Hors Bordeaux tasting notes: sweet wines

db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay gives his verdict of the sweet wines that make up this autumn’s international campaign.  

Country	Wine	Vintage	Region	1st release?	Rating
Austria	Kracher TBA No. 1 Traminer	2021	Burgenland	No	96+
Austria	Kracher TBA No. 2 Zweigelt	2021	Burgenland	No	94+
Austria	Kracher TBA No. 3 Grande Cuvée Nouvelle Vague	2021	Burgenland	No	98
Austria	Kracher TBA No. 4 Rosenmuskateller	2021	Burgenland	No	95
Austria	Kracher TBA No. 5 Scheurebe	2021	Burgenland	No	97
Austria	Kracher TBA No. 6 Welschriesling	2021	Burgenland	No	96
Austria	Barons de Rothschild Rosé	2014	Champagne	No	92
Austria	*La Vigne aux Gamins (Thiénot)	2013	Champagne	No	97
South Africa	Klein Constantia Vin de Constance	2021	Coastal Region	No	95
Hungary	Pajzos Tokaj Esszencia	2019	Tokaj	No	93

Austria

Kracher Kollektion Trockenbeerenauslese Traminer Cuvée No. 1 2021 (Burgenland; 100% Traminer; 171.4g/l of residual sugar; total acidity of 7.1 g/l; 10.5% alcohol). Another Kracher marvel. A wine of incredible purity and precision – aromatically, in terms of the detail of the mid-palate and, indeed, texturally. White pear and apricot vie for attention, each beautifully detailed like a grand master’s water colour – but as one comes into focus the other blends into the background (like turning an analogue radio dial for those with long memories). There’s a little butterscotch, a searing fresh citrus acidity that really holds this all together and brings fantastic energy and tension and a wondrous natural salinity that comes from this unique terroir. Brilliantly vivid and incredibly eloquent. 96+.

Kracher Kollektion Trockenbeerenauslese Zweigelt Cuvée No. 2 2021 (Burgenland; 100% Zweigelt; 195.3g/l of residual sugar; total acidity of 8.4 g/l; 9.5% alcohol). Shocking dark pink. Fascinating. Miraculously, we have poached white pear in red wine, with a touch of clove and cinnamon. Confit raspberry; confit wild strawberry. Prune. Cognac-doused red cherries. A little apricot and, more on the palate than aromatically, Seville orange marmalade. Viscous, full and rich, yet brilliantly bright, lifted and charged with tension for a wine with nearly 200 g/l of residual sugar. Pure, but perhaps the least complex of these, but with a lovely saline note on the finish. Kracking – Krach-ing perhaps! 94+.

Kracher Kollektion Grande Cuvée Trockenbeerenauslese Nouvelle Vague No. 3 2021 (Burgenland; 65%; Welschriesling; 35% Chardonnay; 210.7 g/l of residual sugar; total acidity of 8.0 g/l; 10% alcohol; tasted first at the Joanne press tasting and then with Gerhard Kracher at the offices of his Bordeaux courtier). This is the principle release on la place, with the other cuvées only available as part of the 2024 collection case. Apricot pure and simple – but painted by a great master in finely pixilated detail. A little candyfloss and peanut brittle – burnt sugar bitterness. So pure and precise. Very Lafaurie Peyraguey with lanolin and a little pineapple on the palate too. A little granny smith too and nectarine flesh and skin. Saline – massively so – and that brings concentration and density. Massively impactful and so pure. 98.

Kracher Kollektion Trockenbeerenauslese Cuvée Rosenmuskateller No. 4 2021 (Burgenland; 100% Rosenmuskateller; 236.0 g/l of residual sugar; total acidity of 8.6 g/l; 9.5% alcohol). Stunning. Baked apples and cinnamon, poached pear in red wine, red cherry. Rich, yet with that Kracher-signature freshness. This is, if I’m honest, not my favourite varietal for this kind of wine – but here, not for the first time, I make an exception. Maybe less complex than some of the others, but glorious as and for what it is. 95.

Kracher Kollektion Trockenbeerenauslese Cuvée Scheurebe No. 5 2021 (Burgenland; 100% Scheurebe; 317.4 g/l of residual sugar; total acidity of 9.0 g/l; 6.5% alcohol). This is wondrously indulgent. Caramel au beurre salé, peanut brittle, brandy snaps, fresh ginger, ginger ale, fresh peach, nectarine and while pear. A touch of angelica too and candied citrus peel. Rich, viscous and glossy, but with great poise, tension and energy coming from the bitingly fresh acidity. It acts like tannin, grip and directing the fruit and preventing this from even thinking of becoming fat or heavy. The effect is bold and dramatic and that makes this one of the real stars of the Collection case this year. I love the ginger note that runs through this from start to finish. 97.

Kracher Kollektion Trockenbeerenauslese Cuvée Welschriesling No. 6 2021 (Burgenland; 100% Welschriesling; 336.1 g/l of residual sugar; total acidity of 8.3 g/l; 5.5% alcohol). With close to 340 g/l of residual sugar we enter into a different realm of viscosity here, but still with an amazingly visceral sense of freshness. Freshly grated coconut, buttered and gently toasted brioche, a little frangipane and roasted blanched almonds and a hint of grilled pineapple. On the palate I am reminded a little of Lafaurie Peyraguey – lanolin and pineapple, lime zest. This is, amazing though it is to write, incredibly delicate and subtle. It’s even a little introvert but with the most fabulous texture. Utterly captivating and difficult to imagine without tasting it. So what (other than the vanishingly small quantities produced) is stopping you? 96.

South Africa

Vin de Constance (Klein Constantia) 2021 (100% Muscat de Frontignan; 14% alcohol). Honeyed. Richer, fuller and more opulent than the Kracher Grande Cuvée tasted before and less tense and taut, Vin de Constance remains very true to its style in its vintage. This is ample and mouth-filling, pushing out the cheeks. More obviously sweet and less fruit-forward in a way. But fantastic too and with a personality all of its own. Saffron and peach, crème brulée – with both the creaminess and the burnt sugar. Butterscotch too. Juicy and with the freshness delivered on the finish. 95.

Hungary

Pajzos Tokaj Esszencia 2019 (Tokaj; 42% Zeta; 32% Furmint; 26% Muscat; 4% alcohol, the rest being residual sugar). Raisins. Raisin essence. Honey. Apricot jam. A little hint of ginger. It goes without saying that this is sweet, very, very sweet but it’s wonderfully balanced by the very natural feel of the acidity. And that gives this an extraordinary sense of purity. A wine that may well not be for everyone’s taste, but it’s brilliantly vivid and vibrant. 93.

 

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