The great world Riesling taste-off in Germany I reported on recently yielded precious few wines available on export markets but, amazingly, one of the top performers can now be be found in twenty five top Marks & Spencer stores for just £5.49.
The Dürkheimer Michelsberg Riesling Kabinett, Kurt Darting came third in the 'Best of Riesling's' second category which with 801 wines entered, was the largest category: dry Riesling wines with less than 9g/l residual sugar and above 11 per cent alcohol – all in all a very useful style.
Winemaker Helmut Darting (how can you resist this name?) is one of the young stars of the Pfalz region (a Müller Catoir graduate and a whizz at vine propagation) and this wine, which could apparently have qualified as an Auslese it was so ripe, is quite extraordinary for the price: amazingly rich nose, very Pfalzy, as well as an extremely lively, almost saltily refreshing palate. Great for drinking with food as well as on its – just off dry – own. As US importer Terry Theise (tel 516 677 9300, web www.skurnikwines.com) points out in his uniquely stimulating, passionate tease of a list, Darting's wines just have 'basic lip-smack-o-rama' and his 2001s are particularly good value.