Saturday night – “Not a total schLOSS!” Edition Part 1

Amy wanted to try the Schloss Johannisberger Riesling 2006 that I had at the latest wine club –

http://zippysauce.blogspot.com/2008/08/wine-club-two-out-of-three-aint-bad.html

We are all big fans of the Robert Mondavi Riesling and I was curious to see how this Riesling would pair with foods that the Mondavi paired well with. Mick agreed to do Satay shrimp for the occasion.

"Seriously good shrimp!"

Mick was had everything already prepped by the time we arrived Saturday, so we got straight to pouring out the wine. The Schloss Riesling was an attractive pale gold in colour with a very aromatic nose. Grapefruit was the predominant aroma with accents of pear, melon and peach.

Tasting this wine caught me off guard as I was expecting it to be sweeter than what it was. When I tried this wine at wine club it was with a dry Chardonnay and a very dry Sauvignon Blanc so it seemed very sweet compared to those two. On its own it wasn’t as sweet as I recalled it to be. The wine had a very appealing tanginess to it. It reminded me of the same taste sensation you get with pink grapefruit with sugar on top – a hit of sweet as it first touches your tongue quickly followed by a refreshing tartness. The acidity on the wine was fresh and lively giving the wine a very nice balance.

"A very good Riesling!"

With the Satay shrimp the wine was an OK pairing, the peanut sauce that goes with the shrimp has a sweetness to it that this wine had trouble keeping up with. The Mondavi would be a better pairing due to its extra sugar. The prosciutto wrapped shrimp Mick did last week would have been an awesome pairing for this wine.

Here is the group rating for the wine –Mick – 89, Mark – 92, Kathy – 90, Amy – 89, Overall – 90

Here is the LCBO information on this wine –

Schloss Johannisberger Riesling 2006

Vintages 70961

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 27.95

11.0% Alcohol

Vol.Sugar Content : 2

Made in: Rhine Rhinegau, Germany

By: Schloss Johannisberg

Release Date: May 10, 2008

Tasting Note - Classy, aristocractic Riesling with aromas of pear, quince, lime zest and mineral. Off-dry with a nice acid crispness that adds a touch of dryness. Creamy/ nutty tones to add complexity. Light-to medium-bodied with a medium long finish, this polished wine is a great sipper or an excellent choice for grilled white fish. It will also cellar nicely for up to four years. (VINTAGES panel, March 2008)

Here is what the Wine Spectator had to say about this wine –

Schloss Johannisberger Riesling QbA Rheingau Gelblack 2006

Has fine power and verve, with the structure driving the apple, white peach and grapefruit notes to a long finish. It's more about the structure at this point. Drink now through 2012. 3,500 cases made. –BS

Price $29, Score 88

Two interesting things with this wine and the Wine Spectator. The first is that as a group we rated it higher than the Wine Spectator did – WS = 88 and we rated it a 90, generally our ratings have been a touch lower than the Wine Spectator’s ratings. The other item of interest is the price is higher listed on the Wine Spectator $29 US vs. $28 Canadian at the LCBO, this is the first time I can ever remember the price at the LCBO being lower than the Wine Spectator’s.

Click here for part 2