Three Guys, Three Wines (June 20, 2009)

Heymann-Lowenstein, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Kirchberg, Erste Lage, Riesling, 2004

Sigh. This isn't one of my big go-to guys in Germany (a matter of taste, really, rather than quality) and I don't really find Heymann-Lowenstein typical of the Mosel, but this is still a wondeful wine. Very much so. The nose is a charmer, with peaches and some green apples later on, sweet spices, and a vaguely tropical note. The palate could be Alsatian or Austrian due to its dryness, except that the taut structure offers spots enough hints of sweetness over the crisp mineral bite to make it friendlier and less harsh than what I usually find in those counterparts.

Giaconda, about 160 NIS.

Poliziano, Tuscany, La Stanze, 2000

Am I missing out on something by not investing more time and money in Tuscany? This is a modern styled Super-Tuscan by a Montepuliciano producer with modern leanings, but nine years post-harvest, this wine seems very Italian in personality to me, despite a very polished facade. No matter how I'd label the wine style-wise, the nose shows green olives and black fruit while the palate is well built with a tightly wound structure and typical Tuscan acidity. A handsome wine.

Poliziano used to be imported by Anavim (and might still be but I've lost touch with the importer/store) and cost about 300 NIS in store. No way I'd pay that much for a Super-Tuscan these days, despite my praises above, but five years ago - before the market for such wines shrunk- it was a relatively reasonable price for a Super-Tuscan.

Rene Rostaing, Cote Rotie, La Landonne, 1998

This might have been my wine of the night, however, I rather expected more power, even though Cote Rotie should be the softer of the big North Rhone appellations. There is light funk on the nose, but it is reminiscent of sea air rather than barnyard. The palate is light and elegant, almost surprisingly so. A terrific food wine, it develops exceptional minerality on nose and palate but in the end, I expected more oomph. I had waited a long time to taste a top flight Rostaing yet this reads like somewhat of an anticlimax. Thus I sense a score is in order for a change so as to put things in context, and thus: 90-91.

Price unknown.