The SOMM Journal

August/September 2014

Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348953

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 24 of 119

{ SOMMjournal.com }  25 The more blue/gray slate in the soil, the "cooler" the Riesling is. Vineyards along the Mosel River. In a glass of Riesling from Künstler, Dönnhoff, Dr. Loosen, Robert Weil, Willi Schaeffer, Selbach-Oster and so many others, lie the "answers" and the proof. We just have to open those magnificent bottles and get Riesling into more peoples' hands. So, no more talking the (old sweet) talk. I vote for walking the walk. Some other ideas I learned from my seven days in the Rheingau and Mosel. Acidity is not created equal. The Germans (acidity experts after all) con - stantly differentiate between hard, unripe acidity and fine, juicy acidity. The first is the flavor equivalent of shattering glass; the second is the hum of a mountain stream. Pinot Noir in Germany is on a dramatic rise. During the trip I confessed to my colleague Michael Franz (Quarterly Review of Wines) that I'd never had what I thought was a really great German Pinot Noir (to me, most have exaggerated diacetyl). Then came out the mind boggling 1943 Kloster Eberbach Pinot Noir from the Rheingau, which pulled me as deeply into a primordial state as any grand cru Burgundy. Riesling is cool—not thermally speaking or in a fashion sense—but cool in an Asian "yin" manner. Part of its beauty comes from the high coolness of its flavors, and the more blue/gray slate in the soil, the cooler the Riesling is. And oh yes, one last thing. During the trip I travelled part of the time with three American somms and two retailers. Those guys (great palates) were all convinced they had uncovered a whole new type of acidity. I can't say I really got it. But bravo, guys. . . at least the conversation made us all ponder worlds beyond sweetness. The International Riesling Symposium The International Riesling Symposium is part of a worldwide effort to promote Riesling and educate trade and consum- ers about the grape and wines made from it. The Symposium, sponsored by the VDP and held in the Rheingau, is part of a "Riesling Coalition" including Riesling Rendezvous held in Seattle and Riesling Down Under held in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. The events rotate among the three countries. Next year's events will be in held February 8 to 10 in Melbourne. I want to thank Wilhelm Weil, who chaired this year's Symposium, and Ernie Loosen and his team for insisting that I come. —K. M. Left to right: Kirk Wille, Loosen Bros. USA; Wil Bailey, The Wine Company (MN); Daniel Grajewski, Michael Mina Group; Karen; Kelly Wooldridge, Bonanno Concepts (Denver); Ernst Loosen; Greg Cantu, Grüner Restaurant (Portland). Karen MacNeil is the author of The NEW Wine Bible (spring 2015). Contact her at karen@ karenmacneil.com.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The SOMM Journal - August/September 2014