[Andre Clouet|Donnhoff] What’s everybody drinking for Labor Day?

NV Champagne Andre Clouet "Un Jour de 1911", Bouzy, Champagne

This is a special bottle for me because a friend of mine bought me a bottle to celebrate passing my Certifed Somm exam, and both of us were just blown away. Since then I make a point of buying a bottle every year, partially to celerbate passing the exam, and also to see if it's as good as remember the last time.

100% Pinot Noir from estate-owned Grand Cru sites around Bouzy, with 50% aged in stianlees, and 50% aged in used Sauternes barrels from Doisy Daene, this is a multi vintage wine that uses a 50% base of the legendary 2008 vintage, and 50% from the estate's Solera of barrels up to 15 years old. Then it gets aged for 120-150 months on the lees.

On the nose, initially, the wine wasn't jumping out of the glass the way I've come to expect it from past experiences, but there were still discernable notes lemon juice, lime juice, lees, and sourdough bread.

On the palate, however, it was a different story. The first you notice is the explosive acidity, with really bright lemon and lime flavors, while the glorious older champagne notes begin to mix in, giving the fruit these tiny hints of caramel, and the lees was right there. This also had notes of Bosch pear, ripe starfruit, slightly underripe pineapple, sourdough bread, and a savory quality I can liken to roasted pork, all with a delightul salinity.

I hesitate to call anything a "Baby Krug", but if I had to choose a wine to fit the moniker, this would be one of my first choices.

Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule [goldkapsel], Nahe, Germany

[2nd bottle of a 6 pack case]

Arguably the king of the Nahe region, Donnhoff just doesn't miss. From his lowest tier to his very highest, the wines just consistently deliver. The Oberhauser Brucke vineyard is one of Donnhoff's monopoles, and some of his best wines come from here.

This Riesling is absolutely intense.

On the nose, this wine is also a little muted, but that's par for the course with a Riesling this young. Hints of Mosel apple, petrol, and pear were about the only flavors leaving the glass.

The palate, however, was also a hugely different story. This wine has an unbelievable amount of acidity and some really fantastic viscosity, showing notes of Mosel apple, limeade, lemonade, Bosch pear, ripe apricots, guava, mango, passion fruit, and peach, with that haunting diesel presence throughout, as well as white flowers and a tiny hint of honey on the finish which is crazy considering how many Auslese Gold Capsules end up being pretty botrytis heavy.

Truly an experince, and for the $60 I paid for it, I can tell you I'm not even close to regretting my decision.