Wines of the month

My birthday wines

2012-02-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

Danie de Wet Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - g/vg
Fresh cut green grass, gooseberries, hints of mangos, pungent green flavors on the palate, refreshing and light, perfect on a summer day.

Ewald Gruber Weinviertel DAC Reserve 2010 - vg
Fruit forward and spicy, quinces and pears, nice balanced acid structure, lingering, subtle oak gives extra length but not detectable on the nose, fulbodied at just 13% abv.

Las Moras Black Label Cabernet-Cabernet 2009 - g/vg
Very dark black hue, Super fruity, Cassis upfront, high alcohol shines through the fruit, red berries, super concentrated oak spice on the palate, manufactured wine but well made, lacks sense of place, lingering. With more air overripe flavs coming through,

Weingut Netzl Edles Tal 2009 - cork
Dark purple red, cork!

Wines of the vintage 2011 in Halbturn

2012-01-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

Welschrielsing
1. Etl g - 16
Fresh and spicy, green apple, lemon lime flavs, nice acid structure, some hints of reduction
in the aftertaste, some cold fermentation flavs
2. Thury ok - ow
Quite neutral on the nose, yellow apples, balanced palate, with more air, hints of pears
3. Artisan Wines g/vg - 17,5
Fruit forward, yellow apples and hay, intense, very good acid structure, lingering, with more air very expressive palate
4. Groesz g - 17,5
fruity, lemon lime, spicy, very good acid backbone, maybe a bit to much acid, lingering, with more air some hints of gherkins
5. Tischler Ok/g - 16,5
yellow apples, grapefruit, quite high acid structure, but not lingering,
6. Kiss Still ok ow
bit high thiol content, hubba bubba, hints of acetic acid, maybe very cold fermentation,
7. Etl g - 16
strange Schnitzel aroma upfront, with more air nice green apple, fulbodied, balanced.

Chardonnay
8. Tischler Ok/g - 17
Bit restrained, with more air nuts, full-bodied, like this Australian yeast, hints of reduction, rather high alc, some tannins detectable
9. Kiss Ok - 17
Pure banana, cold fermentation flavors, quite one dimensional but intense, no varietal aroma,
10. Pitzer Ok - ow
discreet nuttiness, hits of reduction, lacks some acid backbone, strange,
11. Groesz G/vg - 17,5
Fruit forward, intense and creamy, walnuts, quinces, pleasant, balanced, lingering
12. Etl Ok - 17
hints of wet paper, restrained, rather high acid structure but shows minerality, hints of cold Fermentation flavors, hints of bitterness,
13. Tischler Ok - ow
not perfectly clean, hints of gherkins, rather high acid structure, unbalanced, definitely some reduction aroma

Sauvignon Blanc
14. Thury G - Ow
gooseberries, green apples, intense, same aroma on the palate, lingering, green hints, bell pepper, cold tea
15. Artisan Wines vg - 17
lychee, exotic hints, complex, mix of green and exotic flavors, lingering, super intense,

Rose
16. Tischler G - 17
Strawberry yoghurt, balanced, intense, good, refreshing

Frizzante
17. Kiss Ok - 16
Nice collier, could be more upfront, discreet pears, quinces, super high CO2 content,
3 gram RS

Sankt Laurent
18. Groesz G/vg - 17,5
Fruity, intense sour cherries, hints of chocolate, very balanced, lingering, blackberries, some mushrooms, intense,

19. Etl G - 18
MLF aroma, super dark, bit undefined aroma, could be any variety, CO2 on the palate, very young, strong

20. Artisan Wines - g 17
Bit dusty, cherries, CO2 on the palate, nice, hints of reduction, needs time, very young, lingering

Pinot Noir
21. Tischler yech 17,5
Very reductive, sulfur components, rubber,

Zweigelt
22. Tischler Ok - 17,5
Very dark, powering alc, hints of reduction, very high alc, no real fruit, reductive, marmalade, drying,

23. Groesz G - 16,5
Fruity, intense, cherries, quite typical, fruity on the palate, powerful, lingering,

24. Perschy G - 18
Dark chocolate, hints of reduction, chocolate, lingering, powerful,

25. Kiss Still ok - 16,5
Cherries, hints of oxidation, alc on the nose,

26. Artisan Wines Vg - 16
Fruit forward, cherries, straightforward, light and easy drinking, typical

27. Groesz Vg - 17,5
Fruity, cherries, very fruity on the palate, very classy, pure Zweigelt, cassis,

28. Artisan Wines 2 vg - 17,5
Fruity, cherries, smooth, lingering, ready, Super fruity on the palate

29. Thury Vg - 18
Dark, super cherry flavor, fruit forward, some harsh tannins, needs time

30. Pitzer G - ow
Strange smell, oaky, hints of yeast, very smooth, lingering, ripe bananas, vanilla, on the edge of oxidation, cassis and eucalyptus, changes immensely very air, potential

