fill 'er up

I often hear about wines smelling of petrol, and I thought I knew what this meant.

Until I opened the 1991 Bert Simon Kaseler Kehrnagel Riesling Spatlese from the Saar valley in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region of Germany. This is the only old Riesling I have ever tasted in my life, and when I stuck my nose in that glass, I felt like I was at a gas station and someone had ignored the "Do not top off" sign and gas was flowing everywhere.

Apparently, this is normal for older Rieslings. (Jancis Robinson mentions it as a wine descriptor many times in her autobiography, and she has a soft spot for Riesling.) It took me awhile to get used to the scent, and I still don't know if that smell will ever be something I absolutely crave in a wine, the way I do with bright cherries and warm spices like nutmeg in Pinot, for example. But maybe it just takes time. Like I said, this was my first experience with an aged Riesling.

The wine itself was wonderful. (From what I've heard, this is a good choice from the 91 vintage, which wasn't the greatest.) It had this deep golden, honeyed color. In the mouth, I got petrol up front, followed by the crispest taste of pear -- it was like biting into a piece of fruit. And the mouthfeel -- I'd say medium, with none of the syrupy-ness that I've found in other Rieslings, which is definitely a plus for me. Even at 16 years old, this wine was refreshing and very much alive.

Also good to note: The alcohol was only 7 percent. Seven percent!! Seriously, I think I drank most of the bottle by myself and didn't feel a thing. Love it. Another plus: This wine was only $17.83, ordered in November 2005 from my favorite retailer.

And I have one more bottle left!