Saina Nieminen
Saina Nieminen
Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc 1996 - Vin de Pays de l'Hrault; 15; label
A weird blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin and Petit Manseng each about 20% with the remaining 20% from "rare grape varieties from all over the world," as their web site states (anyone know what these rare grapes are?). Refreshingly low alcohol of 12%.
Deep, very mature colour. The scent has lovely, honeyed sweetness and much floral fireworks, but all in a very refreshing way rather than the cloying way that I often find Viognier. Nicely mellowed with age, but lively and faintly sweet. Persistent and moreish. Though completely different from Riesling in its fruit profile, this still strikes me as essentially made up of the same proportions as mature Riesling: aromatic, sweet fruit, lively and refreshing, honeyed. I thought it was rather lovely.
Brklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Germpel Riesling Auselese 1989 - Pfalz; 10,5% abv; 25; label
To compare with the somewhat Riesling-like Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc 1996 we decided to open a mature Riesling, too. Scarily orange colour. But the wine was fine. Aged aromas of singed copper kettle, but with a pure, citric Riesling aroma overriding everything else. Off-dry, quite full bodied, lively. A little strange in how frighteningly old it looked, how wonderfully mature it smelled and how bracingly young it tasted. But the whole was pure joy.
A weird blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin and Petit Manseng each about 20% with the remaining 20% from "rare grape varieties from all over the world," as their web site states (anyone know what these rare grapes are?). Refreshingly low alcohol of 12%.
Deep, very mature colour. The scent has lovely, honeyed sweetness and much floral fireworks, but all in a very refreshing way rather than the cloying way that I often find Viognier. Nicely mellowed with age, but lively and faintly sweet. Persistent and moreish. Though completely different from Riesling in its fruit profile, this still strikes me as essentially made up of the same proportions as mature Riesling: aromatic, sweet fruit, lively and refreshing, honeyed. I thought it was rather lovely.
Brklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Germpel Riesling Auselese 1989 - Pfalz; 10,5% abv; 25; label
To compare with the somewhat Riesling-like Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc 1996 we decided to open a mature Riesling, too. Scarily orange colour. But the wine was fine. Aged aromas of singed copper kettle, but with a pure, citric Riesling aroma overriding everything else. Off-dry, quite full bodied, lively. A little strange in how frighteningly old it looked, how wonderfully mature it smelled and how bracingly young it tasted. But the whole was pure joy.
