For four days I was in Wiesbaden to attend the annual VDP. Grosses Gewächs tasting. On two days of tasting the wines from the 2018 vintage managed to sample 211 (out of 425). I concentrated on the first day on Spätburgunder from Württemburrg, Ahr, Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Baden; on the second, on Riesling from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden and Franken.

The tasting room in Wiesbaden

There was also a single wine from the region in former East Germany, Saale-Unstrut – by a producer named Bernard Pawis in Freyberg – which I really enjoyed (and gave 90 points). There were also six Chardonnay from Baden of the 2017 and 2018 vintages – five of which I marked at 89. The top Baden Chardonnay (91 points) was Wöhrle Kronenbült Gottsacker Chardonnay. (Unfortunately, I didn’t mark down the vintage since I didn’t get to see the bottle.)

A day’s tasting

The 2018 vintage of Riesling is ripe and delicious. No notes here because none of the wines will be available at the LCBO as German wines are currently overlooked by the Board.

However, here are some wines I tasted before leaving for Germany:

Closerie des Alisiers Bourgogne Aligoté 2017 (Burgundy – $18.95, Vintages #557728): Bright, palest straw in colour; minerally, apple nose with a suggestion of oak; medium-bodied, crisply dry, apple and pear flavours with lively, lemony acidity, finishing on a note of green nuts. (90)

Château Hauchat 2016 (Fronsac – $17.95, Vintages #123489): Deep ruby-purple in colour; cedary, spicy, blackcurrant and plum bouquet with oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, light claret flavours of currants and plums with a firm structure. (89)