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Wirtz Beverage brand new Trilogy Fine Wine and Spirits division got off to a fast start with the Crème de la crème of the Las Vegas beverage industry. Legendary Rudi Wiest himself of his namesake import company came to Wirtz’s Alchemy room with a palate pleasing line up of German Dry Wines.
- Rudi Weist
No importer that we know of has the knowledge of Rudi Wiest when speaking on the topic of German wines. On this visit he brought a hand selected group of small family owned wine makers from the best wine making regions of Germany.
- Schloss Schonborn, Rheingau
Marcel von den Benken from
Schloss Schonbron in the Rheingau explained that his 2010 Dry Estate Riesling is characterized by high acidity and the 2011 Vintage had a much longer hang time. On the palate both of these amazing Rieslings were nicely balanced, soft and feminine in style.
Kunstler winery featured four Rieslings and a lovely Pinot Noir. Carl Erhard from the winery explained that he concentrates his efforts on making grapes for wine and not wine making.
Growing fruit is the most important aspect in the wine. As any experienced wine lover knows, the best wines are made in the vineyard and not in the winery. Carl Erhard follows that tradition to a “T”. As we tasted his 2010 Dry Riesling “old vine “ Stielweg, Carl explained that vines that average 55 years in age. Carl also added that he felt the 2012 Vintage will have a long ageing potential. The Kunstler Pinot Noir Estate 2009 features sour cherry and surprisingly big tannis. Many people consider German Pinot Noir something that is relatively new. In fact, winemakers have been making Pinot Noir the Rheingau for over 800 years long before they planted Rieslings . 2009 was warm year which should translate to a spectacular vintage for Pinot Noir and this Kunstler will not disappoint.
- Weingut Rebholz
Weingut Rebholz produces some very fine Rieslings, Pinot Noir and even a Pinot Blanc . Hansjorg Rebholz himself made the trip across the Atlantic to show off these very special wines. As we began tasting through his wines, he explained that his Grand Father started the winery in the 1940s and they specialize in making wines as natural as possible and are Bio-Dynamic .We were pleased with the Pinot Blanc and the Rieslings. Both were refreshing, featuring big apple and melon notes on the nose and palate. Before moving on to the Pinot Noir we found a real stand out. The 2010 Dry Grosses Gewachs , Ganz Horn. On the nose and palate, this wonderful wine drinks like a Grand Cru. Classic earthy notes, mineral and citrus make this Riesling a stand out. All of the Rieslings from Weingut Rebholz should be at their very best after 5-6 years. German Pinot Noir is always interesting because Pinot Noir is very terroir expressive. Vineyards with micro climates can produce Pinot noir that are very different and only meters apart. The 2009 Pinot Noir Spatlese Dry “Tradition “is a good example of this. This nice pinot has classic signatures of sour cherry, light tannis, all-spice and oak.
- Weingut Dr Heger / Weinhaus Heger
Weingut Dr Heger / Weinhaus Heger produce Pinot Gris , Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir that show off the versatility of the region . Markus Mleink took us on a tasteful journey through his wines. Like many of his colleagues, its hands off in the winery and all the work are done in the vineyard.
Tasting his 2011 and 2010 Pinot Gris side by side gave a unique insight into the vintages a year apart. The 2011 had much more fruit and was more developed than the 2010, most likely because it was just bottled and the 2010 has “mellowed” with a little more age. Both are ready to be enjoyed now. The 2009 Dr Heger Pinot Noir Dry Grosses Gewachs , Ihringer Winkerberh was next in line to examine. This very nice Pinot Noir was a pleasure to taste. Classic cherry notes, earth, leather and spice come together with silky tannins on the finish.
- Weingut Becker
Can a pig famer make great wines? Sure they can and
Weingut Becker proves it . Fritz Becker Jr specializes in Pinot Noir. The winery was totally destroyed in World War 2 and has come back very strong. Fritz has been the winemaker since 2005. The 2009 Pinot Noir “Dry” Limestone was a stand out in his lineup and should have good age ability but can be enjoyed now. 2008 Pinot Noir Grosses Gewachs St Paul Grand Cru is a German Pinot Noir that we will not forget. Its elegant notes of cherry, earth, spice, leather and oak show what a Pinot Noir from the region should strive to be.Rudi Weist is an expert in wines from Germany. Spending 10 mins with him or an afternoon is an opportunity to get an education to set the foundation of your wine education for a life time. When looking over your next wine list, take the time to find a few of these very special wines from Germany
Men's Health November issue features The Thinking Man's Guide to Drinking. We're thrilled Spur Seattle made it onto the list of the 20 Best Bars in America. They write:
Hanna Raskin wrote, "The dishes at Spur Gastropub change so frequently that it's almost impossible to catch and commit them to a permanent list. Since this collection of favorite dishes is meant to have a longer shelf life than a loaf of bread, there's no use spending a slot on, say, the salad of smoked baby artichoke hearts bathed in smoked yogurt or the lamb merguez on Spur's current menu (Although if you're in Belltown, you ought to order them both.)
