Two bottles Karl Haidle
We enter the current vintage with a 2018 Ritzling Gutswein from the Karl Haidle winery. Accompanied by a 2015 Stettener Pulvermächer providing some contrast.
It was a dry and warm summer last year. Very dry actually, which in many places can still be seen in the plants, although it did rain more often in the last days and weeks. At least here it did. Nevertheless the deep roots of the vines were enough to produce a vintage with higher yields after the often frost-stricken year 2017. What remains is the excitement of what the winemakers have made of it. For the start of the wine year 2018 we have a Riesling from around here: A Ritzling from the Karl Haidle winery, the Gutswein. Young winegrower, hip label and wine from the home turf for the start and as a contrast to it a somewhat more mature Riesling from a vineyard classified as Erste Lage, a Stettener Pulvermächer from 2015.
The Ritzling offers immediately uncomplicated Riesling entertainment in the nose. A lot of pear, not one hundred percent ripe, the pear that is, but somewhere between green and yellow. Quite voluminous, especially when you realize that it’s the basic Riesling of the winery swirling in your glass. When drinking it, more pear, which, together with a firm, very young and fresh acidity, remains for a long time on the palate accompagnied by a little spice. Actually, the second wine is not needed at all. With this one you can spend the evening and if most of the stuff that is bottled in 2018 is as good as this one, then it will be a good wine year.
But the second wine was already open and poured and I had no intention to waste anything, so I’m putting the nose into the glass and smell. Wow. This is another level. The nose is extremely busy, very ripe fruit, half cooked apricots, dried pineapple and a little yeast, something sweet is resonating. In the mouth much fresher than I would have expected. The great acidity demands more sips and a fast refill and minerality and spice occupy the palate and won’t go anywhere anytime soon. Very interesting combination: In the nose opulent fruit and then turning towards a structured wine on the palate. I am looking forward to the other bottles of Haidle waiting in the cellar.