31. Kiss G - 16
bit restrained, oaky, fruit overpowered, smooth tannins, lingering, good,

32. Perschy Vg - 18,5
Bit restrained, over ripeness, very smooth and soft, lingering and very powerful,

33. Pitzer Vg - 16
Powerful, dense color, oak, fruity, very fruity on the palate, bit young, CO2 on the palate,

34.Tischler 2 Ok/g - 17,5
Dark red, bit reductive, rubber, needs air, smooth tannins, lingering, young, CO2, with more air dark cherries

35. Kiss Ok - 17
Hints of overripe ness, dark cherries, powidl, high alc, smooth tannins but alcoholic touch n the finish, hints of oak in the aftertaste

36. Tischler 1 G - 17,5
Reductive, needs time, tannins, vanilla, CO2 on the palate, lingering, very young,

Blaufraenkisch
37. Groesz Ok - 17
Very dark, super young, bit MLF, CO2 on the palate, needs time, no real fruit, stinks a bit

38. Tischler 1 G - 18
Vanilla, bit CO2 on the nose, very dark, CO2 on the palate

39. Pitzer Vg - 18,5
Oaky, smooth vanilla flavor, sweet touch, quite ready, new world style, super soft, very modern, oaky sweet finish

40. Tischler G - 17
MLF touch, reductive, very smooth tannins, opens up with more air, but will be a quite typical style,

41. Kiss Ok - 16
Restrained, bitter flavors, hints of acetic,

Merlot
42. Etl G - 16
Fruity, berries, nice acid structure lingering, CO2 on the palate, very young,

43. Thury Yech - ow
Oxidative, not rating possible, juicy tannins,

44. Pitzer Vg - 18
Hints of bread, juicy, nice and fruit forward, dark cherries, hints of olives lingering

Syrah
45. Pitzer Vg - 18
Dark chocolate, smooth tannins, hints of vanilla, American oak, very smooth, lingering, quite powerful,

Cabernet Sauvignon
46. Thury g - 18
Iodine, salt, hints of green flavs,

Mum's birthday wines

2012-01-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

1. Keringer Welschriesling 2011 - good
Fresh and fruit forward, cold fermentation flavours, Sauvignon Blanc aroma, exotic, passion fruit, limes, maracuja, green grass, lingering, displays strong SB aroma, difficult to recognize as WR.

2. La Motte Sauvignon Blanc 2009 - ok
Matured, not bad, maybe 2010, shows clear ageing signs on the palate, still nice acid structure, hints of green grass, bell pepper, lingering.

3. Birgit Braunstein Leithaberg DAC 2008 - g/vg
Middle red hue, red berries, black pepper, fruity, bit lighter style, new style BF, good balance btw acid and tannins, juicy, lingering, velvety finish.

4. Altenburger Joiser Reben 2008 - vg(ZW/BF/ME)
Dark red hue, ruby port, rumtopf, not as fruity as 3., very velvety, hints of overripeness, blend, more full bodied, oak toasting detectable, lingering, quite a decent amount of oak.

5. Unger Capello 2003 - vg (BF/ZW/ME, just new oak)
Dark red hue, ripe and juicy, dark cherries, perfumed, meaty, pickled red cherries, cassis, juicy tannins, lingering, hints of pleasant bitterness, fulbodied, lingering.

6. Umathum Haideboden 2006 - vg
Not perfectly clear, maybe unfiltered, marjoram, toasty oakiness, very pleasant, Blood sausage, meaty, low acidity, spicy, lingering. On peak now. Will decline.

7. Lentsch BF Hofoertl 2007 - vg
Fruity, spicy, ripe, perfect now, bit stinky, super soft tannins, but nice acid structure, lingering.

Blind tasting with friends

2012-01-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

1. Stefanshof Mein Veltliner 2011 - good
Pale yellow hue, shows CO2 in the beginning, discreet notes of citrus fruits, hints of
Eiszyuckerl, bit covered aroma on the palate, tannins detectable, light and easy drinking.

2. Stefanshof Welschriesling 2011 - good
Middle yellow hue, subtle aroma of nuts and white pepper, some cold fermentation flavours, lemon lime aromas, nicely lively acid structure,

3. Stefanshof Chardonnay 2011 - ok/good
CO2 visible, middle yellow hue, very subdued aroma in the beginning, some flinty ness underneath, with more air some fermentation flavours, same flavours on the palate, nice acid structure, bit one dimensional, no chance to get the variety.

4. Lipizzaner Weinverbund GmbH Cuvée Weiss 2011 - ok/good
CO2 visible, middle yellow hue, white flowers, bit bee wax, somewhat of a mismatch btw acid and RS, hints of walnuts, unripe honey melon,

5. Stefanshof Spaetlese Cuvée Premium 2009 - ok
Light golden hue, honey, fig marmalade, orange zest, off-dry, lacks a bit acid backbone, somewhat plump,

6. Stefanshof Blauer Zweigelt 2009 - good
Middle red hue with purple reflexions, sour cherries, nice cherry red fruit character, fruity, with more air some hints of over ripeness, same over ripeness on the palate, very round, bit to much RS,

7. Stefanshof Blauer Zweigelt 2009 - good (gleicher Wein lt Prüfnummer, andere Etikette)
Middle red with purple reflexions, pronounced sour cherries, quite round but bit alcoholic finish, lingering, lacks a bit of acid structure.

