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8 replies

Dessert/ sweet wine differences

J jgreenMember
I am new to dessert/ sweet wines and would like the perspective from those who have more experience. I have had a few different types and the experiences have been all over the board.

I have had several Auslese from Germany (Goldkap or **) and have thoroughly enjoyed all, even if they were very young e.g. 03,04. Very sweet but a good balance of acidity so they werent overly cloying.

My first experience with a Sauterne was awful. It was an 01 Suduiraut and upon opening smelled of burnt rubber. I let it breathe for awhile but unfortunately the taste was worse than the smell. I tried several times over the course of the evening with no improvement. Ended up dumping it. I realize that this was likely infanticide but had nevr had a Sauterne and wanted to see what they hype was all about.

Last night I had a 2000 Kracher Chardonnay TBA#7 and loved it. Got a small whiff of the rubber smell (oh no not again!) but mostly tropical fruits. Upon drinking it was fabulous. Tasted like pure honey.

So my questions...
1) Is the "rubber" smell typical of dessert wines (France, Austria, but not Germany)? And if so, what is it and does it recede over time?I never have had that with German Auslese but defineitly did with the Austrian TBA and Sauterne.
2) Was the Suduiraut an off bottle, too young too drink, or do Sauternes have that as part of their profile?

Thanks
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J jgreenMember
I haven't heard of it either which is why I wanted to ask..and it wasn't just me. The three other people who drank with me noticed something similar..one said rubber cement. In any case, sounds like this may be an anomoly.

Never occurred to me that the fact we were drinking this in the middle of a tire factory may have had something to do with it..
D davetongbbpMember
quote:
Originally posted by jgreen:
So my questions...
1) Is the "rubber" smell typical of dessert wines (France, Austria, but not Germany)? And if so, what is it and does it recede over time?I never have had that with German Auslese but defineitly did with the Austrian TBA and Sauterne.
2) Was the Suduiraut an off bottle, too young too drink, or do Sauternes have that as part of their profile?


I've had 01 Suduiraut several times and it's always been stellar. Sounds like an off bottle.

Rubber cement sounds very much like sulphur. I'm surprised you didn't spot it on the German wine; I believe that's very common (not that I drink much German wine). Typically it blows off.
S seantremblayMember
According to the Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia the burnt rubber/skunk aroma is "A serious wine fault created when ethyl alcohol reacts with hydrogen sulphide, a fixed-sulphur fault, to form a foul-smelling compound called ethylmercaptan." The remedy: "Take the wine back for a full refund."

Ethylmercaptan is one of the chemicals used in stink bombs, it is also put in natural gas to help detect leaks and, according to the Guinness Book Of World Records, ethylmercaptan is the smelliest substance in existence.

This fault can occur with any wine and is not particularly associated with French or Austrian wines. It happens when the wine is left on the lees too long and not racked soon enough.

There, everything you wanted to know and more.

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