Little Sister - Four Scheurebe Wines

Sometimes when you read about German wines, you get the feeling they spend an awful lot of time on genetics. Whatever, they did a very good job with Scheurebe, a little known cross between Riesling and Sylvaner. The four wines I've tasted were idiosyncratic and individualistic and the varietal seems have wildly different personalities at different sugar levels.

Weingut Unckrich, Kalstadter, Scheurebe Auslese, 2004 is the sweet version but I would serve it with a spicy meal and not as a dessert wine. "This is Riesling's little slutty sister," I thought to myself as I drank it and it really puts out. It has forward yet refined pineapple, lime, grapefruit and guyava aromas and flavors. Pure and simple, tasty like a frozen sherbert, with balancing acidity. I don’t think this is a wine to cellar and it doesn’t have a lot of complexity and intensity, just delicious elegance.

Muller-Catoir, Haardter Manderling, Scheurebe Spatlese , 2004 is as sweet but has a peppery, minerally overlay that adds depth and complexity. It's not slutty, just promiscuous, and I'd like to quote the Wikipedia definition here: "It is worth noting that people who are called 'promiscuous' under this usage, may in fact be quite selective in their choice of sexual partners."

The dry versions I've tasted were quite different. Kinky rather than lush. I've posted a note for the very dry Koehler-Ruprecht, Kalstadter Steinacker, Scheurebe Beerenauslese, 2004 already but Koehler-Ruprecht makes a rather more affordable introduction, which is arguably just as good: Kalstadter Steinacker, Scheurebe Spatlese, Trocken, 2003 (hmmm, was 2003 a good year for Scheurebe at Pfaltz). I didn't write a note at the time (September 2006) so this is all from memory, but it was very floral with mocca and chocolate notes, very brainy and demanding and I think I ordered a bottle after the first sip. Despite an inherent, implicit balance, it still felt adolescently disjointed so I'd guess it should be drunk from late 2007 and onwards.

Availble from Giaconda (I think the BA hasn't arrived yet, though).

Comments

Anonymous said…
Indeed a good year for Scheurebe.
Nice post
2GrandCru said…
Thanks.

What other vintages are considered good for Scheurebe?
Anonymous said…
Where can you buy these wines?
Thank you