New Year’s MenuSpurChefs McCracken and ToughDecember 31st 2012
About a couple of months ago, Dominique and I were thinking about having something a little different with dinner. I decided to comb the wine cellar, looking through a bunch of different bottles. And suddenyl I remembered that it was Nouveau Seaon, and so went to that area to dig something up. And there I found a Nouveau....a Crossing Vineyard Nouveau...from 2006. Wow, the "new" in that was more like..."whoa!" By 2012, one expected, that the wine was past drinking. We opened it more as a curiosity than as a selection for dinner. There was still a bright cherry and saoft strawberry to the wine up front, tinged with a slight hint of vanilla. The wine is made using the classic French techniques of whole berry masceration and is the first wine made from the most recent harvest. It's meant for immediate drinking. But I have to say, this wine had indeed held up! It was absolutely lovely, even six years on! We ate it with roast chicken and roasted vegetables. It was perfect!!! 
Congrats to Tom Carrol (Sr. & Jr.) and everyone else at Crossings Vineyards!!!
We have been watching this area for years and it is finally getting the recognition it deserves .The Merrill family, owners of Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery, recently announced that they have expanded their resources with the purchase of 278 acres in the El Pomar District of the Paso Robles AVA. The expansive property, formerly the Weyrich estate, combines a unique location with specific grape growing conditions, making it a natural fit for maintaining the quality associated with Pomar Junction and this unique region. In addition to becoming home for Dana and Marsha Merrill, it also has existing specialized infrastructure to support their Mesa Vineyard Management operations as well as private wine-related functions.The El Pomar District is home to vineyards that produce notable wines for brands such as Justin Vineyards & Winery, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, E. & J. Gallo Winery, and Still Waters Vineyards. Recent expansion of vineyards in this area is directly aligned with the growth of its recognition for producing sought-after flavor profiles. Located on Creston Ridge Road, near the intersection of South El Pomar Road and Creston Road, the vines on this property are influenced by the same calcareous soils, steep south-facing slopes and Templeton Gap breezes that the Merrill family has long appreciated about the El Pomar District. The dedicated work of wine industry pioneers, Dana Merrill among them, has led to a growing appreciation of this sub-region for its one-of-a-kind reflection of terroir resulting in distinctive wines.
“Finding another vineyard that fits so naturally with our current winemaking standards of excellence through reflection of the El Pomar District has brought forth many exciting opportunities and ideas,” said Matt Merrill, Dana’s son and General Manager of Pomar Junction. He continued, “We look forward to increased ability to support our winery offerings.”Currently, 93 acres are planted with Rhône, Bordeaux and Italian varietals that thrive in these growing conditions and complement both the winery offerings of Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery and the needs of Mesa Vineyard Management customers. The maturity of the existing vines will allow immediate production of wines from this property and plans are underway to certify this vineyard Sustainable in Practice, continuing the responsible farming methods found throughout Merrill properties. Also, as future opportunities allow for growth, an estimated 60 acres have been identified as suitable for additional planting.This district continues to gain recognition through the growth of winery presence, accolades for resulting wines and praise from consumers. Incorporation of this property allows Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery a spectacular new resource to encourage the continued development of their quality wine profile, memorable wine country experience and expanded exposure of the El Pomar District as a distinguished wine growing region.Owned and operated by the Merrill Family in the Paso Robles AVA, Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery showcases eight generations of Central Coast farming through deeply characterful estate wines. With a rich heritage of sustainable practices in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar, Pomar Junction guides estate fruit from vine to glass with a narrow focus on purity of flavor and varietal integrity. The winery name refers to the Merrill Family’s concurrent lineage of railroad engineers as well as to bygone days when the Southern Pacific Railroad was responsible for the development of the picturesque Central Coast. For more information about Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery, call (805) 238-9940, or visit www.PomarJunction.com. The Pomar Junction vineyard and tasting room are located at 5036 S. El Pomar Road in Templeton, CA 93465The next time your wine trail takes you near Paso Robes , this area and its wineries are well worth a detour off the beaten path.
