Peter Brum Zeller Schwarze Katz, 2008

Now that I’ve fully recovered from my pilgrimage... uh...I mean field trip... to Westfield, we’re back to our regularly scheduled weekly tastings. This past weekend, only my taste-buds visited the fabulous Mosel region of Germany, where many of the world’s most exciting Rieslings (i before e, except after c...) and Riesling-based blends are born. Rieslings are generally bright, sweet and refreshing wines with a sometimes yeasty quality if not done right—but you can bet your hinterbacken that they're done right in Mosel.

 

I've been exposed to my fair
share of attack cats. This is
Arthur, guarding my diary.

For my (and your) tasting pleasure, today's offering will be the Peter Brum Zeller Schwarze Katz. Hailing from the town of Zell on the steep sloping banks of the Moselle River in Germany, Zeller Schwarze Katz wines are fun to drink and have a great story to go along with the great name: Legend has it that back in lederhosen times, there was a black cat that fiercely guarded the finest wine in town. When some wine merchants arrived at the town wine cellar to try some of the wines, the black cat ferociously guarded one of the barrels by swatting and hissing at anyone who came near it. The merchants, in their infinite wisdom, took this not as a sign that the cat was rabid and/or protecting its litter of kittens that were sleeping behind the barrel—this likely scenario is purely speculation on my part— but that the cat must be protecting the best wine. Thenceforth the Black Cat of Zell (Zeller Schwarze Katz) became the official symbol for the town and its quality wine. Because if a cat will attack you over it, it must be good, right?

This pissed off cat is ready to
schlagen your hinterer teil des
menschlichen beckens*.

Right. Sunday evening, after a long day of doing pretty much nothing, I decided that while I was watching some Olympic highlights before bed I would have a glass of the Peter Brum Zeller Schwarze Katz and then tell you alllllll about it. It’s a predominantly Riesling blend of a dazzling yellow color with a crisp, zesty scent that clouds into your nostrils and continues all the way down to tickle the base of your throat. Xxx xxxx xxxxxxx x xxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xxxxx. (The previous statement has been removed due to inevitability of "that's what she said" jokes).

 

...the bottle is pretty too.

The taste is not nearly as cloying as the aroma. The Peter Brum Zeller has a pleasant, light flavor. It's a sweet but relatively uneventful wine—it doesn’t change much on the palate but rather begins with quick, crisp floral flavors on the tip of the tongue and ends with some minerality and a little warmth in the chest. There isn’t much middle to speak of; it starts bright, fades quickly and returns for a smooth finish without that “beery” quality some white wines tend to have.

 

The Peter Brum Zeller Schwarze Katz is a well done table wine, perfect for late afternoon drinks on the patio or after dinner digestifs in front of the TV. But beware; this wine is no sipper. It’s refreshing and light, so if you’re thirsty (like I was) you will find yourself polishing off a third glass before you know it. And once you’ve had three glasses you might as well have four and then whoops, there goes the entire bottle. Don't worry, I wouldn’t think any less of you for it...

Glass number "three"

Price: $

My Rating: B+


* P.S. Because I know you're wondering, "hinterer teil des
menschlichen beckens" is loosely translated as "rear part of the human pelvis." You're welcome.

CWT Field Trip: Johnson Estate Winery in Westfield, NY (Part Two)

Bring on the wine!


After our enjoyable (and incredibly interesting) tour of the vineyard, we brunched in the tasting room with the rest of the guests. While I thoroughly enjoy food (No surprise there; pretty much every post at least mentions food and some form of the word "yum"), I was more than a little excited to start tasting the wines.

The tasting bar, a perfect spot for keister-parking. 

The tasting room is the sort of low-key, inviting space I always feel very relaxed in; I imagine myself swirling a bit of vino around in a cool crystal goblet, talking about flavonoids and somehow sounding intelligent. Ambient lighting that twinkles off of the soft edges of the bottles, lots of finished wood and humongous, shiny stainless steel casks add to the effect (at least for me) at Johnson Estate. In the background of the photo next to this paragraph are those cool casks. Most of the wines are aged in the casks and any oak is added by soaking long strips, NOT by aging the wine in oak. The winemaker, Jeff-- who was unfortunately off duty during our visit-- has a light hand with oak, which I appreciate because I hate it when my tongue feels furry. 

I was more than happy to park my keister in front of the tasting bar and take notes.

I'd like to give a shout out to
Jennifer Johnson, who gave me this
notebook to take notes in because
I forgot to bring mine.
Johnson Estate, 1. CWT, 0.

And oh, did I ever take notes! I think I mentioned this before, but while we were there we sampled 29 wines. 29 WINES!!! 
I scribbled furiously, my handwriting growing less legible with each sampling. I couldn't possibly tell you about all of them. For one thing, even the truest of tongues can tire from that much tasting. Even with palate cleansers (some wonderfully nutty Parmesan, herbed crackers and some kind of sugarcoated hazelnut thing that I couldn't have due the possibility that my face might erupt in hives) it started to get a little difficult to pick out all of the complexities toward the end. Also, I couldn't stop giggling. I needed a big glass of water and at least an hour of sitting-on-a-bench time to avoid possible felony charges were I to drive. It's a good thing we weren't in a hurry, and it's for this reason I suggest renting a limo (or at least enlisting a reliable DD) if you are winery-hopping-- when you're ready to move on you just go; we had to wait it out.

Tasting and note-taking.
What an awesome job!

Back to the wine. Johnson Estate Winery grows 11 grape varieties and bottles 32 unique wines, including a port, a sherry and North America’s only sparkling Traminette made in the traditional champagne style. They do some of the standard New York State fare, such as Riesling and Concord (you're in Welch's neck of the woods), but are also branching out into new territory. The most recent addition is a Pinot Noir which won't be completely added for some time; right now the grapes they're practicing with are purchased from a Long Island vineyard, while their own vines mature in a Washington State nursery.
My favorite wine was (not surprisingly) their best seller: The Marechal Foch; a robust, jammy red with a woody, peat smell and a smoky strong smack at the back of the mouth. Not far behind the Foch is a much different but just as iconic wine, the Freelings Creek Reserve Riesling (which I described a little in Part One of the field trip). Very different, just as delicious.

I could probably go on and on, but I won't. I will, however leave you with this recommendation: if you do decide to head out to Lake Erie and pay Johnson Estate a visit, ask Fred what the difference is between the House Red and the Proprietor's Red. There's a great story there; you won't be disappointed!

This concludes our tour. Please mind the gap as you exit the
vehicle and don't forget to tip your driver!

Next week we're back to a regular wine review (my tastebuds should be fully recovered by then). I'll be tasting a Peter Brum wine; which one will be a surprise for the both of us!