Wednesday Wines – Episode 47
Episode 47 – 17th February 2021
Seven spectacular white wines this week from two of the leading wine merchants in the country.
Three fabulous German whites from The WineBarn
www.thewinebarn.co.uk
All three of these wines are tremendous with thrilling acidity and a thoroughly modern stance.
2019 Vom Roten Schieffer, Riesling Trocken, Weingut Göttelmann, Nahe, Germany £15.65
Coming from red slate soils (Roten Schieffer), this is a vibrant, dry, raspy and cool wine with lovely grapey freshness and a superbly tangy finish. This wine sits in a ‘no man’s land’ price-wise given that it costs a few pounds more expensive than a run-of-the-mill, generic German Rieslings and a good tenner cheaper than the serious wines from more famous estates. For this reason, it is a wine to take very seriously indeed. Elite drinking at £15 is a very rare experience. 17.5/20 Drink now – 2024
2019 Iphöfer Kalb, Silvaner, Hans Wirsching, Dry Premier Cru, Franken, Germany £17.80
This is a fascinating wine and one which celebrates the oft-dowdy Silvaner (or Sylvaner in France) variety by seemingly injecting it with a bolt of electricity which brings this wine alive. Lovely, salad-fresh, bright green notes are balanced with crisp, celery-crunches and lemon balm details. It is a little too early for a Spring wine recommendation, but this energetic white is the epitome of Spring in a glass. 17/20 Drink now to 2025
2019 Westhofener, Riesling Trocken, Groebe, Rheinhessen, Germany £25.30
This is the richest and most layered of the trio and there is an extra dimension of juiciness and complexity here. Plush and classy, there are faint violet tones among the pliant fruit and there is luxury and decadence in every sip. While this is a flamboyant wine it is kept in balance by beautifully refreshing acidity and it is this dramatic finish which makes this wine such a success. 18/20 Drink now to 2027
Four amazing 2019 Chablis from Haynes Hanson & Clark
www.hhandc.co.uk
This is a beautiful quartet of newly-released Chablis which you simply must consider for your cellar. I have followed both Dampt and Moreau for over twenty years and they never let you down. Elite, accurate, honest and resonant these are all stunning wines.
2019 Chablis, 1er Cru Les Lys, Domaine Daniel Dampt £170.00 per case 12 IB
Les Lys is the easiest of the Dampt wines to guzzle at speed as I discovered when a tasting sip turned into a few more! Seamlessly beautiful and effortlessly beguiling this is a wonderful, forward-drinking, crowd-pleasing wine and it will enchant your sense with its sublime perfume, glistening mid-palate and soothing finish. 17.5/20 Drink now to 2024
2019 Chablis, 1er Cru Côte de Léchet, Domaine Daniel Dampt £170.00 per case 12 IB
Côte de Léchet has more traction and obvious minerality on the palate and finish and this chalky, raspy note makes it seem drier and more tense. This is a more classically-shaped wine and it is not quite drinking yet, so crack on with Les Lys allowing this more strident cuvée to mellow over the next twelve months before tucking in. 17.5/20 Drink 2022 – 2025
2019 Chablis, 1er Cru Fourchaume, Domaine Daniel Dampt £185.00 per case 12 IB
The jewel in the crown, Fourchaume is a masterful cuvée with more weight, glamour and noticeable curves on the palate and while it gives the impression of drinking, on account of its silkiness, there is bright acidity hidden in the folds in its couture gown of fruit. Smooth, creamy, luxurious and dangerously easy to fall for, please hold off, just for a year and this wine will come alive with a show-stopping performance. 18/20 Drink 2022 – 2026
2019 Chablis, 1er Cru Vaillon, Cuvée Guy Moreau, Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils £138.00 per case 6 IB
Moreau’s rare, old vine cuvée of Vaillon is one of my favourite of all Chablis. In 2019, the fruit is uncommonly precocious and it gives the impression that it is already drinking well. This is a creamy, exotically proportioned wine with Grand Cru sheen and then just when you think it is a short term proposition, the acid pops in and reminds you that this is one of the truly great wines of the region! Do not miss out on this amazing wine. 18.5/20 Drink 2022 – 2028
