The world's great Riesling regions all begin with A – but it's hard to beat the Germans, writes JOHN WILSON
I HOPE THAT those of you who attended the recent Riesling Co tasting in Dublin enjoyed yourselves as much as I did. A feast of 100 German wines, mainly Riesling, were on show, covering every possible kind of wine, from bone dry to sweet. The only style missing was sparkling wine, known as Sekt in Germany, well worth trying if you ever see a bottle. In addition, there were some superb, crisp-dry wines made from the Silvaner grape, and a couple of very serious Pinot Noirs, too. Sadly, the vast majority of the wines were not available in this country. I hope a few more of the importers sniffing and spitting their way around the room will take the plunge and bring in a few German wines. Sales are already showing significant growth in the past year, up 42 per cent on the previous 12 months. We now consume more than five million bottles a year, but there is plenty of room for further increases.
Regular readers will know that I am an advocate of all Riesling, and German Riesling in particular. The other great Riesling regions all begin with A – Alsace, Austria and Australia. All of these produce great wines, but for me Germany produces the greatest Riesling of all. I buy more for my cellar when I can afford it. Unfortunately, if you ignore the cheap, branded, medium-dry wines (and most recommend that you do), it is difficult to find many inexpensive German wines. High production costs and small volumes mean that prices are never going to be really cheap. Most good dry Riesling starts at around €15. The really good ones range from €18 to €50 a bottle and more. My most recent buys have been around €20, where you can access really good, single-vineyard wines that have some real complexity. The two most recent vintages have both been very kind to Germany. 2007 produced some superb, relatively rich wines with excellent concentration; wines from 2008 tend to be lighter and fresher, with lovely, clean acidity. You can buy both with some confidence.
With the summer coming, now is the time to buy. Most dry Rieslings are perfect summer wines, either to drink as an aperitif, or with lighter food dishes. Even better are the off-dry wines; if any wine can be described as “summer in a glass” it must surely be Riesling Kabinett. Low in alcohol (around 10 per cent) with an entrancing mix of vivid fruit, honey and freshness, often with delicate floral aromas, these are perfect for sipping in the shade before dinner.
The other grape varieties I mentioned can be very difficult to source. O’Briens will shortly have an excellent example of Silvaner, and Joe Karwig in Cork already has one in stock, with others on the way. All of these are well worth trying this summer. But the variety that may well do best over the next five years is red. Global warming has enabled German producers to make better and better red wines, from Pinot Noir in particular. Germany is now the third-largest producer of this variety in the world, behind France and Italy. To date, most has been snapped up on the home market, but last year several companies began importing small quantities into Ireland.
Lastly, the cheap wines. Wine writers and much of the wine trade are generally very dismissive of the big brands, such as Blue Nun and Black Tower. Having tasted both recently, I can tell you that they have improved considerably in recent years, and offer far better value than some of the nasty, confected, inexpensive New World wines.
Crab Salad
I love Riesling. I love crab. Crab salad in particular. Happily, the two combine perfectly. My idea of heaven is nibbling and sipping copious quantities of both before dinner on a summer evening. Because the Riesling is low in alcohol, you can sip a little more than usual.
Crab meat (include brown meat if you can find it)
A good spoonful of mayonnaise
Zest and juice of a lime
A few spring onions, finely chopped
A bunch of coriander, finely chopped
2 fresh chillies (one green, one red) finely chopped, optional but they really add a bit of zip
Salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients together to form a loose salad, serve on a cos lettuce leaf, on brown bread, slices of cucumber or crackers, with a chilled glass of dry German Riesling.
Oughterard gem
In times like this, it is heartening to see that there is still room for the slightly maverick enterprises that buck the trend towards corporate blandness, and succeed with a different style of wine shop.
Paul Fogarty set up Probus Wines in Oughterard, Co Galway 10 years ago this month. His parents were both involved in the catering business, and he grew up in kitchens as far afield as Spain, Greece and Dublin. Having trained in various Michelin-starred restaurants in France, followed by a stint on the Isle of Islay in Scotland, he landed back in the highly successful Drimcong House, then run by Gerry Galvin. His interest in wine grew, spurred on by a French wife, until he set up his own wholesale business supplying restaurants in the west, as well as a retail outlet in his home town of Oughterard. The shop is small but full of different, quirky wines, including those imported directly from Australia, Chile, France, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand and Italy, with Germany to follow shortly. Nationwide delivery is available.
Probus Wines, Oughterard, Co Galway, 091-552084,
www.probuswine.ie
Wines of the week
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2007 Max Ferd Richter, Mosel, 9%, €18.95. Stunning, light, elegant wine with floral aromas and striking, mouth-watering fruit. Finishes off-dry, but you hardly notice it. Sip with a good friend at sunset. Stockists: Wicklow Wine Co; Mitchell Son, Glasthule, IFSC, Rathfarmham; Power Smullen, Lucan; 64 wine, Glasthule; Redmonds, Ranelagh; On the Grapevine, Dalkey.
Geil Riesling Trocken 2008 Rheinhessen, 12%, €13.95. This is the wine I have been waiting for – a reasonably-priced light Riesling with lovely, crisp, apple fruits, and a dry finish. Stockists: Wicklow Wine Co; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street; Redmonds, Ranelagh; 64 Wine, Glasthule; McHugh's Off Licences, Kilbarrack.
Hallburger Schlossberg Silvaner Kabinett Franken 2008, Graf von Schönborn, 12.5%, €14.99.Classic of the style, and a delicious, summery glass of wine. Very fine, crisp and bone dry, with bracing mineral acidity. Stockist: O'Briens.
Köster-Wolf Silvaner Classic Rheinhessen 2006, 12.5%, €12.25. Another affordable Silvaner that is well worth seeking out. Still crisp and bracing, but this has some lovely light plump pear fruits as well. This is a delicious wine that will charm all who try it. Stockists: Karwig Wines, Carrigaline, Co Cork, www.karwigwines.ie; 1601 Off-licence, Kinsale; selected Supervalu.
TWO UNDER TWELVE
Loosen Dr L Riesling, 8.5%, €11.99.One of the most visible German wines on the market (other than Bend in the River, Blue Nun and Black Tower). This is a very well-priced wine from one of the great growers of the Mosel. Light, off-dry but with excellent balancing acidity, and plenty of green apples. Perfect sipping or aperitif wine, but adaptable enough to go with crab, chicken and dishes that need a hint of sweetness to give them a lift. Stockists: 64 Wines, Glasthule; The Vintry, Rathgar; O'Briens; Redmond's, Ranelagh; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Mitchell Sons, Rathfarnham; Martin's, Fairview.
I suspect that this is more widely available.
Mineralstein Riesling 2008 Rhein-Mosel, 11.5%, €10.49.A favourite for a number of years now, this is crisp and refreshing with delicious light pear and lemon fruits. A great aperitif, particularly with crab. Stockist: Marks Spencer.