So during my hearing hiatus I thought I would catch up on tasting notes from the days when I had normal non ridiculously painful ears. Just got some amazing anti-inflammatory painkillers that are actually getting the job done so I can sit and type at a computer for 15 minutes or so. Drank some great wines with two mysterious wine geeks earlier this week. If I tell you their names someone else will kill them so I am going to keep quiet . . . .this time. The pictures in this post are the Berncasteler Doctor and some of the nicer parts of Bernkastel.
We started off with a bottle of 1977 J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett which I bought in Germany at a great wine shop in Bernkastel called "Wein-Porn." It was downright pornographic in there with so many great German wines and nothing else. New York needs a branch of this store. Just amazing. It was though, besides the Berncastler Doctor, the only interesting thing in Bernkastel. Bernkastel looks like Old Orchard Beach or Coney Island threw up on . . .well . . . Bernakastel. It is a mix of classic small German wine village and a cheesy on the beach boardwalk type vibe found in America. With a little bit of Epcot Center, Germany branch, thrown in for extra cheesiness. No need to go back there . . .unless I need some more wine porn! Back to the wine. It had a pretty low fill but the capsule was spinning. Did not matter as this was DOA. Only 32 Euro so no great loss and it was worth the risk.
Then moved onto the 2005 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Spatlese GK which I really loved. The wine had amazing crystaline purity and focus with fleshy ripe apricot fruits. This wine was so clean it was quite amazing. The acidity was solid and the nose, after the sulfur blew off, had a wonderful confectionary character (think sweet tart dust) and a long finish. The mid palate was like fine silk and the delineation was nothing short of sensational. Fantastic wine.
Next up was 1994 Schloss Saarstein Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Auslese which also seemed like it might have been damaged somewhat in transport or subsequent storage or lack there of. The color was piss-yellow and has some kind of flaccid aromas of yellow fruit, honey and loads fo petrol. Seemed much too advanced for a 1994. Palate had interesting honeyed and somewhat fresh fruit but seemed kind of in a zombie state. There was good acidity but it has seen better days.
The final wine was the 2006 Hans Wirsching Iphofer Kalb Gewurztraminer Auslese out of a 1/2 Bocksbeutel. This was given to me by Dr. Uwe Mateus after our incredible tasting at the Wirsching estate. Kalb is a very small vineyard and one I have never heard of until tasting this wine. This was sensational and everything I look for in Gewurztraminer. None of those gloppy, unfocused and alchoholic flavors you find in Alsace but a shimmering, pure and focused Gewurztraminer with sensational acidity and exotic flavors of chamomile tea, mint, pineapple and smoke. This was very rich and concentrated but had incredible lift and freshness from the brilliant acidity. The finish was incredible. Thanks again Dr. Mateus.
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