8. Stefanshof Zweigelt Classic 2009 - vg
Dark red hue, purple rim, pleasantly bitter flavours upfront, Rose hip, some black berries and ripe red berries, good tannin structure, lingering. (first thought of Merlot, flavour profile definitely shows no Zweigelt cherries)

9. Blaufraenkisch Classic 2009 - ok
Very dark red hue, no really defined flavours, bitter on the palate, quite high alc, no sign of any variety, tannins and acid are here no friends,

10. Hillinger Flat Lake Zweigelt 2009 - ok/good
Dark red hue, some pickled red fruits, rumtopf, bit high alc detectable on the palate, somewhat cooked, soft tannins, lingering.

11. Hillinger Rotweincuvee Burgenland 2010 - ok/good
Dark red hue, sour cherries, quite good acid backbone, juicy tannins, lingering,

12. Flat Lake Top Limitation Gold 2008 - ok
Middle red hue, bit undefined fruits on the nose, porty notes with hefty alc grip on the palate, short.

13. Flat Lake Premium Selection 2009 - ok
Dark red hue, purple rim, somewhat cooked undefined flavours, high alc on the nose, too much alc on the palate, powerfull but boring, short.

14. Stefanshof Sternstund 2009 - g (blend of ME/CS)
Fruity, sour cherries, vannilla from American oak, round, bit too less acidity therefor alc on palate, lingering and consumer orientated produced.

15. Stefanshof Rotes Cuvée 2009 - g
Middle red hue, fruity, red berries, light and funny in style, off-dry, lingering and easy drinking.

Wine from Etna

2012-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Firriato Etna Rosse DOC 2008 - g
Middle red hue, bit dusty with red berries on the nose, rose hip tea, shows slightly overripe flavours too, warm, pleasantly harsh tannin structure, good length, easy drinking wine that would go well with Pizza and Pasta dishes

Sylvester wines

2012-01-01T02:25:00.000-08:00

Neil Ellis Pinotage 2004 - vg
Hints of leather and barnyard, South France, gamey, licorice, spicy, very powerful, lots of character, young, quite lean style, coffee from barrel toasting, garrique, lingering.

Herni Bourgeois Sancerre d'Antan 2009 - ext
Fresh and fruit forward, passion fruit, flinty hot stones in the summer, super elegant, a not in your face Sauvignon, subtle aroma of gooseberries, complex flavours changing with every sip and more air, displays a perfect combination of acidity and finest oak treatment on the palate, very lingering, ingenious!

Champagne Black Label Brut - vg
Yeasty, lingering bubbles, freshly grounded walnuts, shows some maturity on the palate, nice acid backbone gives length.

Wines of the festive season

2011-12-27T03:48:00.000-08:00

1. Weingut Sommer Muskateller Mumo 2011 - vg
Fruit forward style, musky, expressive varietal aroma, fresh and easy drinking, perfect as aperitif. Innovative QR-Code link on the back label offers more information.

2. Weingut Sommer Sauvignon Blanc Wolfsbach 2011 - vg/del
Explosive flavours right from the start, gooseberries, bell pepper, full bunch of exotic fruit, soft and round on the palate, lingering, very nice!

3. Steenberg 1682 MCC - g
Super sparkling, nose of yeast and nutmeg, maybe a bit to matured, shows hints of citrus fruit on the palate, maybe not an optimal bottle as the cork is rather small.

4. Kloster am Spitz Muschelkalk 2010 - g/vg
Needs some air to reveal aroma, discreet flavours of nuts and almonds, nice round on the palate with enough acid backbone, lingering.

5. Hanes Reeh Heideboden Weiss 2010 - g/vg
Shows CO2 after opening, hints of citrus fruits, bit restrained aroma, grapefruit and tangerines on the palate, pleasant acid backbone. Much better on the second day.

6. Loimer Riesling Terrassen 2010 - vg
Golden yellow hue, distinctive flavours of ripe peaches, hints of tangerines and under notes of lime, with more air waves of honey comes through, detectable residual sugar keeps acid in balance and gives length, but on the palate it creats a bit of a mismatch, discreet mineraltiy.

7. Von Winning Kalkofen GG 2010 - del
Golden yellow hue, powerful mineraltiy of wet slate, pure vineyard peaches upfront, tangerines on the palate, needs more air to show full range of flavours, super lingering, very precise acid structure in close to perfection balance with RS, too young. After several hours wine shows distinctive aroma of fire stone, very lingering.

8. Umathum Pinot Gris 2008 - g
Bit restrained in the beginning, quinces, hints of spice, bold wine, rather low in acidity and high in alcohol, would go well with food but is to bold on its own.

9. Norbert Bauer Gruener Veltliner Haidberg 2007 - ok/g
Upfront smokiness from barrel ageing, shows some age on the palate, powerful, bit one dimensional, not much aroma, wine dominated by oak.

10. Prieler Chardonnay Sinner 2008 - vg/del
Delicate nuttiness upfront, fresh bisquit, mineralilty shines through, subtle oak and nice acid gives backbone, well balanced and lingering.

