Archive for the 'Riesling' Category

21
Feb
12

The Irish Connection

By karwigwines Leave a Comment
Categories: Franken, Germany, Grape Varieties, Riesling, Silvaner and Special Offers

German – Irish Wines?

With St. Patrick’s Day, our national holiday just around the corner, it got us thinking again about our ‘Irish Wines’. We have a number of wines which can someway or another be traced back to Ireland.  So between now and the 17th March, we’ll be publishing a blog on each of our featured wines which we are offering 30% off from now until Patrick’s Day.

So let’s get started with Germany:

Burgerspital is located in a fantastically beautiful courtyard right in the middle of Würzburg, is one of the largest wine-growing estates in Germany and one of the most important with a wine-growing area of 110 hectares.

The slopes and steep sites of the hills along the River Main offer ideal conditions for growing wine. The sun smiles upon the vineyards quite early in the year, the Shelly limestone soil (Muschelkalk) storing the warmth.  The location, the soil, the climate, the proximity to the river, the selection of the types of vine and the art of the Bürgerspital wine-growers enable exceptional wines to be grown here.

Burgerspital is renowned for using the “Bocksbeutel” - a flattened, round bottle-shaped like a leather pouch for bottling the wine – and yes it is a full-sized bottle holding 750ml.

In 1726 the Council of the City of Würzburg decided that the “Bocksbeutel” be the mark of quality compared with poorly produced wines. To this day, the first sealed specimens of the Bocksbeutel are stored in Bürgerspital’s cellars.  Bürgerspital has been totally committed to the Bocksbeutel’s claim to quality right up to the present day

The Vineyard:
The most favourable conditions for viticulture in Germany are the south and southwest-facing slopes of protected valleys, e. g. along the Rhine and its tributaries as well as the valleys of the Elbe, Saale and Main rivers. The exposure to sunlight is more intense on slopes than on flat sites and slopes with a southern exposure also profit from longer periods of sunshine.All Bürgerspital sites are Einzellagen (individual vineyard sites) and located in the heart of the specified wine-growing region Franken (Franconia).
 
Würzburger Stein
They only cultivate classical varietals (Riesling, Silvaner, Weißer Burgunder, Gewürztraminer, Rieslaner, Scheurebe) on some 30 hectares in the world-renowned location Würzburger Stein. Its terroir being a rare combination of the micro-climate, soil and the slope inclination, direction and proximity to the river – offers wines of the very highest quality.
 
Bürgerspital wines have been awarded numerous prestigious national and international prizes and have won wine-tasting competitions held by celebrated sommeliers and wine journalists.
 
This wine-growing estate is a founding member of the VDP (Association of German Top-Quality Wine-Growing Estates). The VDP is the elite of Germany´s wine producers. A distinguishing feature all VDP wines show is the eagle on the neck of the bottle.

 

But what has this to do with Ireland I hear you ask, well, St Killian, who is the Patron Saint of Wurzburg, hailed originally from Co.  Cavan. Burgerspital Cellars sit in the heart of Wurzburg town, in the shadow of St. Killian.

Saint Killian’s feast day is July 8 and he is usually portrayed, as in his statue at Würzburg, bearing a bishop’s crozier and wielding a sword. The Kiliani-Volksfest (two weeks in July) is the main civil and religious festival in the region around Würzburg.

12
Jan
11

Bird in the Hand or Two in the Bush?

By karwigwines 1 Comment
Categories: Adelaide Hills, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grape Varieties, Producers, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Shiraz, Special Offers, Tasting and Wines

 

Full range of Australian Wines are on Sale for a massive 25% off for the month of January

Our Bird in the Hand / Two in the Bush wines are produced by the Nugent family based in Adelaide Hills.

 Andrew Nugent the viticulturalist and winemaker, grew up next door to Penfolds at Magill and from there started his profession in South Australia’s McLaren Vale.

Moving to the emerging wine region of the Adelaide Hills, in 1997, Andrew Nugent planted vineyards and an olive grove on 100 acres on Bird in Hand Road, Woodside. The road itself was named after the “Bird in Hand” gold mine that operated in the district in the 1850s. Four hundred metres above sea level, the vineyards face north and boast deep, well drained red earth, formed from metamorphic rock.

To extend the winemaking range available to Bird in Hand, another vineyard in the famous wine-growing region of Clare has been acquired to provide fruit for world class Riesling and Shiraz.

