SteveTimko
Steve Timko
Craft Wine and Beer in Reno held a tasting of Rudi Wiest wines and served grilled lamb.
While talking to Rudi Wiest rep Christian Adams, I found my pronunciation of German wine terms and locations poor, despite two years of German in high school and two in college.
2011 Wolf Dietrich Salwey Kaiserstuhl Baden Spätburgunder Weißherbst Kabinett trocken - Germany, Baden (10/5/2012)
A one-dimensional wine. Lots of acid. Enough that you pretty much need food with it. No body. No pleasant flavors that would lend it to summertime sipping. The nose is a kind of muted minerality. Nothing about this gave any indication it is from pinot noir. A Rudi Wiest import.
2007 Franz Künstler Riesling Trocken - Germany, Rheingau (10/5/2012)
This is drinking well now. Diesel on the nose. Apple on the nose and palate. It seem to have a little bit of depth that aging will bring. Short finish, but a nice, light wine. A Rudi Wiest import.
2010 Franz Künstler Riesling Trocken - Germany, Rheingau (10/5/2012)
You can definitely taste 2010 in this riesling, especially when it follows the 2007. Apple and white fruits on the nose and palate and maybe some citrus on the palate. It's all wound around a solid core of acidity. I think this is still tight and could use a few years of aging to blossom. Imported by Rudi Wiest.
2011 Reichsrat Von Buhl Riesling Kabinett Armand - Germany, Pfalz (10/5/2012)
This is more like a spatlese. Perhaps the sweetness was exaggerated by drinking this after the 2010 Kunstler. It's at least a tad soft. It needs more acid to balance the sweetness. I don't get the sense that this wine will improve with age. That said, this wine still has some nice flavors. I got more white flowers on the nose and citrus on the palate. The finish was okay. This would be a good match for spicy Thai food if you don't object to the sweetness. The Rudi Wiest rep said it still has so much spritz that if he caps the bottle the spritz will push off the cap.
2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/5/2012)
This really seems like one to lay down for a couple of decades. Tremendously concentrated and showing nice balance. It's showing good depth now but I get the sense it will be showing tremendous depth in a decade or so. From the attack to the finish it elegant. I got a little bit of brown sugar on the nose along with maybe a hint of diesel. No sulfur. Tropical fruits on the palate. Excellent finish. This wine shows why Wehlener Sonnenuhr is the class of the Mosel. A Rudi Wiest import.
2008 Weingut Schnaitmann Lemberger Trocken - Germany, Württemberg (10/5/2012)
This was the surprise of the tasting for me. I haven't liked the few lembergers I've tried before. My recollection is that they were bitter an had harsh tannins, like the grapes didn't ripen properly. This wasn't a profound wine, but it was nice enough. Definitely some funk. It had black fruits and a little bit of spice. Nice balance. The tannins were mostly smooth. Short finish. It's a wine I'd try again. A Rudi Wiest import.
While talking to Rudi Wiest rep Christian Adams, I found my pronunciation of German wine terms and locations poor, despite two years of German in high school and two in college.
2011 Wolf Dietrich Salwey Kaiserstuhl Baden Spätburgunder Weißherbst Kabinett trocken - Germany, Baden (10/5/2012)
A one-dimensional wine. Lots of acid. Enough that you pretty much need food with it. No body. No pleasant flavors that would lend it to summertime sipping. The nose is a kind of muted minerality. Nothing about this gave any indication it is from pinot noir. A Rudi Wiest import.
2007 Franz Künstler Riesling Trocken - Germany, Rheingau (10/5/2012)
This is drinking well now. Diesel on the nose. Apple on the nose and palate. It seem to have a little bit of depth that aging will bring. Short finish, but a nice, light wine. A Rudi Wiest import.
2010 Franz Künstler Riesling Trocken - Germany, Rheingau (10/5/2012)
You can definitely taste 2010 in this riesling, especially when it follows the 2007. Apple and white fruits on the nose and palate and maybe some citrus on the palate. It's all wound around a solid core of acidity. I think this is still tight and could use a few years of aging to blossom. Imported by Rudi Wiest.
2011 Reichsrat Von Buhl Riesling Kabinett Armand - Germany, Pfalz (10/5/2012)
This is more like a spatlese. Perhaps the sweetness was exaggerated by drinking this after the 2010 Kunstler. It's at least a tad soft. It needs more acid to balance the sweetness. I don't get the sense that this wine will improve with age. That said, this wine still has some nice flavors. I got more white flowers on the nose and citrus on the palate. The finish was okay. This would be a good match for spicy Thai food if you don't object to the sweetness. The Rudi Wiest rep said it still has so much spritz that if he caps the bottle the spritz will push off the cap.
2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/5/2012)
This really seems like one to lay down for a couple of decades. Tremendously concentrated and showing nice balance. It's showing good depth now but I get the sense it will be showing tremendous depth in a decade or so. From the attack to the finish it elegant. I got a little bit of brown sugar on the nose along with maybe a hint of diesel. No sulfur. Tropical fruits on the palate. Excellent finish. This wine shows why Wehlener Sonnenuhr is the class of the Mosel. A Rudi Wiest import.
2008 Weingut Schnaitmann Lemberger Trocken - Germany, Württemberg (10/5/2012)
This was the surprise of the tasting for me. I haven't liked the few lembergers I've tried before. My recollection is that they were bitter an had harsh tannins, like the grapes didn't ripen properly. This wasn't a profound wine, but it was nice enough. Definitely some funk. It had black fruits and a little bit of spice. Nice balance. The tannins were mostly smooth. Short finish. It's a wine I'd try again. A Rudi Wiest import.