11. Mayer am Pfarrpflatz Wiener Gemischter Satz 2010 - vg
Fruit forward, spicy, tangerines, full and round, well balanced, subtle hints of orange peelings, lingering.

12. Danie de Wet Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - g/vg
Upfront gooseberries, green hints, intense bell pepper and lemon and lime flavours, same aromas on the palate, perfect aperitif or pool side wine.

Australian tasting

2011-10-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

An internal tasting at Wein&Co was hold quite recently to show some new wines to the staff. Winemaker Tom Barry from Jim Barry and Berthold Salomon attended the tasting and gave us some more insights about the wine country Australia.

1. Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz 2006 - ok/good
ruby red, red berries, hints of cassis, some harsh tannins on mid palate, high alc. in combination with some RS, acquired taste ... quote "that'll keep your party going".

2. Barry Lodge Hill Riesling 2010 - vg
super typical Riesling nose, flinty, citrus and slate, shows very nice minerality, very good acid backbone, with more air some petrol detectable.
(special climate 300 - 500m above sea level, cool nights, 2 hours from Adelaide)

3. Salomon Bin4Ban Shiraz&Co 2010 - g/vg
ruby red hue, purple reflections, musty, cassis juicy, concentrated palate but a bit short, good new world wine, fruit forward and easy drinking but too high alc.
(made with own and purchased fruit, 2010 was a very good year)

4. Salomon Norwood Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - vg
12 mo used oak, very fruit forward, cassis and black berries, concentrated like juicy, typical Australian for me, mouthfilling.

5. Finniss River Shiraz 2008 - vg/del
fruit forward style, black olives, black berries, bit jam, super soft tannin structure, very powerful, bit alcoholic on the palate.

6. Finniss River Cabernet Sauvignon - vg
5% Merlot, 18 mo 40% to 50% new oak, 300 liters hogheads, super fruity, pure cassis, very good tannin structure, but soft round tannins, powerful on the palate, lingering, hints of plums, just tiny hints of mintyness.

7. Finniss River Shiraz 1998 - still ok
middle red with orange/brown reflections, matured nose with beginning oxidation, orange marmalade, leather, with some more air Brett comes through, near dead.

8. Penfolds BIN 138 Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre 2007 - g
ruby red hue but not as dark as Finniss River wines, some hints of Brett but still overwhelming fruit on the nose, somewhat average, dry tannins on mid palate, spicy.

9. Penfolds Pinot Noir Cellar Reserve 2007 - del
middle red hue with some orange/yellow/brownish reflections, quite typical in color, Almdudler, herbs, soft tannin structure, shows an nice combination of tannins, acid structure and alcohol on the palate, pleasing, lingering.

10. Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2004 - vg/del
unfiltered, deep brooding black color, plums and black olives paste, very concentrated flavor profile, fruit forward and really full bodied on the palate, not a hint of maturation, lingering, single vineyard wine, 80% new oak for 18 month, made in 5 ton concrete fermenters.

11. Barry Hill Shiraz 2009 - g/vg
purple red hue, super fruit forward, plummy and ripe, sweet juicy tannins, bit unbalanced alcohol.

12. Barry McRae Wood Shiraz 2006 - del
black hue, upfront spicyness, black pepper, black olives, concentrated, good balance btw acid and tannin structure, very full bodied, nearly to much as I could drink a 1/16 !

13. Barry First XI Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - del/ext
Coonnawarra fruit, 5hrs from Adelaide, hints of eucalytus and mint, still very young, cool flavors, very lingering and very stuctured, will need a decent amount of time!

14. Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2006 - ext
super dark red hue, black to the rim, whiskey touch (in Sauternes barrels) smokey, black pepper and super concentrated tannins structure, opens up with more air, juicy and extremely lingering, chocolate and caramel, multilayered, changing with every sip, still far to young, 100% new oak, 95% french, no filtration.

15. Salomon Alttus Magnum 2003 - g
unfiltered, evolved flavour profile on the nose, hints of fruits and spices, declining, soft tannins, middle length,

Best SA wines from our trip

2011-06-03T05:07:00.000-07:00

Finally I've found the time to sort out my holiday stuff from our trip to Cape Town and the Western Cape area. Due to the sheer unbelievelable amount of very good wines this blog post features just the very best wines for my palate (Rating at least vg/del). We didn't always agree on the rating of these wines but I think that's actually impossible as we tried some 200 wines from about 30+ estates in 2 weeks!

All wines were tasted open in the several tasting venues of the wineries or accompanied lunch or dinner.

1. Glen Carlou Gravel Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - del
minty, eucalyptus, super typical SA Cab style, some nice oak on the nose, same flavors on the palate, complex and lingering, shows blackberries and coffe with more air, changing.

2. Glen Carlou Quartz Stone Chardonnay 2009 - del
slmond, nutty, complex flavor profile, some oak, pungent butterscotch, herbal, fynbos, very good acid structure, super lingering, multilayered.

3.Vrede en Lust Viognier 2010 - del
pure apricot and peaches, super intense, quince and pears, soft and mellow with good acid backbone, very nicely integrated oak.

