|
By The Glass Kevin Toyama |
’01, ’02 German wines
attract super interestThere is great interest in the outstanding 2001 and the equally stunning 2002 vintages from Germany. Many have compared them to the great German wine vintages, the "Twin Peaks" of '75 and '76.
To give you an idea of what the hype is all about, Germany is very cold. Throughout the regions in 2002, Mother Nature lent a hand. Bud break and flowering began at least a week early, yielding a longer ripening process and giving the grapes the potential to create riper, richer and harmonious wines. Are you excited yet? Similar to the great French Burgundy estates, winemaking is all about the vineyards and producers' philosophy. It may not seem like much, but that is worth getting ecstatic over.
Within the Saar, which is part of the famous Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, uber (super) winemaker Hanno Zilliken of Weingut (Wine Estate) Zilliken has created wines that he is happy with. A mild understatement. True to style, Zilliken's wines are fabulous, with a delightful balance of fruit and acidity harnessed by the great slate soils of the Saar. The year 2002 marks the first release of Zilliken's "Butterfly" Estate Riesling 2002 ($15.59), medium-dry with alluring crispness, floating fruit tones of mineral-laced white peach, lemon zest and pear. The name "Butterfly" is a descriptor used by Stuart Pigot of the German Wine Review that has carried on.
In the sister anbaugebiete (wine-growing region) of Rheinhessen, fellow uber winemaker Fritz Hasselbach of Weingut Gunderloch has been forging solid wines from the volcanic red-soil vineyards in the village of Nachenheim. Always fleshy, with aromas of mango, white peach, tangerine and pineapples, the red sandstone imparts a zesty minerality, making Gunderloch's "Jean Baptiste" Riesling Kabinett 2002 ($16.79) undeniably umami-ish. This riesling is uber-duper now and will be for 10 years-plus.
If you happen to be at Roy's 15th anniversary celebration at Kapiolani Community College Sunday, stop by the JMD Beverages tent to meet Fritz and Hanno. And while you're there, grab a glass and pair up a few dishes with their amazing rieslings and discover for yourself what all the hype is about!
Kevin Toyama is manager of R. Field Wine Co. Beretania.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals. Write to features@starbulletin.com
