Hallau, how are you?

Regli 2005 Hallauer Sonnenspross Spätlese (Hallau) – Mildly appealing, with lightly-structured but flat black cherries and a fine dusting of particulate white pepper. Tarragon and thyme are more suggested than present, and the wine’s a little on the wan side. Still, it’s appealing enough to be drinkable, especially with the right food…something similarly restrained and gently-treated. (7/07)

Regli 2002 Hallauer Blauburgunder “Barrique” (Hallau) – A chunky dullard of a wine, with tortured fruit buried under a pile of grape- and oak-tannin rubble. There’s a decent enough core of fruit somewhere under all that detritus, but there’s no ferreting it out now. Will it age? Sure, but I doubt it will get any better. (8/07)