The Kracher wine tasting was held at Spago, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant located at The Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace. J & P Wholesale (a division of Southern Wine & Spirits), in association with third-generation winemaker, Gerhard Kracher, hosted the tasting.
Kracher Winemakers: Scrumptious Dessert Wine
For the information of those who have never had wine from Kracher, the Kracher Family specializes in making sweet dessert wines. Kracher dessert wines are truly delicious and “literally” mouthwatering. I would even go so far as to say that Kracher dessert wines are some of the finest dessert wines available. Three generations of Krachers have been crafting fine wine. To say that the Kracher Family is one of the top Austrian winemakers is an understatement. In truth, Kracher sweet wines (among others) helped put the Seewinkel region (Burgenland, Austria) on the map and mark it as a quality wine-growing region.
Back to the Wine Tasting
Gerhard Kracher himself poured the wines for the tasting. He took the time to explain in detail each of the wines we sampled. Needless to say, I truly enjoyed his briefing. I have always found accounts from winemakers fascinating and enriching. It is a real privilege to be let in on a winemaker’s vision and techniques of wine production. A winemaker’s stories, moreover, are quite enlightening; they help me assess the “heart and soul” that a winemaker has put into making his wines.
Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes: My Top 6 Kracher Wines
I cannot provide you with wine reviews of all 24 wines I sampled at the tasting, but here are my wine tasting notes on the 6 most interesting Kracher wines:
TBA No. 03 Traminer “Nouvelle Vague” 2004
Straw bale in color with deep hues, this wine has the aromas of orange rind, muscat, hawthorn, honey, rose, and a hint of clove. It has some delicate smokiness to it. It is intensely rich and complex with a lingering aromatic finish. This wine has yet to reach its full potential and should age beautifully.
TBA No. 08 Welschriesling “Zwischen Den Seen” 2002
Dark golden/amber in color, this wine has the aromas of linden, grapefruit bud (floral notes), possibly quince (fruit), saffron, and other spice notes with no presence of oak contact. This wine is elegant yet complex. Ready to drink.
TBA No. 12 Noble Wine “Zwischen Den Seen” 2002
Technically, this is not wine. It cannot be classified as wine because its alcohol content is too low (4%) on account of its extremely high sugar content (RS). This “wine” is made from a blend of 50 % Scheurebe and 50 % Welschriesling. Its characteristics resemble that of a Tokaji Eszencia from Hungary. This beverage is amber in color. It has the aromas of Nestea concentrate or – if you want specifics – citrus (lemon), bruised pear, dried apricot, honey, tea leaf, and a hint of tobacco. Basically a Tokaji Eszencia but with less dried fruits on the nose.
TBA No. 09 Chardonnay “Nouvelle Vague” 2004
Straw bale in color, this wine has the aromas of pineapple (faint), peach, linden, honey, vanilla, grilled almonds, and a hint of caramelization and smoke. It is intense yet well-balanced. Very approachable and still youthful considering it has less acidity than its 2005 version. Ready to drink and should age well. Word to the wise: some of the aromas mentioned above will evolve or be transformed over time.
TBA No. 10 Chardonnay “Nouvelle Vague” 2005
Yellow/golden in color, this wine presents the aromas of lemon, linden (very similar to honey), honey glazed baked pear, clove (hint), vanilla, grilled almonds, and just the right touch of smoke. Full-bodied and rich, it has a surprisingly creamy texture (from aging in oak and on account of it being a Chardonnay) yet great acidity with a lengthy smooth finish. Simply beautiful.
TBA No. 07 Welschriesling “Zwischen Den Seen” 2004:
Golden straw bale in color, this wine has the aromas of grapefruit bud, linden, honey (alpine), apricot, peach, tea leaf, and a hint of tobacco and/or other wood spices. It exhibits intense fruitiness, but remains well-balanced. This wine has such complexion and an ever lingering finish. Ready to drink and will age beautifully. That’s all for this wine tasting. Cheers!
