Three serious white wines from three countries

Yesterday’s blind tasting with friends featured many good and some great wines, and this time the whites impressed me the most. My favorites were the most expensive ones in the lineup, though.

Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Alte Reben 2016, Mosel

Unmistakable German Riesling character. Clean like a whistle, super fresh and lively. Still very young, no signs of development, it’s flowery and grapey, fragrant and delicate. Light on its feet yet complex, elegant and refined, there is real class here. Just slightly sweet and acidity is not sky high, it’s not your nervous Riesling but something more supple. Finishes with pollen aromas and a slight bitterness. Damn delicious. 90 points

Domaine Génot-Boulanger Mersault Clos du Cromin 2015

Tasting this blind I recognized Chardonnay, but I was surprised to see what it is. I don’t often drink Mersault and I never had one that is so fresh and delicate as this one. It’s all about purity. Bright and grapey, and even though the finish is a bit hot, it does not seem too ripe or heavy. Definitely not a nutty, oaky and heavy style. You get the trademark appley Chardonnay acidity and the body to round it out, yet it’s gentle and sophisticated rather than powerful. I love this. 90 points

DeMorgenzon Chenin Blanc Reserve 2014, Stellenbosch

I brought this to the event but did not tasted blind, as I recognized the capsule. Some guessed a Chardonnay, others commented on the fine quality of the very expensive oak, and all agreed that it’s still too young to be opened. It already integrated the oak compared to my previous bottle (opened some two years ago), and it might improve further, but I think it’s ready now, though tastes still young. Nutty, toasty nose, but it’s a modern, fresh and precise style. Full-bodied yet compact, cleverly combines richness with elegance. Skillfully made for sure. Crisp acidity and some heat on the finish, which cannot detract from the overall freshness – neither can the interesting toffee note which lingers long and which I found fascinating. 90 points