4.Waterkloof Circle of Life White 2009 - vg/del
blend of SB/CB/SE, 15% oaked, green hints, multilayered, fynbos, very good acid structure, herbaceous, lingering with a spicy finish. Should go very well with food.

5. Waterkloof Circle of Life Red 2008 - vg/del
70%CF/10%PV/10%SZ/10%ME - blend with 12 months oak, ripe, black olives, soft and juicy tannin structure, lingering, not far from peak.

6. De Grendel Pinot Gris 2010 - vg/del
fruity, nutty, faintest hints of oak, smooth and complex, very good acid structure, herbaceous, some lime in the finish.

7. De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - del
super elegant wine, very pure and pristine flavors, subtle green and exotic, flinty, perfect acidity, lingering, very good aftertaste, quinces in the end.

8. De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - vg/del
boxwood, tinned peas, prototype of SA SB, zesty, lingering with very good acid backbone.

9. De Grendel Winifred 2009 - del
A blend of SE 44%, CH 26% and Viognier 30%, buttery oaky style, lime, flinty, very elegant structure with good acid backbone, multilayered, very good length, complex flavor profile.

10. De Grendel Shiraz 2007 - ext
black pepper combined with black olives upfront, mix of black forest fruits, spicy on the palate, lingering, very well integrated oak, multilayered, super good!!

11. De Grendel Rubaiyat 2007 - ext
Blend of 86% CS, ME, Malbec and Petit Verdot matured in 100% new French oak, mocca and black berries, soft but very pungent structure, violets, mulitlayered, black fruits.

12. Cape Point Vineyards Woolworths Lim. Rel. Sauvingon Blanc 2010 - ext
tropical style, complex and multilayered, some green asparaugs, gooseberries, changing with O2, flinty, shows super mineraltiy on midpalate.

13. Cape Point Vineyards Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - del/ext
green pepper, hay, ripe apples, multilayered, complex tropical fruit, mango.

14. Waterford Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2009 - del
exotic, gooseberry, powerful minerality on the palate, super flinty, elegant. complex.

15. Waterford Chardonnay Reserve 2009 - del
oak and butterscotch, lingering, nice acid backbone, caramel, still very young.

16. Kevin Arnold Shiraz 2008 - del/ext
elegant, spicy, ripe cherries, soft tannin structure, lingering, liorice, hints of violets, super.

17. Waterford Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - del
fruitforward CS style, Cassis, sweet licorice, soft tannin strucutre, lingering.

18. Waterford The Library Collection 2004 - ext
fruitforward, cassis, shows minerality, sfot tannin strucutre, lingering, velvety, still young, moccha.

19. Waterford The Jem 2006 - del
bit restrained, elegant, cigarbox, super lingering, soft tannin strucutre, smoke.

20. Heatherleigh The Family Reserve NV - del
superfruity, musky, roses, light and fresh, chocolate, lime, elegant, lingering.

21. Rust en Vrede Cabernet Sauvingon 2008 - vg/del
Cassis, ripe blackberry, licorice, very well integrated oak, hints of sweet vanilla, moccha, sweet tannin struct, lingering.

22. Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Shiraz 2008 - vg/del
sweet vanilla, new world style, super soft, super dense, needs time, lingering, extremely concentrated, not my style of wine though.

23. Rust en Vrede 1694 Classification 2007 - del/ext
very elegant, spicy, black pepper, lingering, cassis, licorice, super soft tannins, elegant structure.

24. Ernie Els Merlot 2009 - del
fruity and elegant, red berries, super soft tannins, lingering, cherries, very balanced.

25. Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - del
fruity, cassis, blackberries, very soft tannins, still very young, lingering, ripe tannins, very elegant.

26. Ernie Els Proprietor's Shiraz 2009 - ext
spicy, violets, floral, nice balance in acid and tannin structure, ingenious length.

27. Ernie Els Proprietor's Blend 2008 - del
cassis and spices upfront, ripe red fruit, multilayered, chocolate, good acid/tannin backbone, very well integrated oak.

28. Ernie Els Signature Blend 2006 - del
intense, moccha, chocolate, licorice, super lingering, soft tannins, sturcutred, still young.

29. Tokara Reserve White 2009 - del
blend of 70%SB and 30% SE, well judged oak, fruits with underlying minerality, very balanced, multilayered, lingering with boxwood and gooseberries in the finish.

30. Tokara Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Noble Late Harvest 2009 - vg/del
fruity, lovely, accacia, white flowers, honeysuckle, nice blalance between acid and sugar, fresh palate, lingering, very nice.

31. Thelema Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - vg/del
grassy green style, melons, goosberries, very balanced, lingering.

32. Thelema Sutherland Chardonnay 2009 - vg/del
fresh citrus flavors, hints of oak, white flowers, complex and lingering, oak supports wine beautifully on the palate.

33. Thelema Sutherland Shiraz 2007 - vg/del
red berries, spice, wonderful nose, super soft tannins on midpalate, lingering and very balanced.

34. Thelema Sutherland Cabernet Sauvignon / Petit Verdoot 2008 - vg/del
pure blackberries, spicy, black currant, lingering and bold.

35. Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - vg/del
fruit forward style, cassis, bold but elegant, black currant, super soft tannins, lingering.

