Geheimrat J

Of all the wines I did not expect to find at Systembolaget, Geheimrat J from Rheingau was quite high up there on the list. 

In my early teens, I remember being completely absorbed by the Hamilton spy novel series, in particular the novel The Democratic Terrorist. Set in West Germany in the 1980’s, it was a novel about the limits of democracy and the radicalization of German society. On a visit to Sankt Augustin, Hamilton drinks this particular wine and speculates about the etymology of its name. Ever since, I have been curious to taste it myself.

Making the same mint and melon salad as I did after getting back from California in 2019, I can report that Geheimrat J is a perfect summer match full of pear and smoky minerals.