It’s been a weird past couple of weeks. I don’t know why I think it’s necessary for me to mention that I moved onto my first iPhone, but I’m going to: I’ve moved onto my first iPhone. And I instantly turned into the person I thought I would never be – the person constantly glued to their screen, swiping down on every app just to refresh what might be minuscule and insignificant updates that other people filter just so their lives look more entertaining than yours. I’m making it seem like I’m much older than I am, which seems to be a shitty inadvertent theme anyways?

Fancy dinner on some Sunday. It was great. I shall not talk about the accidental crunchy journey home because it’ll give you more fodder to poke at what might be my already hilarious life, but I’m still mentioning its existence because it makes me look mysterious even though what it should make me look like is gross. Also: the one night I really should have been an Instagram junky, because there were some fantastic (and surprisingly subpar) wines that were had that night, though I guess I was too focussed on unexpectedly breaking wine glasses and attempting to be a socially acceptable human being.

I felt like an incomplete being the next morning, as if a large chunk of my sobriety was smeared on the road outside. And my first thought was not “is my wallet still in my jacket?!”, but was more along the lines of “are my Bordeaux notes still in my jacket pocket and are they dry?!” and the headrush as I got up from the couch to check was not a good one, but all was good in the world, almost fantastic enough to make me sing praises to god and then make an irritating Tumblr picture out of it. And then I went out for Dim Sum with family because it was Family Day.

Cinq à Sept on Tuesday at the Abbey. It was great, considering that the last one involved forever Gin and amaro. This time it was tame but with the busyness and crowded qualities of a swimming pool’s locker room during a hot summer day. Sometimes, “networking” is a word I hate a little more than “moist”. So thanks, alcohol. Why hasn’t Sia written a song about my life yet?

After, a friend and I escaped to drink more wine and eat dinner at Merchants. And we stole another friend to join us over Nahe Riesling and weird manure-esque Salice Salentino. And sour beer things. That’s all I mostly remember, and that’s definitely not a good sign?

Bottle share the next day. This included Sauternes (thus enabling the use of a stupid “You Sauternes me on” joke) and a vertical of Driftwood’s Cellar Dweller among other cool things. Untappd booster pack, basically. And my beer cellar grows faster than I consume its contents, so any excuse to bring beer to a thing is a good one?

Taylor on Thursday. And so what happened was accidental 90s night. I *just* missed the whole pogs thing while growing up, being part of the tail-end of the 90s kids generation, but I’m surprisingly decent at a game that requires aim even in the slightest because I’m literally the opposite of Katniss. Kerplunk was a thing (I don’t understand why I think you’re interested in hearing about the board games I’ve played in the past few weeks), and I haven’t played it since elementary school, where it was hardly played anyways because everyone stole the marbles. Also not in the cards: me being an architect. In the cards: me drinking cheap wine and still enjoying it.

I wish I had lots to say about the German wines we tried in class, but a cold has graced my cranium and I can’t smell shit.

Schloss Reinhartshausen 2012 Dry Riesling Qualitätswein – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, green fruit, apple, citrus, hints of stone fruit, peach, mineral
Mouth: off-dry, med- body, high acid, med+ finish, med flavour intensity, green apple, apple skin, mineral, hint bitterness, med- alcohol, hints of stone fruit
All in all: Good quality: this drier Riesling has good balance between acid and sugar but could perhaps use a bit more concentration of fruit. The finish is long but the flavours here are relatively simple. Can drink now, but has potential for short term ageing.

Producer: Schloss Reinhartshausen
Designation: Dry Riesling Qualitätswein
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Rheingau
Variety: Riesling
ABV: 11.5%
Vintage: 2012
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $20

Wittman 2012 “Westhofen Kirchspiel” GG Riesling Trocken Qualitätswein – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, citrus, petrol, stone fruit, peach, lime, grapefruit, candied fruit, mineral, hint smoke?, oiliness, leesy
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med+ intensity, mineral, petrol, savoury, peach pith, white peach, med alcohol, long finish, flinty, herbal
All in all: Very good quality: it’s well-balanced with some weight and oily concentration that balances with a bit of herbal bitterness on the finish. The flavours are persistent and complex but might be too unsmiling for some. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.

