2011 Kaseler Nies’chen Riesling Kesselstatt and Beenleigh Blue

We all have those films in our head which are triggered unintentionally by certain keywords. Take blue cheese: shouldn’t you have sweet wine with that? The Roquefort people have told us so many times about Sauternes being the perfect match with its sheeps‘ milk sweetness and penicillium spicyness, and for obvious reasons the Sauternes producers never contradict them… Well, my cellar isn’t exactly overflowing with Sauternes, and really good Roquefort is a rarity (so much of the stuff tastes overly salty and sharp)…  » Weiterlesen…

2011 Kaseler Nies’chen Riesling Kesselstatt und Beenleigh Blue

Wir haben alle diese Filme im Kopf, die bei bestimmten Stichpunkten automatisch ablaufen. Zum Beispiel Blauschimmelkäse: gehört dazu nicht Süßwein? Die Roquefort-Fraktion hat uns so oft erzählt, Sauternes sei der perfekte Wein zu der Schafsmilch-Fülle und Penicillium-Würze, und die Sauternes-Winzer nicken immer eifrig mit dem Kopf… » Weiterlesen…

German cider revisited II: a Sparkling Surprise from Joachim Döhne

For various reasons I’ve been into clearing stuff and tidying up recently, cleaning dark, dusty corners and getting rid of unnecessarities. This has been leading to some great discoveries. When I went down to the cellar to grab a sparkling to open dinner procedures the other night, there were those cider bottles, sparkling cider. Fill level was low, my expectations accordingly and I put three bottles in the fridge instead of just one, to be prepared for the worst. Oh, the negativity in me… dear Joachim Döhne, I sincerely apologize. » Weiterlesen…

German cider revisited I: Apple Heaven from Andreas Schneider

I could start this with saying that Ebbelwoi, traditional apple cider from around Frankfurt, doesn’t exactly enjoy a great reputation. But that would be so yesterday and predictable. I could also be totally honest and admit that for some unknown reason, a 12 bottle box just re-emerged from the depth of my cellar, containing 2011 and 2009 (!!!) apple wines from Andreas Schneider in Niedererlenbach near Frankfurt, Germany’s leading cider producer. Kind of embarrassing and unprofessional, I know. However, as life goes, it made for some amazing stuff in the glass. » Weiterlesen…

Die Nacht war rot: drei deutsche Spätburgunder

Spätburgunder und ich, wir haben so ein richtiges Liebhaß-Ding am Laufen. Er (und da gibt es wirklich keinen Zweifel, für mich ist er eindeutig ein „er“) kann so köstlich sein, so total anziehend, unwiderstehlich quasi, und doch so grausam. Letzteres findet frau allerdings erst am nächsten Morgen heraus: Es gibt nichts Schlimmeres als die morgendliche Joggingrunde mit Spätburgunderwatteschwaden im Kopf.. » Weiterlesen…