Scents of celery seed, marjoram, charred meat, and rose petal on the nose of Barmes’ 2007 Gewurztraminer Rosenberg lead to a compact palate whose smoky pungency, herbal bitterness, and tactile sizzle of brown spice are rather severe. Perhaps on account of its palpably enormous extract as well as of slightly less residual sugar, this also contrasts notably with its Herrenweg counterpart for tasting only slightly sweet, which makes the bitter aspect of its gripping finish all the more prominent. This low-toned Gewurztraminer definitely needs time to reveal itself, though I could already imagine it cellaring impressively for up to a decade. There is as usual a lot of fascinating wine in Francois Barmes’ constantly shifting, hugely diverse as well as just plain huge 2007 collection, though the level of success was on the whole consistent. As in the past, though, I remained relatively unconvinced by Barmes’ way with Pinot Gris, despite its being a grape that elsewhere revealed special potential in 2007. I can’t say 2006 here represents an advertisement for Barmes’ conscientious and long-standing biodynamic practices, but then, in a year of rampant rot, surely the absence of anti-botrytis sprays has to have been sorely felt at many biodynamic estates. There were a couple of 2006s here too fungal to recommend, with the majority of what was a reduced line-up meriting mild recommendation provided they are drunk-up soon.Importer: Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644; also, a Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29
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