Castell Kugelspiel Silvaner

Continuing the theme from yesterday, today’s review is another Silvaner from Castell.

I mentioned in the review of Castell Trocken Silvaner that it is from Germany, but I didn’t mention which part of Germany.  Both the Trocken and the Kugelspiel come from the Franken wine region in the state of Bavaria.  This is one of the best regions for Silvaner, due to the pronounced acidity from the grapes grown in this region.

I mentioned yesterday that some Silvaner can be downright interesting, and this is a great example of that.  And to make it even better, it’s really fun to say, “Koo-gull-shpeel.”

One of the things that can distinguish a good wine from a great wine is the intensity, and there is a ton of intensity on the nose of the Castell Kugelspiel.  Intensity and complexity, with aromas such as honeysuckle, apple, banana, subtle lime and a touch of mineral. There’s plenty going on on the palate too, mostly tropical fruit like pineapple, caramelized pears (I know that sounds very specific, but it’s the perfect description) and banana.  The tropical fruit and mineral linger on the finish.  To put it simply, this is an exceptional wine.

Wine: Castell Kugelspiel
Variety: Silvaner
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 90
Price: $20.00

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.