Salwey, Grauburgunder Kabinett trocken, 2008

Salwey, Grauburgunder Kabinett trocken, 2008

After two years of mostly going for Riesling, I currently find myself drinking more and more Pinot, specifically Pinot Blanc and Gris. Well, surprise, this is another of those bastards, and despite being made from the same grape variety it is not exactly like your average Italian Pinot Grigio. It is Grauburgunder time, and yet again am I turning to the warm South-West of Germany, to enjoy a wine from the Kaiserstuhl region.

The first thing to notice about it is the colour. Colour is always difficult to capture well in a photograph, and this one does not quite bring across the fairly dark, gold-brown that the Salwey wine radiates. Pretty, really pretty.

What else is there? First of all there is a nose of melon, spicy cantaloup perhaps, with nut aromas and some stone fruit and a hint of vegetable undergrowth. On the palate you get more melon, delicious fruitiness, nut (almost oily), and again a bit of vegetable. With a hint of mineral and good acidity, this wine combines good balance with nice weight and a refreshing touch, ending with a good, slightly peppery finish.

This is a really nice example of a good German Grauburgunder, I'd say. And it is also quite moreish, a wine to drink and enjoy. And to look at!

Comments

Submitted by Maso Canali Wednesday, 03/03/2010

It's always good to see a fellow vinophile drinking more whites, even if I’m not that big a fan of whites. Most of them have a dryness that irritates my palette. But, I do like some Pinot Grigios (including the one from Maso Canali, of course) which is why I often recommend it as a “crossover” varietal. When making Pinot Grigio, some vineyards dry some of the grapes out before pressing them into the mixture, which offers a unique, full, fruity tartness. The wine is a pale gold, with nice visual layers, and the feel is rather complex for a white.

Submitted by torsten Wednesday, 03/03/2010

In reply to by Maso Canali

Thanks for your comment. If you are not too keen on dryness in wine, why not also try off-dry and sweet wines? You will know better what Italy has to offer here, but I cannot but recommend Riesling...