Saar Kabinett at its light and most pristine, this charming, floral, medium sweet Riesling is very delicate on the nose and tongue, with notes of apple and stone fruit, crunchy, Granny Smith acidity and all the fruit you’d expect from a warm vintage like 2011. Max von Kunow has taken over from his father, Eberhard, and there is a perceptible shift here towards a slightly drier style, but the quality of the wines remains as high as ever.
White Varietal: Riesling
Northern Whites: wine in a cold climate
by Matt Walls
Inspiration can come in many forms. For Anders Selmer, his lightbulb moment was at a café in Copenhagen, and it was shaped like a turnip: “I was served a turnip...
2006 Parcel Series Riesling, Eden Valley
( £6.99, 12.5%, Majestic )A 92 point wine for only £6.99? You betcha. I can’t believe that this mature parcel of Eden Valley Riesling is so cheap. Sourced from McWilliams (better known for their aged Semillons), this is a delicously developed wine, showing classic flavours of lime and toast. It’s fresh, beautifully balanced and complex, with amazing length on the palate. Get on line, drive to your local Majestic, do whatever it takes, but make sure you buy this stunning wine.
Argentina’s Malbec obsession
by Tim Atkin
Is Argentina too dependent on Malbec? The question might seem absurd – few countries have managed to associate themselves so successfully with a single grape – but it’s beginning to...
2011 Auzells, Costers del Segre, Catalonia
( £9.95, 13%, The Wine Society )Made from no fewer than eight varieties (with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Muscat among them), this is an intriguing nothern Spanish white that combines perfume with fruit intensity. Grapey, fresh and lime-scented, it’s a focused, floral dry white with a hint of bitterness on the finish.
2011 Neudorf Moutere Riesling, Nelson
( £17, 9% )The Riesling from this brilliant Nelson winery is often overlooked, such is the quality of its Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs, but this medium dry style is a delight, all lime peel and stone fruit, with a steely backbone of acidity that wouldn’t look out of place in the Rheingau.
Pierre Mansour: Wine Society selector
by Matt Walls
It does not sell Armand de Brignac ‘Ace of Spades’ Champagne, nor does it sponsor the drinks at footballers’ weddings. The Wine Society doesn’t court the ‘glamour’ end of the...
Alsace and the meaning of tradition
by Tim Atkin
The wine world thrives on novelty: new vintages, new flavours, new producers. In some ways, this is both understandable and necessary. Creating a bit of sizzle around a category that,...
My Dream Cellar
by Tim Atkin
Imagine, just for one minute, that you were richer than Bill Gates: more loaded than a Hollywood film star, Warren Buffett and a Russian oligarch put together. Which wines would...
Twelve Christmas wines under £10
by Tim Atkin
Bearing in mind that most of us are broke at this time of year, I’ve decided to keep things simple and affordable this Christmas, restricting my choices to just a...
My top dozen wines from the Biodyvin tasting
by Tim Atkin
2007 Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewurztraminer d’Alsace Grand Cru Sonnenglantz (available from OW Loeb)One of a series of stunning wines from this outstanding Colmar-based domaine. Spicy and complex, with real intenstity and...
The pick of Waitrose’s wine range
by Tim Atkin
RED 2010 Saumur, Les Nivières (£7.49, 13%) Essence of Loire Cabernet Franc, this unoaked red is a delight: soft and grassy with fresh acidity, no oak and pure blackcurrant and...