Tuesday with Terrisses, Weegmüller and Lafarge

An impromptu call led to a particularly enjoyable, relaxed Tuesday evening, sharing good wine and food among good friends. While the chicken thighs for the meal to come marinated in their bath of soy, maple, ginger and garlic, we started things off with a little aperitif, an old friend in the wine sense.

Gaillac Doux “Cuvée Saint-Laurent,” Domaine des Terrisses NV
$16. 9% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Wine Traditions, Falls Church, VA.
The Cazottes family’s Gaillac Doux is the old friend to which I refer. I hadn’t had a bottle of this in years, so was duly jazzed when I saw it emerge from the fridge. Bill didn’t have record of exactly when this was purchased but I can safely say it was a minimum of three years ago, perhaps longer. The lot number on the bottle, L MGD 01, which I take to mean something along the lines of “Lot Mauzac Gaillac Doux 2001,” suggests to me that the wine was most likely based on the 2001 vintage. Even if I’m wrong, it’s safe to say that this had seen some measurable bottle age. It came through it fresh as a daisy, with immediately satisfying aromas and flavors of fresh pressed apple sauce, complete with a dusting of cinnamon. Impeccably balanced, this could easily have paired with a dessert of orchard fruit based tarts but was not at all too sweet to serve as an aperitif. As the wine opened, it developed a lavender overtone on the nose, along with an ever so slightly oxidative character and richer flavors of apple skins and raised pastry dough. Very tasty….

Though it’s entirely proper in the context of today’s production methods to consider the Méthode Gaillacoise as synonymous with the Méthode Ancestrale, local legend has it that the Méthode Gaillacoise was originally realized by plunging partially fermented barrels of white Gaillac wine into the River Tarn during the winter following harvest. The combination of the icy-cold waters and the turmoil of the river’s flow would stun the yeasts into temporary slumber, their activity later to resume, capturing bubbles and a natural degree of residual sugar in the finished wine. Terrisses’ “Cuvée Saint-Laurent” is based primarily if not entirely on Mauzac, perhaps with a small quantity of Len de l’El.


Pfalz Scheurebe QbA trocken, Weingut Ed. Weegmüller 2007
$23. 12% alcohol. Screwcap. Importer: Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
Scheurebe represents only five percent or so of the plantings at Stefanie Weegmüller’s estate yet she always does as fine a job with her Scheurebe as with her expressive, broadly flavorful Rieslings. Stefi’s 2007 Scheurebe trocken could easily play ringer in a blind Gewürztraminer tasting. It’s aromatically loaded with scents of citrus oil, mint, and lemon and orange pith. This was the primary wine drunk with dinner and, at first, I wasn’t entirely convinced it played nicely with the food. A twist of bitter grapefruit (juice and peel) on the finish, along with a deeply-grained texture, makes the wine a bit too aggressive for delicate foods. But as the flavors of Bill’s Asian Chicken built on the palate, Stefi’s Scheurebe got better and better. Translation: this is intensely perfumed wine that plays best with highly flavorful food.


Côte de Beaune Villages, Domaine Michel Lafarge 2005
$35. 13% alcohol. Cork. Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection; Martin Scott Wines, Lake Success, NY.
Tough love. This was one of the most painfully dry red Burgundies I’ve drunk in a very long time; not easy in giving but very rewarding. Medium-red and slightly amber-rimmed, its aromas were of dried cherries, spice cabinet, fennel bulb and red leaf tobacco. It opened with lean, wood and grape tannins and cutting acidity; very narrowly textured yet still very fine. I found it more minerally than earthy, a trait which really suited the wine’s texture, though there was also a distinct aroma of wet clay. We enjoyed this as a meditative wine but it really needs food to blossom – I’m thinking roasted, truffled game birds would be just about perfect. Several more years in the cellar wouldn’t hurt, either. Far from perfectly balanced today but nonetheless profound, charismatic and a study in the pleasures and pain of good Burgundy.