36. Thelema The Mint 2008 - ext
super minty, eucalyptus, intense multilayered palate, cassis and black berries underlying, powerfull on mid palate, lingering, very distinctive style.

37. Neil Ellis Elgin Chardonnay 2009 - vg/del
upfront butterscotch and caramel, white flower flavors, balanced, still young, flinty minerality, elegant.

38. Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - vg/del
black currant, black forest fruit, nicely structured, lingering, still young but with very good potential.

39. Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection Pinot Noir 2008 - vg/del
fruity and bold, moccha, soft and balanced, will need time to integrate oak, underlaying varietal aroma. lingering.

40. Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - vg/del
fresh, green style, gooseberry, flinty Constanstia style, showing underlying minerality.

41. Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2010 - del
grassy green style with pungent minerality, flinty, lingering, complex palate with nice gooseberries in the finish.

42. Buitenverwachting Cabernet Franc 2006 - del
fruity, cassis, black olives, intense, super soft tannin structure, black forest fruit. lingering.

43. Buitenverwachting Rough Diamond 2006 - del/ext
60% Petit Verdot and 40% Malbec, 1st fill barrels for 24 to 30 months, intense, black truffels, opens up with more O2, revealing lyers of black fruit, very soft tannin structure, shows some overripeness in the finish, drink now as it's close to perfection.

44. Buitenverwachting Christine 2007 - vg/del
black and white pepper, gunpowerder, multilayered and lingering, will need more time.

45. Constantia Glen Glen Three 2007 - del
100% new oak, smoky, black fruits, tobacco and moccha, very strucutred, still young, potential.

46. Constantia Glen Glen Five 2007 - del
oak, cherries, elegant and layered, black currant, fruity, still young, very structured, tobacco and red fruits in the finish.

47. Cape Chamonix Sauvingon Blanc Reserve 2009 - vg/del
11 months in 1st and 2nd fill barrels, honey, green figs, very well integrated oak, lingering, very balanced, elegant, sublte.

48. Cape Chamonix Chardonnay 2009 - vg/del
11 months 80% new oak, well judeged oak treatment, line, hhints of vanilla, unddelying notes of biscuit, ingering.

49. Cape Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve 2009 - del/ext
16 months barrel fermented, red fruit, nice typical color, elegant and fruity, fresh, very good balance btw acid and tannin, lingering , violets.

50. Cape Chamonix Pinotage 2008 - del
24 months oak, fruity, spicy, red fruits, sweet black licorice, elegant but structured, very beautiful tannins.

51. Cape Chamonix Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - del/ext
3yr oak, 50% new, super elegant, fruity, CAssis, lingering, strucutred bot soft tannins, very balalcned, super nice wine.

52. Cape Chamonix Troika 2008 - ext
52% CF, 38% CS, 10% ME, CF driven flavor profile, violets, spice, fred fruit, very complex and multilayered, keeps changing with every minute, close to perfection, lingering, maybe the best red wine this year.

53. Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2008 - del
27 months used oak treatment, fresh and elegant style, gripping, powerful on midpalate, lingering.

Some other superb wines were from Klein Constantia Estate. Due to the fact we've tasted the wines during my birthday party no written commmets exist. A must is definitely the MCC 2005, SB Perdeblokke, Estate Chardonnay, Mde Marlbrook, Cabernet Sauvingon and last but not least the famous Vin de Constance.

Hillinger blind tasting

2011-01-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

Within the scope of an employee training we had a nice blind tasting with Wein&Co boss Heinz Kammerer and Winemaker Leo Hillinger. Aim of this tasting was to compare the range of Hillinger wines in comparison to more or less equal priced other wines and there were some surprises ...

Note: all wines tasted blind. Numbers in brackets are showing the rank within the flight. First number my ranking/second number overall ranking)

Flight 1: Grüner Veltliner

1. Phillip Zull GV Weinviertel DAC 2009 - ok - (2/3)

pale yellow, herbal, little bit tannic, very lean style, some hints of tannin on the palate too.

2. Leo Hillinger GV 2009 - ok - (3/3)

maybe some oak, shows some minerality, herbal, could be a PG from Collio, rustic palate with hints of tannin, aged.

3. Markus Huber Obere Steigen 2009 - good - (1/1)

soft with nutty flavors on the nose, white pepper, good length with nice typicity, gets more fruity with more O2.

Flight 2: Sauvignon Blanc

4. Weingut Lackner-Tinnacher SB STK 2009 - good/very good - (2/2)

upfront pure lychee juice, bunch of exotic fruit flavors, voluptuous, good length, very soft on the palate.

5. Cloudy Bay SB 2010 - very good - (1/1)

fruit forward, grassy style but with exotic components, stinging nettles, good length, some gooseberries, typical New World style.

6. Hillinger SB 2009 - ok - (3/3)

rather neutral with prominent acid structure, maybe a weak WR, some tannins perceptable on the palate, short.

Flight 3: Zweigelt

7. Hillinger ZW 2009 - good/very good - (2/1)

middle red hue, pure cherries flavor upfront, very youthfull with hints of MLF flavors on the palate, very soft tannin structure, good length.

