TN: A Classic Raisin-Select: 1992 D'Arenberg Riesling The Noble

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John Trombley
Posts: 427
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:46 pm
Location: Piqua, Ohio, United States of America - USA

TN: A Classic Raisin-Select: 1992 D'Arenberg Riesling The Noble

Post by John Trombley »

7/18/2017 rated 95 points: 1992 d'Arenberg Riesling The Noble (McClaren Vale). Discovered in the cellar; hadn't been added to inventory; think that this was one of two half-bottles from a wine store on Alaska Avenue in Washington, DC, where I got a lot of wonderful stuff and a lot of OTH stuff, too, but the price was right.

From the rich brown color I'd say it's a Trockenbeerenauslese knockoff of the truly classic style, especially since it was harvested at 49 degrees Brix or about 240 Oechsle (29.4 degrees calculated potential alcohol). Listed at 15 percent alcohol by volume, with a 17.6 Brix residual sugar. (Guesstimate would have been 10.6 percent by vol residual sugar plus 17.6 degrees is 28.4 degrees compared with 29.4--a pretty good guess all that sugar is made by something other than a sugarcane!)

It has been very hard to take a read this wine; I remember one half-bottle tasted a few years back that was sherried (seemed heat-damaged), a little volatile, noticebly bitter, and altogether strange, sort of the the first 5 out of 6 of my half-bottles of the Langraflich Hessische's Weingut 1976 Winkeler Hasensprung Riesling Trockenbeerenausle that made such a fool of me.

This wine is actually in stellar shape but somewhat YOUNG still. It's the consistency of light motor oil. Beautiful upper-register mint, tarragon, and other herb notes. A real yarn-ball of citric notes, predominantly a lovely orange seasoned with lime zest, with everything else there, too, perhaps even Japanese mirin, Sweetness and acidity perfectly balanced, with note of Pu'erh tea, and a twist of bitter lemon on the finish, which becomes quite dancing. Currently an altogether luscious and lovely wine. A word to the wise, if you haven't gotten it yet.

What kind of guts does it take to make such wines, that take 25 years show where they're headed?

Some of the material quoted here is from a translation I did for Peter Jordan about the classic winemaking techniques for a German Trockenbeerenauslese, available on the Wiki that's included in CellarTracker.
Paul Fountain
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Re: TN: A Classic Raisin-Select: 1992 D'Arenberg Riesling The Noble

Post by Paul Fountain »

They are a pretty unusual winery and Chester Osborn, who is the current winemaker and part of the family dynasty, is a pretty unusual character though the 1992 may have still been his father in charge. They have a pretty large range of wines for a family owned winery, ranging from inexpensive through to high end. I'm not sure if they still make this one. The winery has a lot of history but they have never been afraid to try stuff.
John Trombley
Posts: 427
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:46 pm
Location: Piqua, Ohio, United States of America - USA

Re: TN: A Classic Raisin-Select: 1992 D'Arenberg Riesling The Noble

Post by John Trombley »

Thanks for the comments, Paul; this probably gives a hint as to why this wine has developed as it had and so is quite helpful.
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