#NWTW: German Riesling

I’m hoping that most of you know what #NWTW means without me having to explain, but in case you don’t… Two good buddies of mine, Ant from Confessions of a Wine Geek and Mike from Please Bring Me My Wine, started a weekly community blogging experience called New Wine This Week earlier this year (for the purpose of a somewhat perfunctory messaging service this had to be shortened to NWTW). The idea is that each week they pick a grape from a particular region and then encourage you to try it and then share your experiences with the online community. I have found this a really useful experience, I haven’t always been able to participate, but there have been some weeks when I have seen the chosen wines and thought – yes! I must get involved!

This week was one of those weeks. The selected wine is German Riesling. Now, this is hardly a new wine for me. In fact last week I went to a wine tasting featuring solely German Rieslings (post coming soon). However, what it did do is give me an excuse to get into a bottle that I’d purchased recently from my trip to The Sampler.

Wine: 2000 Riesling Feinherb, Weingut Stephan Ehlen, Mosel, Germany (£10). Yep, that’s right – an aged Mosel Riesling for £10. I couldn’t believe it either!

Sight: Golden yellow, short legs after swirling.

Smell: Off-dry, slightly sweet smell. Once swirled it gave off a subtle whiff of petrol.

Taste: Beautifully poised and balanced. Remarkable as to how fresh it tasted after fourteen years. Wonderfully clean and bright, with good acidity giving it an elegant body.

With food: We ate this with a spicy Rendang curry which went together brilliantly. The slightly sweet, yet acidic qualities of the wine were perfect for cutting through spice and fatty meat. Match made in heaven.

Conclusion: A thoroughly decent Riesling, with bonus scores for its value. 8.5/10.

I should say that this was the wine that I chose as I watched Germany win the World Cup Final with my (German) wife. I think I was pretty subtle with my allegiances…