TWS Tasting - Bitesize Walkaround: Germany

Tastings & Events
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Attending this event on Monday.

It’s the first session of the first type of this event so hoping it should be fun (though kind of kicking myself for not booking on the following session - Italy - as well).

Just received the line-up, pretty excited, lots to try from the recently released 2018 vintage, some of which I’ve been trying to convince myself not to add to my basket. Fairly confident I’ll manage to get through them all in an hour.

  1. [2] Weisser Burgunder, Schloss Neuweier 2018
  2. [2] Ruppertsberg Linsenbusch Grauburgunder Trocken, Ruppertsberg Winzerverein 2018
  3. [1] Dr. Loosen Red Slate Riesling, Mosel 2018
  4. [1] Oestrich Riesling “vom Löss” August Eser 2018
  5. [2] Laumersheimer Kappellenberg Riesling, Weingut Knipser 2018
  6. [3] Niedermenniger Riesling Kabinett, von Kesselstatt 2018
  7. [4] Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Lieser 2018
  8. [4] Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, von Schubert 2018
  9. [5] Eitelsbacher Karthauserhof Spätlese, Tyrell 2018
  10. [5] Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese, Schloss Lieser 2018
  11. [6] Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Auslese 2018
  12. Spätburgunder, Ahr, Jan Stodden 2018
  13. Spätburgunder, Markgräflerland, Martin Wassmer 2017
  14. Dornfelder Trocken, Anselmann 2018

nb. numbers in [ ] indicate sweetness

If anyone is tempted by the list above, looks like there are still a few tickets available.

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Just remind where and when is this tasting??

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Stationers Hall in the City of London. If you click the link on the word ‘this’ in my first sentence, it takes you through to the details on TWS website.

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Some were open at the Showroom tasting tonight:

Oestrich Riesling vom Loess: my 2nd favourite of the evening, and at that price, 12.50, pushing the favourite. good nose, ready now, the fruit makes it more dry-to-medium than dry. Taste this first to set the standard. Rhinegau

Weisser Burgunder Scholoss Neumeier: very odd. Reasonable pinot blanc fruit on the nose, very odd after taste, metallic/dull. Baden

Spaetburgunder (sorry, but it is too much of a nuisance to find umlauts) Jan Stodden: Reasonable , and I am very happy that TWS has finally found the Ahr, but not to the standard of the Markfraeflerland Wassmer which I have had in past.

Ruppertsberg Linsenbusch Grauburgunder Trocken (Pfalz): reasonable for price pinot gris (8.50), a little spice.

Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberger: we had the Kabinett; the list for Monday has the Spaetlese: K was pleasant, but not much character. (Mosel, incidentally: as usual, TWS is hopeless on indicating wine regions in Germany even on the tasting notes supplied).

The best of this evening is not on the list for Monday: Oberemmeler Hutte Riesling Kabinett, von Hovel 2017, Saar: very riesling nose, lots of fruit and character (although only 7.5%). Best traditions of Mosel. (Unbelievably, TWS tasting note says blackcurrant which I cannot understand).

Others: Trauben Pfalz Heinrich Spindler 2018, blend of SB, riesling, P. blanc: the only response is why? Tasted as confused as it sounds.

Gewuerztraminer, Julg 2018: delicate gewurz on nose, heavy on palette: not bad, but confusing to taste.
Enjoy the tasting on Monday, and please report back.

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Thanks for sharing.

I certainly hope to. Will try and remember to make a note of my thoughts

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I think this is a very good innovation of TWS to host tastings with a small(ish) number of bottles. Palate fatigue invariably kicks in for most folk at the large walkround tastings. I may try the Edinburgh Germany one on Fri 24th.

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So, despite taking notes, I managed to use the wrong pen and all i had in the book this morning was a load of blurred ink. Only 14 wines, however, so there must be some recollection, right?

