A long a favorite I was hoping this one could follow in the footsteps of previous vintages like the 2005 and 2006. That said it used to be Spätlese now just Qualitätswein. Does it matter?
Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s
What They Said:
nothing on the bottle or the web. Any of my Trader Joe’s insiders out there have the scoop on this one?
What I Think:
(9%) Honeyed, pollinated, floral nose. Light spritz, effervescent. Some surprising weight (yet still light and easy) on the palate with a crisp lemon citrus edge over a green apple core. This one is off dry, just a touch sweet, with a slight mineral acidity to keep the finish fresh and pleasing. A simple, straightforward quaffer this one would work well as an aperitif.
Rating: Buy It
The wine hasn’t changed- there’s always been both this regular Piesporter Michelsberg and a spatlese that’s a dollar or two more. Neither one is a Riesling varietal as far as I know…it’s presumably in the blend, but TJ’s doesn’t have specifics on that. I’ve found the spatlese to be worth the little extra money because despite clocking in with higher residual sugar, the acidity seems to provide a better balance.
Thanks Don! Moving to fast. I’ll be sure to grab that one next time I visit!
Based on Don’s comment, I got both. Have to say I prefer your recommendation Jason. The Spatlese was too sweet. Loved the Qualitatswein! Thanks for the heads up on this one.
Pingback: Bread and butter dilemma « the winegetter