 The Nugent family lives and works on the picturesque property, reflecting the strong sense of community in the Adelaide Hills. Andrew exudes a quiet but steely determination to grow Bird in Hand into one of the world’s great wineries. “We live and work at the winery. We know the best thing we can do for our community is grow and produce the best wine and olives we can. Our success will be our community’s success. A high tide lifts all the boats in the bay. At Bird in Hand we’ve assembled the best team of people, we’ve painstakingly selected the perfect terroir and we’re well on our way.” Tasting notes on some of the wines:

Bird in Hand Riesling,  Clare Valley

 2005 vintage was considered to be amongst the best that Clare has produced, fast gaining the same iconic reputation as the 2002. Bird in Hand Riesling, from the northern slopes of the Clare Valley has an intriguing aroma of white flowers. On the palate it offers the classic lime and citrus characters of the Clare Valley, underlining a mineral finish.

 James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion 2007 – 93 Points 

Bird in Hand Cabernet Sauvignon, MT Lofty Ranges

The 2006 Bird in Hand Cabernet Sauvignon has been aged for over 17 months in tight grained French oak. This limited release is an elegant example of classic varietal Cabernet. It is a vibrant deep red colour, exhibiting appealing aromas of blackberry, cassis and a mix of subtle fruit and oak spice. The palate is a rich and intense expression of its aromas offering great complexity, mouth feel and length. It is silky in texture with persistent tannins. It is drinking beautifully now and will age gracefully developing cedar and cigar box characteristics over time.

Two in the Bush Semillon / Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills

The 2008 vintage is a lively and vibrant example of this classic blend. The bright zesty lemon characteristics from the Semillon are enhanced and made more complex by the intense tropical aromas and flavours of the Sauvignon Blanc. The Semillon also provides palate weight, texture and roundness. Crisp, fresh and full flavoured, this wine is best enjoyed young.

Two in the Bush Shiraz, Adelaide Hills / Mt Lofty Ranges

The 2006 “Two in the Bush” shiraz has been aged for 12 months in French and American oak. It is deep red with purple hues and exhibits intense aromas of rich dark berries and exotic spice. The palate has hallmark cool climate white pepper together with blackberry and licorice characteristics and a long flavoursome finish. The “Two in the Bush” reds are outstanding wines with instant appeal combined with balance and structure to age gracefully.

Full range of Australian Wines are on Sale for a massive 25% off for the month of January

01
Nov
10

Mosel – Saar – Ruwer

By karwigwines Leave a Comment
Categories: Germany, Grape Varieties, Riesling, Uncategorized and Wines

Mosel – Saar – Ruwer

We were asked on Saturday what wine producing area of Germany would Joe Karwig choose over all the others. After a long discussion he settled on the Mosel region, for their outstanding wines.  

The wine region is defined by the hauntingly beautiful and eerily still Mosel River, which cuts a deep snakelike gorge through the land, winds back and forth for 145 miles northeast until it empties into the Rhine near the town of Koblenz. The Saar and Ruwer are small tributaries of the Mosel.

The grape of the Mosel is Riesling. The vineyards are among the steepest in the world. This would be one thing if they were located someplace warm and sunny. But the vineyards of the Mosel are also among the most Northern in Germany. Steepness in a cold, northern wine region means the sun is in contact with the vines for limited hours of the day. The total number of sunlight hours during the growing season is also modest (the Mosel gets in a good year about a third of the sunlight hours that Provence does). As a result of this, the river is used to its full potential. The Mosel’s vineyards hug only South facing slopes. At each turn of the river where the banks face north, the slopes have no vines.

With sugar low and acidity high you would expect the wines to be tart and thin. There are miraculously two underlying factors: first, the amazing resourceful Riesling which can produce wines of great finesse even if the grape has not fully ripened, and secondly the slate. The famous gunmetal grey slate of the Mosel is highly porous and both heat retaining and heat reflecting, these qualities help the Riesling to ripen. But in ways that are still a mystery to us, the grape can absorb the slatey, minerally, wet stone flavours. No other wines in Germany process the finesse and raciness and elegance as the Mosel Riesling…

Here are some of our suggestions: Mosel Wines

03
Mar
10

Eiswein : one of wines best kept secrets

By karwigwines 3 Comments
Categories: Eiswein, Friends, Germany, Grape Varieties, Icewine, Riesling, Sweet Wines, Tasting, Wine Tasting and Wines

   

Eis Eis Baby

Eis Eis Baby

 

Eiswein. I love it. But it was not always so. You see, a few years ago, Eiswein (or Icewine) was something that held no appeal for me at all. I was guilty of making up my mind before opening it. Basically, although I have a sweet tooth, i thought that Eisweins would be too sweet for me. A bit like drinking a glass of golden syrup. Man, was I wrong.  

