In the Train: ICE (Second Class) from Frankfurt am Main to Paris in October 2009

The ICE has a bistro and a restaurant. The restaurant is small and lacks class. But both the bistro and the restaurant have a selection of 10 excellent sparkling and still wines.

I had the

2008 Riesling, dry, Rheingau, Peter Jakob Kuehn, Euro 8.20 for the 0.25 liter bottle

An excellent Gutswein from a top winemaker from the Rheingau. An every-day table wine with a densely mineral structure and fine fruit.

And the

2005 Cuvee Gaudenz, dry, Pflaz, Knipser, Euro 8.20 the 0.25 liter bottle

An unusual wine from the Gault & Millau Deutschland 2009 winemaker of the year. A blend of Dornfelder, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The latter two grapes have only recently begun to be planted in Germany, reflecting global warming. An easy to drink wine with strong blackcurrant notes. This wine has been aged in old French oak barrels for 12 months.

The other white wines were a dry Grauer Burgunder from Baden, a dry Spaetlese from Krug’scher Hof in Rheinhessen and a Chardonnay from Australia. The other red wines were from Spain, Australia and the Ahr region in Germany.

The Sekts were also impressive: a dry Sekt from Germany’s largest Sekt estate Rotkaeppchen and a brut Sekt from one of Germany’s finest Sekt estates Menger-Krug in the Pfalz.