8. Gernot Heinrich ZW 2009 - good/very good - (1/2)

cherries and spices, good acid and tannin structure, bit more comlex than 1, good length.

9. Bründelmayer ZW 2009 - ok - (3/3)

fruity with hints of herbs, some cherries flavors, Cranberry, some oak perceptible on the palate, faintest hints of Brett, Brett flavors becoming more prominent with more O2.

Flight 4: Blaufränkisch

10. Gesellmann BF Hochberc 2007 - very good - (2/1)

rather pale red hue, bit acetone, very oaky but lean style, harsh tannins and prominent acid structure, will need more time.

11. Umathum BF Kirschgarten 2006 - (good) - (3/3)

overripe, plums and black berries, very soft in comparison to 1, bit alcoholic on the palate, maybe not a perfect bottle condition.

12. Hillinger BF Terroir 2007 - very good/delicious - (1/2)

spicy and herbal, bit tangerine, soft tannin structure with peppery spice on the palate, Christmas spices, complex, bit earthy, very good length, changes with every sip, very nice wine.

Flight 5: Pinot Noir

13. Bouchard Pere & Fils Nuits St. Georges 2008 - very good/delicious - (1/3)

pale red hue, filigree, herbal, red berries, Cranberries, very good balance between acid and tannin structure, very elegant and complex, Burgundy like, still young, opens up with more O2 and sensations are changing with every sip.

14. Hillinger PN 2006 - yech - (ex/1)

stinks, smoked gouda, lactic, second bottle only sligthly better than first.

15. Josef Pöckl PN 2008 - good/very good - (2/2)

very oaky, much toasting, moccha, oak flavors are very dominant, actually this could be every variety, very good length.

Flight 6: Red Blends

16. Weingut Igler Ab Ericio 2008 - ok - (3/1)

Brett and hints of acetone, good tannin structure, green tomato leafs, vegetal, good length.

17. Chateau Monbousquet 2008 - very good/delicious - (1/3)

oaky spices, warm flavors, pretty young, pungent flavors on the palate, super length, complex and lingering, will need more time.

18. Hillinger Hill1 2008 - good - (2/2)

overripe, vanilla and spices, toasted oak, sweet almonds, cloves, good length.

Flight 7: Sweet wine

19. Hillinger Hill3 2005 - very good - (2/2)

amber colour, fruity, honey, bit acetone, very sweet on the palate, good length, lacks some acid structure, too voluptuous, baroque.

20. Kracher Grande Cuvee Nr.6 2008 - delicious/extraordinary - (1/1)

liquid gold, fruity, good balance between sweetness and acid structure, honey, bees wax, super length, faintest hints of acetone, absolutely stunning wine.

21. Rieussec 2008 - good/very good - (3/3)

restrained, rather oaky on the nose, white blossoms, nice sweetness but unbalanced rather alcoholic finish, black tea flavor with more O2.

Accomodation for South Africa

2011-01-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

Todays birthday party was reason enough to share some nice wines with my family. As our holiday is just two weeks ahead we tasted 2 wines as accomodation for this. Both of them are all time favs and (fortunately enough) available in Austria.

Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon „The Mint“ 2008 - very good/delicious

dark red hue, upfront eucalyptus and mint notes, after eight, bitter chocolate, hints of strong cold earl grey, powerfull palate with gorgeous structure, lingering, black pepper on midpalate, oaky finish, still very young, potential, I just love the smell of this wine!

Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - very good

pale gold hue with green reflections, grassy style, bell pepper, some gooseberries, powerfull fresh green grass on the palate, tinned peas, multilayered, quite lean despite the 13%abv, flinty, very good length, nicely integrated acid structure, still very fresh,

Wine of the month March 2009

2009-04-16T03:24:00.000-07:00

The wine of the month March 2009 is from Spain, the country with about 1,2 mio. hectares of vineyards. Actually I am not a great fan of Rioja wines but this one is really terrific.

Wine of the month March 2009:

Rioja Reserva 2004 from Bodegas Muga - very good

still purple hue, very fruit driven and spicy, lush aromas, ripe juicy tannin structure, very spicy on the palate, lingering.

find some more infos at www.bodegasmuga.com

Wine of the month February 2009

2009-03-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

My wine of the month is from Großhöflein / Neusiedlersee-Hügelland. Very low yielding vines on chalky soil are the base for this typical Pinot Noir. I have tasted this wine on a nearly regulary basis and the development is definitely promising.

The wine of the month February 2009 is

Pinot Noir "Kreideberg" 2006 from Weingut Wagentristl - very good

pale red hue, still purple colored, chalky, iod, spices and cinnnamon in the nose, hints of oak, truffel scent, very smooth tannins, quite lingering.

Rudi Wagentristl, the winemaker, is also publishing a blog called Rudi's WeinBlog

Find some interesting insights in the world of his wines.

Wine of the month January 2009

2009-02-01T04:37:00.000-08:00

The appelation Minervois is one of my favorites french vineyard sites, especially from "La Livinière". The wines from the South of France are showing generally a great range of flavors underlined with subtle minerality.

