After two beautiful sparkling wines, we turn our attention to Chardonnay from Germany, together with a pirate.
The Cavaliera 2020 Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Ermes is a serious Lambrusco with carbonic acid, tannin and beautiful cherry aromas. It is medium-bodied and balanced. 17.5/20 points.
The Ca del Bosco NV Cuvee Prestige Extra Brut 45 Edizione is a nice alternative to the increasingly expensive champagnes. The wine has a fine perlage, yeast and blossom aromas, medium to full body, beautiful fruit and a slight residual sweetness. 17.5/20 points.
The Karl-Heinz Johner 2020 Chardonnay SJ is actually still too young and needs plenty of air. It has very little wood, blossoms, rosewood and is balanced with a medium-long to long finish and full body. 17.5/20 points.
The Friedrich Becker 2018 Chardonnay Mineral has a Burgundian structure with rosewood, full body, balance, medium-long to long finish and beautiful structure. The wine appears elegant, but develops more and more iodine aromas with air. 18.5/20 points.
The Friedrich Becker 2019 Chardonnay Mineral is more of a Californian structure with a lot of wood influence and power, otherwise very similar to the 2018. It is fresh, but the acidity has not yet integrated perfectly. 18/20 points.
The Thörle 2015 Chardonnay Reserve has some pancake and exotic notes such as pineapple and papaya, as well as herbs. The wine has full body and a long finish and is mineral and dense. 17.8/20 points.
The Rebholz 2020 Chardonnay R is well made but a bit boring at a high level. The wine has yellow plum, medium to full body, medium length, power and is slightly mineral. 17/20 points.
The best Chardonnay in this tasting is clearly Bernhard Huber 2015 Hecklinger Schlossberg Chardonnay Großes Gewächs. The wine is still youthful and has herbs, some gummy bears, iodine, full body and is dense, deep, long and complex. 19/20 points.
The pirate is the Martinelli 2017 Russian River Valley Chardonnay Lolita Ranch. The wine has strong barrique notes with caramel and some herbs, full body, a long finish and is spicy, long and dense. The wine is clearly recognizable as New World. 18.8/20 points.
