WCOW: Germany VS. Australia

To celebrate the 2010 World Cup of Soccer in South Africa we are hosting a few nation VS. nation competitions of our own whenever two major wine producing countries meet.

Match 1 has Germany taking on Australia in a battle of cool climate Rieslings. We chose two highly regarded wines that we had never previously tasted and sent them into a head-to-head, winner-takes-all, taste-off.

Germany's Wine: Loosen Bros. 2008 Riesling "Dr L"
Region: Mosel.
Alcohol: 8.5%
Price: $18.99 (BCLDB stores)
Notes: An off-dry, food-friendly, crowd pleasing Riesling from Mosel. Floral and stone fruit notes on the nose with a good balance of sweet fruit to acid on the palate with a long finish.
Full Review

Australia's Wine: Jacob's Creek 2007 Steingarten Riesling
Region: Barossa
Alcohol: 12.5%
Cost:: $24.50  (BCLDB stores)
Notes: A dry, slightly effervescent Riesling with excellent concentration of mineral and fruit flavours on the palate. A complex nose of lemon grass, butter, rubber, citrus and petrol notes.
Full Review

The Conclusion:

Complexity (Nose): Jacob's Creek
Complexity (Palate): Jacob's Creek
Food Friendly: Loosen Bros.
Concentration: Jacob's Creek
Expression of Terroir: Jacob's Creek
Value: Loosen Bros.
Winner: Jacob's Creek

For this match-up, the Aussie wine gets the win, somewhat redeeming the nation after its terrible showing on the pitch today (Germany won 4-0). That is not to say that Australia makes better Riesling than Germany on a whole, it doesn't, but it did win this battle, handedly. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Oi, Oi, Oi!
 - Liam Carrier and Hugh Carter

Next Match: June 20th, Italy VS. New Zealand in a battle of refreshing white wines.