  1. [2] Weisser Burgunder, Schloss Neuweier 2018
    Ok, never had a German Pinot Blanc excite me and this was no different.
  2. [2] Ruppertsberg Linsenbusch Grauburgunder Trocken, Ruppertsberg Winzerverein 2018
    Great value Pinot Gris - fruit, acid & a touch of spice.
  3. [1] Dr. Loosen Red Slate Riesling, Mosel 2018
    Entry-level trocken. Quite nice, full-on fruit.
  4. [1] Oestrich Riesling “vom Löss” August Eser 2018
    Too much acidity for me. Suspect this is the style and is designed for the long-haul, but last night was sampled too young for my taste.
  5. [2] Laumersheimer Kappellenberg Riesling, Weingut Knipser 2018
    More approachable than 4. A touch of residual sugar and a bit more fruit. Pleasant.
  6. [3] Niedermenniger Riesling Kabinett, von Kesselstatt 2018
    Thought this was a little unbalanced. Not enough acidity to cope with the sweetness., don’t agree with TWS tasting notes at all.
  7. [4] Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Lieser 2018
    Tasted two different bottles, both were a bit whiffy (I wrote “Rotten”). Not noticeable on the palate, which was an improvement on 6. Only realised when talking through my impressions with a fellow taster that the odour was just residual sulphites, yet to dissipate. Will probably be gone soon, but off-putting at the time.
  8. [4] Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, von Schubert 2018
    Was my favourite of the evening. Struck a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity for me. Great length. Stuck a few in my basket immediately, awaiting the discount codes.
  9. [5] Eitelsbacher Karthauserhof Spätlese, Tyrell 2018
    Both Spatleses were nice, but unremarkable.
  10. [5] Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese, Schloss Lieser 2018
    See 9.
  11. [6] Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Auslese 2018
    I can actually read through the blur here - I just wrote gorgeous. Great stuff, though out of my usual price bracket.
  12. Spätburgunder, Ahr, Jan Stodden 2018
    Perfectly pleasant, though have tasted better from the Ahr at this price.
  13. Spätburgunder, Markgräflerland, Martin Wassmer 2017
    Very good Pinot. Beautiful nose, lovely fruit, definite structure.
  14. Dornfelder Trocken, Anselmann 2018
    Intense fruit, fun, bit of a glugger.
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I opened a bottle of this at the weekend

I noticed a distinct eggy smell with a Goddard’s Silver Polish element to it, which I wasn’t expecting. I see you experienced a rotten smell with a different Schloss Lieser wine, so I assume my bottle had a similar problem with residual sulphites.

I googled and tried the penny trick (the copper apparently bonds with the sulphur) to remove the smell, without success.

I tried it again after a day in the fridge and the smell remains.

I bought 8 bottles, so wonder whether all will have the same problem, or it is just isolated bottles, and if I leave them for a few months maybe the sulphites will naturally dissipate? I’ve never experienced this before, so I don’t really know. Disappointing, given the glowing reviews of this wine, but perhaps it is a common problem and I’ve been lucky not to encounter it before.

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I tried their Juffer Kabinett 2018 recently and it too had a strong whiff of sulphur when I opened it but it blew off with a bit of air. It’s something that isn’t uncommon with German wines in my experience but I have had wines previously where the sulphur seemed bound to the wine. Decanting may help but not in all cases.

Hopefully those sulphur notes will dissipate with time ( I’ve got three bottles in a mixed case in reserves ).

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Sorry to hear that (I have a couple on the way to my house this week). If it is sulphites, then a good airing (vigorous, extended swirling) or a bit more time in the bottle might clear it.

I’ve not heard of the penny trick, but a little reading (also via google) revealed this myth-busting paragraph from an article by Jamie Goode, the master of wine faults:

A copper coin will get rid of reduction

A common party trick with a wine that smells reductive is to drop a copper penny into the wine. But this doesn’t work all the time. Copper can get rid of some reductive compounds, but not all. It will remove mercaptans, but not disulfides, and so sometimes this might work, but not all the time.

SOURCE

EDIT: Just realised, the article also backs up what @Embee says above - not all eggy smells will dissipate over time or with air. I’d try it again after a shake-up in the decanter, then another in 6 months or so. TWS will always credit you if you don’t like either and are not happy to risk opening any more.

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Fingers crossed for yours! I will be interested to know if they are ok or if they also have the same trouble as my bottle. Hopefully it is an isolated issue with a small number of bottles, and just coincidence that their wine at your tasting wasn’t right, and this different wine they make was also “eggy”.

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Thanks very much, I will give the next bottle a decent decant and see if that works. I will also leave them for a few months and see if that helps too.

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