2013 Messmer Muskateller Feinherb
A great treat this week. A wine I stumbled upon accidentally—long story—but has become one of my new favorites. And the price? Feel free to jump ahead for the sheer excitement.
First off, for those who don't know: Muskateller is the German name for Muscat.
Messmer was founded in 1960 when Herbert Messmer purchased the historical estate and took over the vineyards and winery, and in 1984, the winery was taken over by son Gregor Messmer. Nestled in the forested slopes of the Haardt Mountains in the southern Pfalz, Messmer has so much soil diversity among his grand cru sites that he chooses to label his wines by terroir along with corresponding vineyard names. Among other efforts, only organic fertilizers are used in vineyards, and starting in 2011 Messmer began biodynamic viticulture. The same care of preserving terroir and the character of the grape can be seen in his winemaking techniques.
This is a great wine for those with fine taste in dry German Riesling or those who might want to try something new but generally have a thing against a little sweetness but sort of, sometime, just like to dabble in the sweet without being too sweet if that's possible.
First off, for those who don't know: Muskateller is the German name for Muscat.
Messmer was founded in 1960 when Herbert Messmer purchased the historical estate and took over the vineyards and winery, and in 1984, the winery was taken over by son Gregor Messmer. Nestled in the forested slopes of the Haardt Mountains in the southern Pfalz, Messmer has so much soil diversity among his grand cru sites that he chooses to label his wines by terroir along with corresponding vineyard names. Among other efforts, only organic fertilizers are used in vineyards, and starting in 2011 Messmer began biodynamic viticulture. The same care of preserving terroir and the character of the grape can be seen in his winemaking techniques.
This is a great wine for those with fine taste in dry German Riesling or those who might want to try something new but generally have a thing against a little sweetness but sort of, sometime, just like to dabble in the sweet without being too sweet if that's possible.
Nose: Notes of rocky marsh, burnt wax, orange peel oil, smoke, kiwi, sea salt. There's a fun interplay and dichotomy between the intense and spice driven exotic fruit and the minerality which keeps changing.
Palate: High acid burst reminds one of a Pfalz dry Riesling right off the bat but there is this weird exotic roundness that I've never seen co-exist with Riesling. There is punch and fat with a real down to earth mouth feel on the finish that lingers but remains consistent in it's high focus mineral driven salty edge.
What I'm Eating: Pan-seared lemon butter Cod with basil pesto, side of mustard greens
What I'm Listening To: Dandy Warhols: 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia
2013 Messmer Muskateller Feinherb
Original Price: $34.99
Sale Price: $19.99
3 Bottles: $17.99
6+ Bottles: $14.99
Palate: High acid burst reminds one of a Pfalz dry Riesling right off the bat but there is this weird exotic roundness that I've never seen co-exist with Riesling. There is punch and fat with a real down to earth mouth feel on the finish that lingers but remains consistent in it's high focus mineral driven salty edge.
What I'm Eating: Pan-seared lemon butter Cod with basil pesto, side of mustard greens
What I'm Listening To: Dandy Warhols: 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia
2013 Messmer Muskateller Feinherb
Original Price: $34.99
Sale Price: $19.99
3 Bottles: $17.99
6+ Bottles: $14.99