The wine of the month January 2009 is from Domaine de Courbissac named "Pandora". Unlike the famous box this wine is not evil at all. It showed gorgeous fruit and minerality on the nose. As the wine is Syrah based one can find a bunch of different herbs and spices on the palate.

Domaine de Courbissac "Pandora" 2006 - very good - €15 (La Cave) - La Livinière

more infos: La Cave and Domaine de Courbissac

Wine of the month December

2009-01-09T05:57:00.000-08:00

Der Wein des Monats Dezember ist aus dem Weinbaugebiet Carnuntum vom Weingut Markowitsch. Gekostet wurde er von mir im Pub Klemo.

Cuvee "M1" 2003 vom Weingut Markowitsch - delicious/extraordindary

extremly fruity, bold wine, excellent balanced, pure power, soft tannins, endlessly long.

Link: Weingut Markowitsch

Wine of the month November

2008-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Der Wein des Monats November ist ein Champagner. Gekostet wurde er von mir bei einem Trade tasting im Le Cru Le Cru - 100% Champagne - demnächst in Wien einer Champagnerbar im 1. Wiener Bezirk.

Der Wein des Monats November 2009 ist:

Lenoble Gentilhomme Blanc de Blanc 1999

wine of the month October

2008-11-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

Nachdem das Blog-schreiben doch eine ziemlich zeitaufwendige Sache ist und ich ja damit nicht mein Geld verdiene, finde ich erst jetzt wieder die Zeit einen Wein des Monats zu posten.

Der beste verkostete Wein des Oktober ist:

Gabarinza 2006 vom Weingut Gernot Heinrich

Ich hatte im Laufe des Oktobers mehrere Male die Gelegenheit diesen Wein (verdeckt und offen) zu verkosten und wurde immer von der eindrucksvollen Qualität überzeugt.

Der Wein besticht durch die saubere Machart, die komplexen Aromen und vor allen durch die strukturgebenden sanften Tannine.

Link: Weingut Gernot und Heike Heinrich/Gols

wine of the month May

2008-06-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

The wine of the month May is again a Sauvignon Blanc. I tasted this wine twice in "The Nose Bar" and enjoyed it really much. SB is one of the really thriving varieties here!!

Very clear flavors of asparagus, peas, lime and lemon on the nose, but on the palate a complete other dimension with exotic fruit like melons, passion fruit and pineapple.

Ecology Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Alc. 13%

wine of origin: Overberg

website:

Paardenkloof Estate - Ecology Wines, Botriver, South Africa

Wine of the month April

2008-05-17T03:57:00.000-07:00

Uiuiuiui .. diesen Monat bin ich aber spät dran. Nichts desto trotz hat sich wieder ein Wein von all den anderen verkosteten Weinen abheben können. Ich hab den Wein nicht in der Kellerei selbst sondern in Lisas Little Wine Shop in Kalk Bay verkostet und auch gleich ein Flasche gekauft. Das nennt man überzeugt!!

SB Crystallum 2007 von Andrew and Peter-Allan Finlayson, Walker Bay Region

sehr intensive Nase nach Spargel, Zitrusfrüchten, frischen gemähten Gras aber auch exotische Noten, am Gaumen dominiert von einer Säurestruktur die jedem Welschriesling das Wasser reichen kann, langer Abgang, sehr gut.

Link zur Kellerei: Crystallum Wines - Walker Bay Wine of Origin

Wine of the month March

2008-04-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

Vor zwei Wochen waren wir in einer kleinen Kellerei in der Walker Bay Area.

Beaumont Chenin Blanc Hope Margruite 2006

sehr intensive Aromen und auch ein wenig Holz am Gaumen. Ein wirklich wunderbarer Wein von einer besonderen Kellerei. Einziges Problem: nur 2 Flaschen pro Person verfügbar.

Fast vergessen ..

2008-03-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Durch den Lesestress habe ich ganz vergessen den Wein des Monats Februar einzutragen.

Ich hab ihn hier in Südafrika gekostet und auch gleich ein paar Flaschen gekauft um einen kleinen Vorrat für die nächsten 5 Monate zu haben, die ich noch hier bin.

Wein des Monats Februar:

Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 "The Mint"

fruchtige Nase nach Minze und Eukayptus, gute Struktur am Gaumen und das Holz ist sehr gut eingebunden, der Alk auch, was hier schon fast an ein Wunder grenzt, da viele Weine extrem alkoholisch sind.

Wein des Monats Jänner

2008-02-01T04:19:00.000-08:00

Nach den vielen verkosteten Weinen dieses Monats war die Entscheidung wirklich sehr schwer, welcher den Titel Wein des Monats bekommen soll. Aber ich habe mich zu einer Entscheidung durchgerungen und mein Wein des Monats Jänner ist der:

Queulat Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 von Ventiquero aus Chile

Nächstes Monat wird es sicher noch spannender, da dann auch die vielen Weine die ich im Urlaub in Südafrika verkoste bei der Entscheidung mit dabei sind.

2008-01-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

Nachdem das erste Monat noch nicht um ist, gibts auch noch keinen Wein des Monat. Aber die Spannung steigt und das Rennen um den ersten Platz ist erst am 31.1. zu Ende.