993 Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Spatlese at $21.90 which received my maximum three star rating of the group tasted. The nose has petrol driven complexity but still shows lots of fruit – limes, lemons and a touch of pineapple. Ditto for the palate, which has nice structure and excellent persistence. It’s amazing how a well-made German Riesling with all its acidity can last and last – shades of the Eveready bunny!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what is for me one of the non-riesling best buys of the release, the beautifully-crafted 1998 Durkheimer Feuerberg Gewurztraminer Kabinett which has oodles of refined, gently spicy, lychee flavours along with some hints of clover honey. Great value at $14.50, it would be tremendous with spicy Thai cuisine or great just for sipping by itself over Easter!

Moving back to riesling, the oldest of the release at a most reasonable $24.95 shouldn’t be missed, especially if you have a hankering for ripe pineapple - Marienhof 1990 Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese. This fine mature dessert wine from the Mosel is still capable of another year or two of aging.

It’s sad but true that no matter how much I huff and puff about the virtues of riesling, it isn’t going to start a stampede. Having said how terrific riesling can be and praised the virtues of this release, I am sad to report that Vintages has fallen down in monitoring the deadbeats that are still languishing about in its stores and warehouse.

Last year’s Vintages “World of Riesling” saw some 23 products unleashed to an uncaring public.  It was a mixed bag indeed, with some of the wines having thrown in the towel well before their debut. Well, it’s almost 10 months later and two-thirds of this release is still stuck in the main warehouse (never mind the stores)! What I don’t understand is why aren’t these wines put on sale and disposed of? According to the most recent inventory report, 61 cases (more than half of the entire LCBO purchase) of the disappointingly-mature Southbrook 1996 Riesling Lailey Vineyards is still lingering in the warehouse! And if it was old then, God knows what it’s like now. The LCBO should discount it and get rid out it - because anyone who pays $13.20 isn’t likely to rush out and buy another bottle of Ontario riesling, ever!

Wines which are still sound should be given a “Second Chance” by putting them back into the monthly Catalogue, perhaps at a slightly lower price to move them out more quickly. An example might be the 68 cases of well structured Marcel Deiss 1995 Riesling de Bennwihr ($25.85) a mature but fairly gutsy Alsace white. Ditto for the remaining 18 cases of the hard-to-sell, albeit tasty Glenora 1997 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling ($15.55). The bottom line is that it’s better to move on these wines today than see them die in the warehouse!