Weingut Aufricht

Weingut Aufricht, Meersburger Sängerhalde, Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Julian — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:41:56 +0000

Weingut Aufricht, Meersburger Sängerhalde, Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Tasted blind, and with surprising results, here.

Julian Thursday, 01/04/2010

Sucker Punch of the Sauvignons (Blind tasting madness part 5)

Julian — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:06:15 +0000

Sucker Punch of the Sauvignons (Blind tasting madness part 5)

Wine Rambler full committee meeting. Two Sauvignon Blancs nice and cool, ready for the first sip. The tasting would nominally be blind, but it should be a walk in the park to tell them apart. One from New Zealand, Astrolabe's 2008 "Discovery": more explosively, exotically fruity, surely. One from Germany, the 2008 Meersburger Sängerhalde Sauvignon Blanc from Aufricht, the Lake Constance's ambitious star horse: more subdued, but with more depth and minerality, maybe? We knew what we were doing, we had done it before. It would be a pleasant evening with a laid-back broadening of wine horizons.

Glasses rinsed, monkfish and shrimp already in the frying pan, wine ramblers contented and full of calm anticipation. What could possibly go wrong?

Julian Thursday, 01/04/2010

Wine Rambler on the road: Lake constance views and wines from Aufricht

Julian — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:37:00 +0000

Wine Rambler on the road: Lake constance views and wines from Aufricht

Unexpected pleasures are the most enjoyable. We had confidently expected to spend the best part of this first day of the pentecostal holidays stuck in traffic jams. But no, for once we actually managed the early start we always try for and reached the half-stage of our usual drive to the black forest, lake Constance, in good time and in beautiful early-summer sunshine, and what's best: with extra time.

I had had Aufricht, the rising star winery of the region, and arguably the lake's best, in the back of my mind for some time, and clearly, it was now or never: Over bumpy vineyard roads and after some false turns, we reached their gates, and were lucky. They were open for tasting, even for unannounced and slightly car-dishevelled customers.

Julian Sunday, 07/06/2009

Weingut Aufricht, Auxerrois 2008

Julian — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:23:20 +0000

Weingut Aufricht, Auxerrois 2008

Straw-coloured, on the lighter side.

Ripe apricots and other ripe yellow fruit, rich, some perfumy citrus aromas as well.

Very young and fruit-driven in the mouth, nice acidity, peach and grapefruit notes sprayed onto a creamy body.

This is very much a "made" wine (think cultured yeasts, think low temperature fermentation) and although it has substance, polish and even some spice, it could have been made in South Africa, in Friuli, or some other place where very good winemakers know exactly how their wine should taste in the end. Nothing wrong with that, but it didn't work for me just now. I can't rule out that this might have turned into something with more depth and a sense of place with some bottle ageing. Who knows?

Julian Tuesday, 02/06/2009