The Fuss: Sancerre and Alsace

originally posted by Filippo Mattia Ginanni:

2007 Sebastien Riffault Sancerre Akmenine... dense/undistringuishable/pink grapfruit/herbal/stony/gooseberries/then funny again/rubber/iodium/salt/then undistinguishable/quasi oxidized, longish/pure in the palate/then foggy again/does not take one way or another/interesting/better defined than the nose/acidity in the right place/and saltiness.

it's 2009, please take a stance. Either you go for the skin/orange/oxidized or you turn to purity. Riffault style is neither. I am boring so I will stick to Cotat & The Usual Suspects
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I thought the 2006 Akmnin was interesting in that rich tactile way but the 2007 seemed boring and wishywashy just as you said. Not sure why. The vintage? I guess they haven't mastered their style?

Either way it didn't make much difference to me and I had no plans to actually pay money for the 2006 and definitely won't buy the 2007 either.
 
my favorite rieslings to date have all been austrian.....oh, and interesting notes, but those slashes you use are like pokes in my eyes. i see them more than the notes.
 
originally posted by scottreiner:
2007 Sebastien Riffault Sancerre Akmenine...
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i've always preferred the skeveldra.
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My taste of the 2007 version was pungent and non-descript along the same lines as the 2007 Akmnin. But, it was just one taste/one vintage, etc.

Why do you usually prefer it?
 
- Sancerre. Rashaan, the question is at 15/20 there is plenty of delicious Loire stuff (Boulay/Cotat/Vatan and moving out Belliviere 2004 Calligramme at 22, it's stunning albeit a different animal) and I am not sure I cannot be bother to understand the wine/winemaking philosophy. It was just an odd wine that I appreciated maybe a tad more than the tasting note but I know I am a lazy ass.
- Riesling. It's either Germany or Austria (have not had time to explore this region in detail. I know the story about the too young CFE but so far no Riesling (and at large producer from Alsace) made me jump off my chair. No big deal when there is so much good stuff around. I can live without some grapes or on a bigger scale, do we really need Alsace ? IMHO, no. (Yeah this is dismissive, quick, rushed, unsubstantiated judgement)
- Notes. Yeah Tom Hill/Bill Nanson/Weimax. I like separating the blah blah (italian for speaking) from the glu glu (italian for drinking)
 
originally posted by Thor:
Yeah this is dismissive, quick, rushed, unsubstantiated judgement
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Obviously.

Boxler Sommerberg (not the JV) or Brand hasn't done it for you, either?
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Noted. Will try to get some. There is always hope.

Late addition: in the UK this wine is 25 => No thanks unless it proves to be a hell of a bottle.

But will try one for the heck of it, afterall it's a Grand Cru...
 
do we really need Alsace ? IMHO, no.
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I don't know what 'we' you are talking about. For you, perhaps. For me, sure. I don't buy much Alsatian wine myself either. But beyond that everyone is going to have their own preference.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
do we really need Alsace ? IMHO, no.
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I don't know what 'we' you are talking about. For you, perhaps. For me, sure. I don't buy much Alsatian wine myself either. But beyond that everyone is going to have their own preference.
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Of course I meant for me... Wine Disorderers can drink truck loads... What I mean is that it would take me so much time to understand the region that I'd like to devote my efforts to other region (starting from Burgundy and the Mosel)...
 
originally posted by Filippo Mattia Ginanni:
do we really need Alsace ?
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The French often say that it's good to spend some time away from France in order to appreciate it even more when they come back. Maybe Alsace can be used in that way, for wine.
 
Boxler Sommerberg (not the JV) or Brand hasn't done it for you, either?
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Noted. Will try to get some. There is always hope.

Late addition: in the UK this wine is 25 => No thanks unless it proves to be a hell of a bottle.

But will try one for the heck of it, afterall it's a Grand Cru...
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I don't understand an objection to that price. It's one of the best wines of the region, assuming it's not the JV bottling. You think it should be maybe five, six pounds? (It's nearly given away by comparison at the domaine, for what it's worth.) Honestly, it's grossly underpriced given what Trimbach's rieslings are getting these days...though less so here in the States, "thanks" to the importer.

But again, trying it young won't tell you much if you're not already listening to the wine, or at least prepared to listen. Though it will tell you more than CFE (or Clos Ste-Hune) do in their youth. Those aren't just 15/20-year wines like the Boxler, they're wines that need that age to hint at their potential.
 
Thor,

At around 25, there is an orgy of top level Auslese: I have in front of me JJ Prum 2008's prices and the Wehlener Sonnenuhr is around 23 and if you look hard/long enough you can find the 2005 for 25. JJ needs time to develop. Maybe Boxler is the equivalent of JJ. Then you have many GG, for the fashionistas, in the same price range and I can't talk about Austria (though I can see Nikolahiof vom Stein from the 2006 Vintage is also around 25) as I don't know the region.

IMHO, it's a matter of opportunity costs. And above that, of personal taste.

Btw I am reading on Alsace on your Blog right now!
 
My question:

Can the average middle class person afford to drink the Trimback Cuve Frdric Emile?

At this point, the middle class can no longer touch the Clos-St-Hune!
 
Filippo,

German Auslese and Alsatian Riesling (in its proper form) are not even remotely interchangeable in style or purpose. If you bring the Grosses Gewachs wines into the discussion (a better comparison) then you are dealing with wines that cost the same or more than wines like Boxler Brand or CFE.

As for absolutequality levels, I would put Boxler & Trimbach in the same ring with Prum, Donnhoff and their peers in Germany.
 
originally posted by David M. Bueker:
Filippo,

German Auslese and Alsatian Riesling (in its proper form) are not even remotely interchangeable in style or purpose. If you bring the Grosses Gewachs wines into the discussion (a better comparison) then you are dealing with wines that cost the same or more than wines like Boxler Brand or CFE.

As for absolutequality levels, I would put Boxler & Trimbach in the same ring with Prum, Donnhoff and their peers in Germany.
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Daivd,

duly noted. What about Austria (not a flame just do not know the country) ?

F.
 
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