Well, my mind was changed one fateful day in London town. One of my best friends is a bit of a fan of dessert wines in general and eisweins in particular. We stopped off at a lovely small independant wine shop near where he and his wife live. Minutes later he was purchasing a most beautiful bottle of Inniskillen Icewine. I tried to talk him out of it as it was a wee bit expensive and I did not want to be ungrateful by not drinking a glass. He ignored me and opened it at home after chilling it for a wee while. He poured the golden liquid into the glass. I swirled. I sniffed. I tasted. I was blown away. I picked up the bottle and read the tasting note on the back  

Sublime aromatics of fresh lime, apricot, grapefruit and peach blossom with a slight minteral edge. A racy interplay of sweet and tart offer up echoing balanced flavours of lemon, lime and candied apricot.   

It was all that and more. To this day, it is one of the most memorable wines I have ever tasted.  

Bockheimer Grafenstuck Eiswein

Bockheimer Grafenstuck Eiswein

 

Eiswein or Icewine is a dessert wine made from frozen grapes. The grapes literally freeze on the vine. The temperature must be a minimum of -8c so harvesting takes place later in the year (sometimes up to January). Think of putting on every bit of warm clothing you own and then heading out into the vineyard to work in the middle of the night. The grapes are crushed on arrival at the winery and the water (still in ice form) is taken away leaving a syrup that is intensely sweet and acidic.  

Notice the word acidic in there. That’s what most people don’t realise. Yes, Eisweins are gorgeously sweet but they also have high acidity. So you get a blast of intense sweet fruit on the palate. However it is not cloying at all as there follows a lovely rush of crisp acidity that clears the palate and makes you smack your lips and take another delicious sip. Its simply wonderful.  

Eisweins are low in alcohol and are made from a range of grape varieties including Riesling, Vidal, Silvaner, Scheurebe, Kerner and even Cabernet Franc (yep, the red one) to name a few. New World producers are increasingly experimenting with other grape varieties, both white and red.  

Being such a fan, I am lucky to have a number of Eisweins (and other dessert wines) in our warehouse and shop. They are well priced and superb quality. If you want to read a little more about dessert wines, check out the wonderful post done by @manicmammy  

The reason for this post (apart from being a massive Eiswein fan) is that tonight I am meeting some people for an Eiswein tasting. One is a convert, Roger Overall,  @rogeroverall (Roger also happens to be an award winning photographer) while another Paul O Mahony @omaniblog  has never tried an eiswein in his life (Paul is a writer and poet). It promises to be a fine tasting  in such creative company.

17
Feb
10

Riesling – nope, its not just sweet wine that smells of petrol

By karwigwines Leave a Comment
Categories: Education, General Musings, Grape Varieties, Riesling and Wines
Riesling

Ahhhh Riesling

 

Last week we started our blog series of what aromas and tastes to look for in different grape varieties. We began with the wonderful Sauvignon Blanc.  

This week, we are sticking with white grape varieties and are talking about one of my personal favourites, Riesling !  

Here are some things to look for when picking up your next glass . . . . .  

Riesling

  • Green Apple
  • Herbal
  • Mineral
  • Flint
  • Minerality
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Citrus
  • Rose / Jasmine / Floral
  • Honeysuckle
  • Pear
  • Pineapple
  • Passionfruit
  • Guava
  • Tropical Fruit
  • Kerosene
  • Petrol

   

If any of you Riesling fans out there want to add to this list, leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you.  

The next part of our “How To Taste Wine” blog series will be posted later this week so stay tuned.  

Till then, enjoy sniffing and slurping your Rieslings, be they from Germany, Austria, France, Australia, New Zealand or whereever ! You will find a lovely selection here


Because Life Is Too Short To Drink Boring Wine . . .

Karwig Wines are importers, wholesalers and retailers of selected and estate bottled wines from all over the world. Its all about the wine. We have one of the broadest selections of wine from quality Old World and New World producers.

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