"Off Dry". Hmmn... tricky, that. In these days of mass-produced wine juice, the boundaries of dry have rather spread sugar-wards. Aha!, here's something which certainly isn't dry, but wouldn't (I reckon), make a good dessert wine. Is that a good definition for off-dry, do you think?
Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett 02004, under cork, comes in a lovely old fashioned blue flute. It's a light wine from the banks of the Saar, a (very!) cool-climate region tucked into the corner of Germany next to Luxembourg and France.
At only 8.5% alcohol, and palest green, this would make a fine mid-afternoon refresher. It's ever so slightly pétillant, with a fresh mixed salad leaves nose. On the palate it has fairly high apparent acidity, and a moderate degree of sweetness. It is very lime-y, and very-very-very refreshing. The finish is clean but not long. A solid 15/20.
NB 1: I say apparent acidity because I suspect that this is one of those clever German wines which skilfully balances very high acidity against very high residual sugar.
NB 2: Reichsgraf von Kesselstat is the producer (website: www.kesselstatt.de), Ockfener Bockstein is the vineyard, Riesling is the grape variety, and Kabinett is the quality level.
NB 3: I daren't mention W*****days in case it sparks off another fine wine débacle.
NB 4: I bought this in the Co-op. As far as they could tell it didn't exist, so they sold it to me (after much conferring) for £3.99. I reckon it's more like six quid, so if you like the sound of it get in there quick.
NB 5: Thanks to Beau of Basic Juice for hosting Wine Blogging Wed***day no 11.
4 comments:
Under cork? When will the krauts learn that we limey's like our Riesling limey, TCA and RAO free, not 7 out of 10 times but 10 out of 10. A prize to anyone who can translate Ocfener Bockstein correctly - something from my exstensive and eccentric cellar - I've got it! Now where did I hide that magnum of Golden Oktober 1974.
Best , thinasawhippet.
indeed a prize for any one who can spell Ockfener Bockstein correctly ....................
I should explain: when Mr Anonymous isn't signing himself thinasawhippet or TallAsAVan, his nom de combat is The Stelvinator. The rest of us hail oxygen as a friend, but not VanMan.
Ockfener Bockstein would be something like "Ockfen's capstone".
Incorrect sir, I agree, Oxygen can indeed be an ally but everything has it's time and place. Let it be said that the effect of oxygen on wine under cork is completely random, and therefore not necessarily good for the wine. The primary purpose of the closure is to deliver the wine to the consumer in the same condition that it was bottled and does so in two ways:
1 By preventing the liquid spilling from the bottle during transport.
2 By preventing Oxygen and other contaminates from spoiling the wine before consumption.
That Stelvin is superior in both these respects is simply unarguable. The point you are making is that the air transfer allowed by cork closure can be beneficial to a certain wines. No doubt true, but there again Stelvin is superior and I surely cannot be chastised for prefering carefully controlled oxygenation to carelessly uncontrolled. Stelvin, a precise, factory produced closure, allows a level of air transfer that is consistent and exact across an entire bottling run. Thus not only can the winemaker guarantee quality, he can (at least in theory anyway) dictate the level of air transfer best suited to his wine. Perfect.
I'm beginning to think that you have a very expensive corkscrew at home and simply can't bear the thought of not being able to use it. Sadly for you old chap I think the prognosis bad and before very long such implements will be nothing more than museum pieces.
Best, gelatinousasfrogspawn.
3 To allow a small degree of air transfer to
No doubt you prefer a car with brakes that function us say though that
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