TNs 07 Strub Niersteiner Paterberg Spatlese, 05 Vouvray

[Houndsong]

I got both these wines from Zachy's "buy a case free shipping" promotion, for $17.50 and $12 respectively.

The Strub seemed a bit one-dimensional the first night. Good stuffing, nice balance, decent acidity, but not showing much complexity or flamboyance. Plenty of CO2 however. On the second night I got a whole lot of differentiated flavors, grapefruit, mango, coconut. It is in the tropical spectrum. It's a substantial wine. So I'm very pleased with this one. This is 10% alcohol and I'm not sure of the relationship of alcohol to the various grades of German wines. I guess kabinett, spatlese, etc. depends only on the sugar content at harvest and from that point it's up to the winemaker to decide how much or little residual sugar to leave (and how much alcohol to create). Certainly this one is not overly sweet.

The Lieu-dit Rosnay Vouvray (Cave de Vouvray - sounds like a cooperative) I thought surprisingly good. I read some cellartracker notes indicating this is "light" but I thought it also very substantial with nice mouthfeel. This one has a good coconut flavor and then very heavy chalky/mineral finish. If I were to criticize it might use a touch more acidity but the chalkiness/minerality really makes for a firm, not flabby, demi-sec (sometimes a sweeter wine will leave a appley-alcohol aftertaste I don't care for). This will work well with a variety of foods I think. One of these days I'll try one of those best-of breed Vouvrays just to get a reference. In general these can be quite interesting wines.

All set for summer drinking. Might hold a couple of each for a few years.

[Rieslingfan]

Glad you like the Paterberg. Indeed the alcohol level of the finished wine is not part of the pradikat system (except for legal minimums - sometimes an issue for TBA). Strub has eliminated sussreserve since 2005, and so the alcohol & sweetness are all entirely from what was harvested (of course his older wines used "native" dosage - unfermented juice from the same grape & same site).

[Blanquito]

Where did you source the Strub, Hound? I LOVED the 2001 Strub NP Spat, and keep looking for the same magic (your note suggests this lacks that extra excitement).

[Rieslingfan]

It's not the extra excitement it lacks, but the extra acid.

[Houndsong]

I wouldn't say this is die zaubervin (ach! die zauberwein) but it's definitely a nice wine. I got it from Zachy's last month.

Pat You're welcome to try some and take a couple of bottles if you come this way. I suggest Fibark or the Colorado Rondebrew. I'm bummed I didn't get chosen in the Tour de Rockies lottery but I kind of tweaked my knee and probably couldn't ride it anyway.

[Chasse-Spleen]

This seems like a real Colorado thread. I haven't been out there in almost 30 years. Nice notes.
-Chasse