Summer Picnic in a Glass
photo 1.
2020 Enderle & Moll Müller-Thurgau Pur
Cheeze Today’s Mood and Madeleine Love
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The initial notes of this wine by Enderle & Moll after opening were honeysuckles, apricots, and yellow peaches, with a pleasant sweetness. As time passed, the fruity sweet notes developed into flavors reminiscent of peach cobblers, apricot jam, and a subtle hint of mint, accompanied by mineral and salt notes.
The wine had a translucent color, similar to fresh summer apricots, with some sediments visible at the bottom of the bottle. To my surprise, there was a slight tannin present on the tip of my tongue, giving the wine a light to medium body. It was an easy and enjoyable wine, perfect for a summer day.
While waiting for dinner to cook in the oven, I paired the wine with a few slices of ham. The savory taste of the ham blended well with the wine and brought out the notes of apricot jam.
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The wine was a perfect choice for a beautiful sunny afternoon. It was a fitting drink for the occasion and the weather. Earlier in the day, I had a recording session in Albany and drove back home around lunchtime. When I arrived, I was excited to open this well-chilled wine since it was my first time trying orange and/or skin-contact wine. Although I was new to this type of wine, my wife had tried it a few years ago and had enjoyed it. However, she couldn't recall the name of the German orange wine she had tried. So, she explained the notes she had tasted to Jason at Jersey Wine and Spirits, who was then able to recommend this wine. As it turned out, this wine was much better than the one my wife had initially tried years ago.
Like many others, I was not familiar with this type of wine. Unlike what its name suggests, orange wine or skin-contact wine is not made from oranges. Instead, it gets its unique amber hue from the extended contact between the grape juice and its skins during fermentation. This process, also known as maceration, allows the wine to extract tannins and flavors from the skin, resulting in a complex and fuller-bodied wine.
This particular wine is made with a lesser-known varietal called ‘Müller-Thurgau,’ which is a cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royale. The name comes from its creator, Hermann Müller of the Swiss Canton of Thurgau. Müller-Thurgau is the most widely planted of the so-called ‘new breed’ varietals, having been created in the late 19th century.
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This wine was absolutely delicious and had a way of brightening my mood. It reminded me of a beautiful spring or summer day picnic, with its pleasant notes. These notes reminded me of a song by a Korean singer, Cheeze, called "Today's Mood," which speaks to the uncertainty of how one might feel, yet remains hopeful for excitement.
As I recall the delightful taste of this wine, another song by Cheeze came to mind. The song is called "Madeleine Love," and it talks about the excitement of seeing one's love while preparing to go out on a beautiful sunny day. I believe that this wine has the potential to brighten anyone's day and inspire them to be excited about what's to come.
photo 2. Cheeze, Today’s Mood (오늘의 기분)
photo 3. Cheeze, Madeleine Love (마들렌 러브)