Domaine Lafarge is farmed biodynamically. Their Côte de Beaune Villages, of which only a little over 50 cases are produced in a typical vintage, issues from vineyards situated in the commune of Meursault.

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A Scheurebe Moment

I’ve been focusing on the Loire an awful lot of late. A shift of gears, at least a quick one, seems in order. Ever since reading a little wine poetry at James Wright’s Wine-Wein-Vino-Vin recently, I’ve had Scheurebe on my mind. A vaguely Germanic meal last night seemed like the perfect opportunity, so I reached into the cellar and found…


Baden Ortenau Durbacher Plauelrain Scheurebe Spätlese trocken, Andreas Laible 2005
$28. 14% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
I added a couplet to James’ poem. To read it, you’ll need to follow the link above and dig into the comments. For now, suffice it to say it was something about grapefruit, a very typical aromatic characteristic of Scheurebe. Laible’s Spätlese troken, though, has changed considerably since I last wrote about it and even since I last poured it at a class on German wines at Tria Fermentation School. It’s no longer so redolent of grapefruit. Part of that, I think, is just the wine’s natural concentration. Grapefruit, citrus and even catty aspects seem common to lighter styles of Scheurebe. But at a richer level, as with this Spätlese, riper aromas often kick in. Add to that a little more bottle age and the wines can start to show fleshier, less tangy characteristics. That’s exactly where Laible’s 2005 Scheurebe is at the moment.

The first glass was poured right out of the cellar, a bit too warm. The fact that it showed well at that temperature is a testament to the wine’s quality. The higher than ideal temp brought out a honeyed, round, not at all unappealing aspect. There was an undeniable blast of grapefruit right up front, but super ripe, sweet grapefruit, followed by lots of floral and sweet herbal scents. Lavender comes to mind. After a little chill down, more interesting things started to happen. Orange oil, peach nectar – definite peach nectar – and a light streak of white pepper emerged. With air, the wine became creamier in texture, developing a little vanilla edge. On the downside, its alcohol also became more apparent.

This is a monster of a wine. Not as unctuous as a similarly ripe Gewürztraminer but every bit as heady and concentrated. Spice, yellow flowers – goldenrod and marigolds – and peach nectar dominate. There’s an electrical spark of energy in its prickly texture, just enough to keep the wine from being plodding or domineering. But it still comes close to being over the top. The wine’s physiological concentration reminds me of marmalade, minus the jellied texture but complete with all the citrus peel bitterness. This needs food richer than what I paired it with (no, I’m not telling). I’d go right back to choucroute as we did two years ago. Maybe even roast goose. Roast pork at the very least, perhaps with an apricot or peach glaze. If you happen to have a bottle in your cellar, don’t hesitate to hold it for a couple more years. It’s still a wee one.

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Weingut Huber in Austria's Traisental

Getting up to New York for the Real Wine Attack wasn’t in the cards last weekend. So I pointed myself instead toward a tasting right here in Philly with Markus Huber, the young owner and winemaker at Weingut Huber in Austria’s Traisental region.

The Traisental lies in the shadows of its three slightly more famous neighbors, south and east of Wachau and due south of Kremstal and Kamptal. The heart of the region – as well as its name – is formed by the Traisen River, which flows from the Alps in the south to its eventual confluence with the Danube at its northern border. The area’s geographical position between the 47th and 48th Parallels puts it at a northerly position similar to that of Chablis and Champagne; the climate, though, is temperate. In total, there are 800 hectares under vine in the Traisental, nearly all of them based on limestone conglomerate and loess based soil.

Markus Huber and his family own 20 of those hectares in the village of Reichersdorf, in the northern portion of Traisental. They buy fruit under contract from farmers on another 20 hectares of land. Markus represents the tenth generation of his family in the business, which started in 1548 as a cooperage and evolved over the years to include an increasing focus on viticulture. His father was the first to focus solely on wine. Markus himself took over the reins as of the 2000 vintage, following two years spent working at wineries in South Africa.

