Heiner Sauer, Gleisweiler Hölle, Riesling Kabinett trocken, 2009

Heiner Sauer, Gleisweiler Hölle, Riesling Kabinett trocken, 2009

After exploring in some depth the potential and perception of residually sweet Riesling, we turn, very briefly, to a style of the variety that is hardly known or appreciated outside of Germany: light, basic range dry Riesling. That type of working man's white is most reliably produced not along the more glamorous Mosel, but in down-to-earth Pfalz (the Palatinate), where vineyards are less capriciously steep and the climate more dependable, and it goes by the name of Kabinett trocken. Almost every half-decent winery there produces a few of those from different vineyards, and almost every inhabitant of the region will have one on their dinner table - almost every day.

I've decided to go for an organically made one from Heiner Sauer. It has the acidic grip and the no-nonsense citrus and peach aromatics of any good Pfalz Kabinett, but also overachieves significantly by bringing herbs, a lot of tobacco (which, by the way, is actually grown quite regularly in the Pfalz), and even some creamy substance. Bone dry and with mineral bite, this is a sharp-toothed little beast. When in the Pfalz, do as the Palatines do: Drink it with sauerkraut, sausages, smoked pork chops, stuffed pig's stomach and other fortifying fare. Fatty food will nicely round out the acidity. Let's not, in the end, forget to state the obvious: great value.

Pfalz vineyard. Photo by <a href=Jürgen Mangelsdorf, licensed cc by-nc-nd 2.0" src="/sites/default/files/images/pfalz_2_kleiner.jpg" width="500" height="345" align="center" class="inline inline-center" />

Comments

Submitted by David Strange Saturday, 06/11/2010

A wine with the epithet 'Sauer' attached to it might not help sales in the English-speaking world...

Submitted by Julian Saturday, 06/11/2010

In reply to by David Strange

Thanks, David! Inexplicably, the naming coincidence only now occurs to me. I want to apologize to my co-Rambler, to our readers, to Heiner Sauer and to my family for overlooking this glaring opportunity for a pun, even though it is probably inexcusable.

Submitted by torsten Sunday, 07/11/2010

And while we are at stating the obvious (re good value): fantastic shot of the capsule, I have to say!

Submitted by Sabine Sunday, 07/11/2010

In reply to by torsten

Thank you, Torsten! I went for the capsule because of the gold lettering on the label. That's very difficult to get properly, and anyway, I don't really like it.