Producer: Wittmann
Designation: “Westhofen Kirchspiel” GG Riesling Trocken Qualitätswein
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Rheinhessen
Variety: Riesling
ABV: 13%
Vintage: 2012
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $70

Peter & Peter 2012 Pinot Noir Trocken Qualitätswein – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, red fruit, youthful, spice, strawberry, red cherry, floral, Nibs
Mouth: dry, med- body, med+ acid, light chalky tannin, med alcohol, med intensity, flowers, red fruit, spice, red cherry, hint medicinal, hint bitterness, med length
All in all: There’s a bit of a simple and slightly confected edge to the wine, but despite low tannin, the wine has a fair bit of balanced structure. Average length. Drink now: not suitable for ageing or further ageing.

Producer: Peter & Peter
Designation: Trocken Qualitätswein
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Pfalz
Variety: Pinot Noir
ABV: 13.5%
Vintage: 2012
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $20

Schneider 2011 “Weiler Schlipf” Spätburgunder Trocken Qualitätswein – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, red fruit, cherry, plum, strawberry, black cherry, floral, spice, earth, mushroom, oak, sous-bois
Mouth: dry, med- body, med+ acid, med fine-grained tannin, med alcohol, med+ intensity, red fruit, earth, mineral, black cherry, strawberry, hint of bitterness on finish, med+ length, savoury
All in all: Very good quality: a relatively long length follows fantastic structure and concentrated flavours of darker red fruit and earthy flavours. Plush mid-palate for a Pinot; perhaps has room for a bit more complexity. Can drink now, but has potential for short term ageing.

Producer: Schneider
Designation: “Weiler Schlipf” Spätburgunder Trocken Qualitätswein
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Baden
Variety: Pinot Noir
ABV: 13.5%
Vintage: 2011
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $50 (est.)

Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken 2010″Saarburg Rausch” Riesling Kabinett – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, mineral, floral, citrus, hint kerosene, leesy, nutty, mushroom
Mouth: medium dry, med- body, high acid, low alcohol, med+ intensity, green apple, mineral, peach, citrus, mineral, slate, apricot, med+ length
All in all: Very good quality: there’s fantastic tightrope tension between acid and fruit, along with a juicy intensity on the palate that perhaps isn’t as echoed on the nose. At this point, its strength is structure rather than complexity. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing. Maybe too young.

Producer: Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken
Designation: “Saarburg Rausch” Riesling Kabinett
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Mosel
Variety: Riesling
ABV: 8%
Vintage: 2010
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $45

Domdechant Werner 2007 “Hochheim Domdechaney” Riesling Spätlese – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes:
Nose:
Mouth:
All in all: Slightly corked and oxidized, so we didn’t get to taste.

Producer: Domdechant Werner
Designation: “Hochheim Domdechaney” Riesling Spätlese
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Rheingau
Variety: Riesling
ABV: 9%
Vintage: 2007
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $45

Karthäuserhof 2007 “Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg” Riesling Auslese – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep gold, legs
Nose: clean, developing, med+ intensity, mineral, ripe green apple, peach, apricot, kerosene, a hint botrytis, hint tropical fruit, honey, tea, herbal
Mouth: medium sweet, med+ body, high acid, low alcohol, pronounced acidity, ripe green fruit, honey, apricot, ripe citrus, botrytis, marmalade, spice, long length, hint peach pith
All in all: Outstanding quality: the complete package – complex fruit aromas with kerosene and botrytis, crystalline balance between fruit, sugar, and acid, and an intense flavour profile that lasts. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.

Producer: Karthäuserhof
Designation: “Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg” Riesling Auslese
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Mosel
Variety: Riesling
ABV: 9%
Vintage: 2007
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $65

Dr Loosen 2006 Beerenauslese – WSET Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep gold, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, petrol, stone fruit, honey, peach, apricot, botrytis
Mouth: luscious, med+ body, med acid, low alcohol, apricots, ripe citrus, spice, honey, peach candy, long length
All in all: Very good quality: strengths are the intensity, concentration, and length. Though pleasurable, the wine misses a bit of acidity to balance out the lusciousness and a bit of complexity, but the tangy stone fruit and botrytis characteristics illuminate the wine. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.

Producer: Dr Loosen
Designation: Beerenauslese
Region: Germany
Sub-Region: Mosel
Variety: Riesling
ABV: 7%
Vintage: 2006
Tasted: February 16, 2014
Price: $33 (187mL)