Markus Huber displaying samples of the limestone conglomerate that forms the base of his vineyards.
Typical of the Traisental, Weingut Huber produces primarily Grüner Veltliner (70%), along with about 10% Riesling, 10% Zweigelt – their only red fruited vine – and small quantities of Sauvignon Blanc, Müller Thurgau and Muscat. They practice sustainable farming, utilizing no herbicides or pesticides, and are not afraid of working hard in the vineyards to ensure the quality of their wines. The estate’s 20 hectares are split among 55 different plots. Strict selection is practiced at harvest, with four or five tris being the norm. For the last few years, all wines have been bottled under screw cap.

Following an introduction by John Toler, Sales Manager for Huber’s US importer, Boutique Wine Collection, the young Mr. Huber took to the podium. Here’s what he poured for us:

Traisental Grüner Veltliner “Hugo,” Weingut Huber 2007
This is Huber’s entry-level Grüner Veltliner, made from fruit purchased under regular contract. It’s picked two weeks early, to capture GV’s young, citric characteristics. Vinification is all in stainless steel. Very crisp and clean if somewhat neutral in the fruit department. White pepper, lemon zest and brisk minerality, with a touch of white floral character. Very refreshing. Also quite attractive as an everyday pour given its modest price point. Apparently that’s a common viewpoint, as “Hugo” is the top selling Austrian wine on the US market. 2 grams residual sugar (RS), 11.5-12% alcohol.


Traisental Grüner Veltliner “Alte Setzen,” Weingut Huber 2006
“Alte Setzen” is a single vineyard that includes some of Huber’s oldest vines, approaching 50 years of age in some cases. Its soil is rich, with 25 meters of loess above a limestone base. In direct opposition to “Hugo,” this is picked intentionally overripe, with about 5-10% botrytis, in order to showcase the exotic side of Grüner Veltliner. And exotic it is, with rich, round texture and a spicy flavor profile. Minerality is less racy here, more round and stony, like a river rock. Half of this cuvée is fermented and aged in untoasted acacia casks, which are entirely neutral and very tight grained. The other half is done in steel. Both see some battonage, used along with wood to soften the wine’s acidity. This is well done, as it would seem an accurate representation of the “Alte Setzen” terroir. However, it’s not really to my taste, as the lower acidity leads to both fatness and a greater perception of sweetness on the palate than the wine’s modest residual sugar would normally suggest. 3.5 grams RS, 13-13.5% alcohol.

Traisental Grüner Veltliner “Berg,” Weingut Huber 2006
This offered seeming proof that Huber’s wines reflect their terroir. For all “California Chardonnay is dry” folks out there, it also demonstrated clearly that the perception of sweetness is not just about residual sugar; acid balance has an awful lot to do with it as well. “Berg” is Huber’s highest elevation vineyard site, planted on a terraced hillside that reaches a 45% grade at its steepest points. Only 10-15 centimeters of humus lies above an otherwise rocky base of pure limestone conglomerate. Fruit is harvested in mid-late November, again with 5-10% botrytis. Vinification is in 100% old acacia barrels, some of which date back to the 1960s. There are exotic and stone fruit characteristics – mango and marmalade, apple and honey – along with GV’s typical streak of white pepper and minerality. The mineral character and texture goes back to the racy, limestone-driven end of the spectrum, carrying off 14% alcohol levels without losing balance. It’s all just carried on a more muscular framework. RS levels are similar to “Alte Setzen” but the “Berg” feels and tastes much drier.

Traisental Riesling “Terrassen,” Weingut Huber 2006
Switching gears to Riesling, “Terrassen” fills the same basic slot in the lineup as “Hugo” does relative to the Grüner Veltliners. Fruit comes from multiple terraced vineyards (thus the name) and is fermented and aged completely in steel cuves. Fruit is picked at full ripeness with no noble rot and fermented out to complete dryness. Again like the Hugo, this is crisp, racy and very drinkable but has greater depth and more finesse. For Markus, this was the wine that showed best on the evening. 12.5% alcohol.

