More weekend wines from Charlotte trip

[wondersofwine]

Having tried a flight of red wines at Dean & Deluca on Saturday, I went back for some white wines Sunday after the Panthers-Vikings game and before dinner at Upstream Restaurant (Dean & Deluca is right across the way from Upstream in Phillips Place.)

2002 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Kabinett ($3.25 for a 2-oz. tasting)
9% alchol; Terry Theise selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines.
Looks basically colorless looking straight down at the glass; picks up some golden glints from reflected light at other angles.
Sniff of petrol (mild) but flowery in the mouth. Swirling brings out some white blossom scents. Fairly rich, thick mouthfeel for a Kabinett wine. Flavor is closer to white stonefruits than apples with a faint suggestion of honey. $20.95 for a bottle at Dean & Deluca.

Next wine could also be posted in Northwestern wines. 2004 Chehalem Reserve Riesling, Willamette Valley. $3.25 for 2-oz. tasting, $23.95 for a bottle. Dry Riesling (.2% residual sugar). 13.9% alcohol. Blend of cuvees from grapes of all three Chehalem estate vineyards. Appears almost colorless. Unusual scent that I had trouble relating to everyday objects--maybe a crystallized ginger or a powdery tone. Very dry impression on the palate. Almost a tourch of cardboard or wood slivers. Thinking it might have a faint TCA fault I mentioned something to the waitress and she had the manager check it and said that it was probably just the dry quality I was reacting to. Maybe an unfriendly barrel treatment rather than TCA. Unpleasant aftertaste. Alcohol noticeable in comparison to the German Riesling. Did not care for the Chehalem Riesling.

The next wine is more Austrian than German or Alsace. 2002 Goldjoch Gruner Veltliner from Pfaffl (complimentary taste). Producer is Pfaffl family from the Goldjoch Vineyard at the south part of the Weinviertel (winery quarter or district) where Gruner Veltliner grapes are grown. Colorless in the dimmed lighting. Silky texture. Less biting and more fruity than other G.V. wines I have tried. Atypical? This would be versatile as a food wine and I appreciated the complimentary tasting.