Germany
Our tasters always look forward to the German section of SWA, and it didn’t disappoint this year. It rarely does. And while our Golds might have dipped slightly on the last couple of years, it was heartening to see the overall medal count more than double on last year.
True, one or two tasters were slightly underwhelmed with the Rieslings – one described them as ‘not as thrilling as they’d hoped for’ – but by the Medals stage of judging we had a strong selection of wines to choose from across the board, and it showed.
This was a beautifully balanced part of our list, with a Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), a well-priced Burgundy-substitute Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and a ladder of classically attractive Rieslings. Entries in this section weren’t necessarily what you’d call cheap (only one medal under £10), but nor were they over-inflated. Just very good wines at fair prices, and the Weil Pinot was a thoroughly deserved Critics’ Choice winner.
From The Tasting Teams
‘At the entry level the Rieslings were easy to drink, even for people that aren’t very familiar with the grape, as there’s ripeness and maturity.’ Marco Marcuzzo, Zuma Rome
‘Reds like this are an exciting category for a wine list, and quite versatile – you can pair them with more intricate dishes.’ Jade Koch, team leader
‘It’s always worth looking beyond Riesling when it comes to Germany, but it’s a niche market, and a high-end market too.’ Tim Smith, Winesurfer Consulting
‘What we usually love about Riesling is its tension, and its liveliness; it makes you think “do I drink it, or does it drink me?”’ Jan Konetzki, team leader
‘I thought some of the expensive wines were a little bit overrated. I expected more at £30 and £40. The medium-sweet Rieslings were particularly good though, with very strong varietal character, great acidity and sweetness, yet not cloying. Lots of life and bright fruit.’ Jurijs Nemkovs, StreetXO
‘The reds were very practical, especially for contemporary wine lists. They’re great for a second or third glass, because the acidity is a bit higher, and good for a by-the-glass offering.’ Riccardo Guzzardo, Hakkasan Mayfair
‘The off-dry Rieslings were the best. They’re really practical wines for the on trade. You can serve a bottle as an aperitif.’ Elisa Soggia, Trivet
‘To find something different with similar characteristics to Burgundy, Baden is the place to go.’ Michael Fiducia, Royal Automobile Club