Traisental Riesling “Berg,” Weingut Huber 2006
For me, this was the wine of the night. Picked at full ripeness, with no botrytis, this is fermented in steel then aged in old acacia casks. Beautiful wine. More aromatic than the “Terrassen,” with intense limestone character, apricot and clover honey on the palate. Reminds me of “Von der Fels” from Klaus-Peter Keller. Intensely sapid, minerally texture. The finish lasts for minutes. And the wine’s balance and structure totally hide its 6 grams RS, helped along no doubt by 8 grams of acidity.


Traisental Zweigelt, Weingut Huber 2006
Switching gears again, this time to red. Huber grows only a small amount of red fruit and it’s all Zweigelt, the eponymous crossing of Saint Laurent and Blaufrankisch developed by Dr. Zweigelt in 1922. In most years, this is the only red produced. Harvested in mid-October and aged in 2,000-liter casks of Austrian oak. Juicy plum and black cherry fruit. A touch of stem, spice and thyme lend aromatic interest. There’s easy drinking charm up front but also a touch of what strikes me as rot on the mid-palate.

Traisental Zweigelt “Reserve,” Weingut Huber 2003
Huber produces a “Reserve” Zweigelt only in what they consider exceptional vintages, thus far being only 2003 and 2006. The fruit is very clean, surprisingly lighter in color than the regular bottling, though Markus attributes some of that to the wine’s age. Very sweet plum is dressed up with oak-driven vanillin. 50% of the wine sees 2nd year French oak, the other half ages in Austrian oak. Soft and pretty but I prefer Zweigelt’s character when unadorned by the taste of wood. This would make for a good ringer in a new world Pinot Noir tasting. In 2003, Huber was still using cork for their reds.

Traisental Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese, Weingut Huber 1995
This TBA was made during papa Huber’s era; Markus no longer grows Scheurebe at all. 80-100% botrytis affected fruit was crushed and then soaked in its own “mash” for 24-36 hours until an enzyme reaction started to release actual liquid from the dessicated fruit. As one might expect, this was intensely concentrated and fat, loaded with fig, lavender and exotic fruit. Volatile and prickly on the nose. The color of buckwheat honey, a flavor echoed in the wine. Viscous and in your face, yet hard not to enjoy. Not another TBA was produced at Weingut Huber until a Riesling in 2005. 240 grams RS, 10.5% alcohol.

Weingut Markus Huber
Weinriedenweg 13
A-3134 Reichersdorf
AUSTRIA

Map of the Traisental courtesy of WinesFromAustria.com.

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The Choucroute Challenge

For the past few years, one of my dear coworkers has started a tradition that I hope she doesn’t retire. She’s made a big batch of absolutely delicious choucroute garnie and brought it into the shop to feed us hungry wine warriors on the last retail Saturday before Christmas. It’s one of the busiest days of the year, so the warm belly glow and slow-burn energy that results – I had a hard time not going back to the pot for a third helping this year – is more than welcome.

Each year, we’ve taken the opportunity to taste a few wines that, at least in theory, should be natural matches to the flavors, ingredients and richness of the dish. As the tradition for choucroute is most strongly tied to Alsace, we’ve perforce included at least one or two Alsace wines in the line-up. For two years running, though, a German wine has come out on top as the best pairing. Last year’s winner was Andreas Laible’s 2005 Baden Ortenau Durbacher Plauelrain Scheurebe Spätlese trocken; the wine’s big, spicy, grapefruit driven persona stood right up to the porcine goodness of all those mixed meats and kraut. This year’s prize was taken more by mineral, nerve and an underlying spine of intensity, all fronted by a beautiful combination of white peach, green apple and quince. It was the 2005 Saar Wiltinger Schlangengraben Riesling Auslese halbtrocken from Johann Peter Reinert, just scintillatingly good, especially with the veal sausages.

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