Enjoying Central European Wines

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Two quite different wine tastings in Washington recently gave us the opportunity to become familiar with some quality wines that deserve to be better known. More than that, the grape varietals, Kekfrankos, Gruner Veltliner and Chasselas, are largely unfamiliar, although they are grown in a belt of temperate climate between the 46th and 47th Parallels where fine wines are produced. This belt includes the great regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. As I was soon to learn, however, wines from Switzerlnd, Austria and Hungary are produced within this same parallel. Exploring these areas therefore offers new possibilities for discovering fine wines. The wine tastings were dissimilar in style. On the smaller, more intimate scale, a wine tasting well organized by Giramondo Wine Adventures (www.giramondowine.com) at the official Residence of the Swiss Ambassador was a delight. Ambassador Urs Zisweiller and his elegant wife Ronit greeted their visitors, and stayed throughout the tasting, graciously answering questions. There was a helpful general background lecture on the wines of Switzerland given by Giramondo President Laurent Guinand, and a welcome by Ambassador Zisweiller. The tasting that followed not only featured seven wines, but an assortment of Swiss foods, including as a special treat Swiss comfort food, a raclette, lightly heated cheese over potatoes with pickles and onions, that was individually prepared by the Embassy Chef. Winemaking in Switzerland is an ancient tradition, we were told, going back to Roman times. There are four main regions for production, the Valais, Vaud, Neuchatel and Ticino, each with their own specialties and varieties of climate, the west and south accounting for most of the nation’s wine production. We were interested to hear that, by comparison with other regions (where cold climate dictates a short ripening season and early harvests), the warm Foehn winds in the southwestern Vaud region allow for more mature ripening. And not too far away, the Valais region at the foot of the Alps accounts for 40% of the nation’s wine production. (It was those same Foehn winds, sweeping down from Austrian peaks onto the Hungarian plain, that would bring temperature changes of forty or more degrees in a few hours and were said to affect Hungarian behavior, when we resided in Budapest. I am not sure whether the Foehn winds were ever cited by the defense in a murder case, but it wouldn’t surprise me!) The main Swiss white varietal grape is the Chasselas, accounting for 75% of production, and other white varietals include the Petite Arvine and the Pinot Gris, here called the Malvoisie. The 2007 Chateau d’Auvernier (AOC Auvernier, Neuchatel), 100% Pinot Gris, was a nice starter wine, with real substance and flavors of almonds and honey. It could either be enjoyed on its own, or served as a nice dinner wine to complement fish or white meats. The 2005 Chateau Lichten (AOC Valais), 100% Petite Arvine, was quite good, rather light and spicy, a bit sharp in the after taste. The 2005 Henri Badoud Les Murailles (AOC Aigle, Vaud), 100% Chasselas, was my favorite of this flight. It was refreshing, medium weight, and had a mineral character, almost bubbly. We then tried two red wines, which I found quite light. The 2005 Rene Favre & Fils Pinot Noir (AOC Chamoson, Valais) was rather nice, but for a Pinot Noir, surprisingly insubstantial. The Pinot Noir is the predominant red grape grown in Switzerland, at 50% of production. The 2001 Delea Melot del Mago (Ticino), 100% Merlot, did have a flavor of berries, which I found went well with the cheese and meat platters that were passed. But they had saved the best for last. There were two dessert wines, both from the Valais region. The 2004 Adrian Mathuier La Valaisanne, 100% Pinot Gris, was light and pleasant, with honey tones, rather like a young Sauternes from a good recent vintage. The 2005 Arvine MiFletrie Les Claives from Andre Roduit & Fils, 100% Arvine, was excellent. It was not overly sweet, and had layers of flavor. It went perfectly with the dessert of puffed pastry filled with candied walnuts and raisins.  On a far larger scale, the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival was again a sellout success. Here, the scale is so large that one risks being overwhelmed by the many offerings. But the efficient organization, including a chart of the distributor tables, lets you map out where you want to concentrate your time and attention. And those pouring the wine were very knowledgeable. There was also a general wine lecture and tasting, with an assortment of good contrasting wines, as well as gourmet cooking demonstrations, with samples for tasting. I was particularly interested to taste the wines of Austria, whose production areas would roughly fit within the same belt btween the 46th and 47th Parallels. Indeed, the exhibitor told me that proceeding due West, one would arrive at Beaune! I was particularly taken with the Gruner Veltliner varietal, Austria’s leading white grape. It is aromatic and refreshes the palate. The Steininger Loisiumweingater Gruner Veltliner 2007 was very refreshing, with notes of apple and a bit of spice. One can well imagine whiling away a carelfree hour or three in a Wine Garden Heurigen near the Vienna Woods sipping this pleasant wine. I also sampled two red wines. The Leo Hillinger Pinot Noir Evelline 2005 had light berry notes and was rather soft. I wouldn’t really compare it to any Burgundy except Santenay, which pleases for its lightness. Trying to compare this wine to the deep Pinot Noir classic wines of the Cote d’Or would be a false comparison, I think. The Anton Baer Wagram Cuvee was a very interesting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and local red grapes Blauer Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch, said to add cherry and blackberry aromas and tannins for structure. For a bonus for history buffs, the wine pourer, from Klaus Wittauer Selections, Austrian wine specialists, pointed out…
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