Dr Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling 2007

“Behold! The beast who soars with needle tail
through mountains, shattering shields and city walls!
Behold! The beast that stinks out all the world.”

Canto 17, Commedia Cantica I: Inferno
Dante Alighieri

By golly it is hot! Right now most of south east Australia is sweltering in a very unseasonal heat-wave, and though I will concede that we have not quite got the conditions of Dante’s Inferno, it is only November and all we have to do is think back to what happened in February this year in Victoria.

There are a few measures we can take this summer for cool respite; the beach or pool, midnight showers, icy cold beer and mouth watering Riesling. So it is Riesling I have been turning to lately (there is always room in the fridge for beer as well!) and one of those has been the brilliant Dr Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling 2007 from Germany. This is a wine that I had on the pour at The Point Albert Park and was a wine that was greeted very well by the dining public while it was on.

Though it is probably not the current vintage, this wine has fantastic minerality and flintiness that make it perfect for lazy summer day salads and seafood. In the glass the wine has a very yellow gold colour to it, which is very deceptive to what is to follow on the palate. The nose throws up a very distinct stewed pear and lime aroma, with, as I just said, a very surprising palate following of crisp, clean acid holding together a bright linear feeling of flint and river stones. A massive contrast to the colour and nose but one that is rewarding none the less!

Super balance, gorgeous length with complexity I have not seen for a long time. Dare I say mucho fantastico!

Drink with sashimi
Drink till 2013
98
Quality cork 12%v/v $35 from King and Godfrey Cellars, Carlton