I spent a quick weekend visiting my mother and digging out some of the wines I had left in her basement over the years. One of those wines was the 2001 Mayr-Nusser Sdtiroler Lagrein Riserva which we opened with dinner. It was nothing too complex but perfectly resolved mid-weight supple wine with brambly berry flavors and a lovely porky Northern Rhone srah-esque aromatic edge. Easy to drink and very very comforting for me. Nothing mind-bending but there was something about this wine on release that tapped into my sensual comfort zone and it does the same now.
The next day we had a small party with some of my mothers friends and I was charged with finding some wines for outdoors with the grill. I started with a liter of 2008 Schwarzbck Grner Veltliner which was a delightfully refreshing stream of green minerally firm juciness. This was $13.50 and not the cheapest of the Big Liter Buys (or am I on old prices) but the staff claimed it was better in 2008 than the Hofer they usually stock, and I would definitely purchase again for parties.
I was told by the same retail staff that the 2008 Hpler Grner Veltliner would be a slight step up from the Schwarzbck but I didnt think so. It tended towards neutral and acceptable but that was about it. (And it was screwcapped so definitely not corked!)
For red wine, I figured I could satisfy the fruit lovers with 2007 Cuve Slectione par Kermit Lynch Ctes du Rhne and I suppose I did, but I didnt really satisfy myself! Im not the hugest grenache fan but I can appreciate many Southern Rhne wines. However, this just seemed too jammy and knotted and blocky and not at all harmonious. Didnt really smooth out on the second day either. Im not sure even hardcore Ctes du Rhne fans would like it and there are probably a lot of other better examples for $14. But I could be wrong.
The next day we had a small party with some of my mothers friends and I was charged with finding some wines for outdoors with the grill. I started with a liter of 2008 Schwarzbck Grner Veltliner which was a delightfully refreshing stream of green minerally firm juciness. This was $13.50 and not the cheapest of the Big Liter Buys (or am I on old prices) but the staff claimed it was better in 2008 than the Hofer they usually stock, and I would definitely purchase again for parties.
I was told by the same retail staff that the 2008 Hpler Grner Veltliner would be a slight step up from the Schwarzbck but I didnt think so. It tended towards neutral and acceptable but that was about it. (And it was screwcapped so definitely not corked!)
For red wine, I figured I could satisfy the fruit lovers with 2007 Cuve Slectione par Kermit Lynch Ctes du Rhne and I suppose I did, but I didnt really satisfy myself! Im not the hugest grenache fan but I can appreciate many Southern Rhne wines. However, this just seemed too jammy and knotted and blocky and not at all harmonious. Didnt really smooth out on the second day either. Im not sure even hardcore Ctes du Rhne fans would like it and there are probably a lot of other better examples for $14. But I could be wrong.