Brett happens

Vinealis was the featured agency at the Mo’ Wine Group’s early September tasting, which was led by the agency’s founder and head honcho, André Papineau. Despite the fact that I’ve known André for longer than about anyone else in the Quebec wine importing business (we first met when he was a sommelier at Montreal’s Laloux restaurant), this was his first visit to the group. I suspect it won’t be his last. We began with a wine from the outskirts of Vienna.

Wein 2016, Riesling, Wieninger ($28.15, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from biodynamically farmed vines rooted in loess and limestone. The grapes are manually harvested and macerated on the skins for five hours. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured on the fine lees. Residual sugar 1.2 g/l. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinealis.

Beautiful nose: apple, peach, chalky minerals, white flowers, crushed leaves and, per another taster, “passion fruit.” Pure, dry and grippy (due not to tannins, of course, but rather to the bracing acidity and high mineral content), filled with ripe yet austere fruit. Impressive dimensionality for a wine at this price point, including a long, stony finish. (Buy again? Done!)

WMG September 14th tasting: flight 1 of 9