The Riesling Thread.

That's good to know, Kinley, as I've bought a few of those from Yapp.

I see you were disappointed by the so-called natural wines at Forest Side. I can imagine which merchant might have supplied them and, if I'm right, many of their offerings in that category leave me cold too.
 
I see you were disappointed by the so-called natural wines at Forest Side.

Challenging, but not in a good way. Food was similar. Two nights and 8 courses gave two hits three disappointments and three disasters. Even with my most liberal food taste buds in action I couldn’t figure out what the chef/sommelier were trying to achieve. Foraged ingredients are not grown on a commercial scale for a reason.

Also not a good destination for hungry fell runners.
 
I’ve been getting myself set with a number of years and spreads to help supply aged Riesling as I go along after finding it hard to find the stuff I want.

Also got a bit more Blees-Ferber to age but he also had some older bottle stuff so tonight tried the 2003 Trittenheimer Apotheke Auslese. Not a huge big nose and not a big juicy, waxy type auslese but deftly subtle and light on the nose, entry and mouthfeel.
Sweet but with some sharp acidity and not fully balanced but leaves a long long warm finish with only 7.5% alcohol.
At the price this is just a refreshing , lovely not overly layered or complex but delicious Auslese.

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After seeing some very positive reports I contacted Spaeter-Veit to ask about their wines.
They don’t have a UK supplier but if your buying a few cases then they seem happy to ship.
 
Also fascinated by the idea of the Blees-Ferber 2017 TrockenBeerenauslese which MFW rate very highly and say it’s for drinking now onwards due to its high acidity and cutting frame. I can also confirm this is another supplier who would ship and don’t have a UK supplier.
 
Generally I already have more Riesling options than I can absorb but I do want to try the Spaeter-Veit Kabs...
Yes I know what you mean, starting to get there but the reviews of the Spater-Veit had me very interested so I now have a few cases of the Kabs. Bit of a wait until I can try them I think but I’ve got a number of producers I’m very much looking forward to trying the 15, 16 and 17s.
 
From the archives.

This was a great thread a few years back. Some of the comments are still relevant today..I mean mean many of the these wines will last for years with proper cellaring.
 
2018 Peter Lauer Kupp Spatlese Fass 7 (Saar). 8% alc, $60 Cda. Medium straw color, mineral citrus nose, gunflint, candied.
Searing acidity, honey, lotsa tangerine and mandarin. Rich finish with herbs after an hour. Great with BC prawns.

******anyone have thoughts on Willi Haag?
 
Finest Riesling drunk during the past 6* months, topping to maturish JJPs.
K & I have met Florian at a couple of tastings - a nice guy making excellent wines.
  • 2016 Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Riesling Spätlese Faß 23 Auction - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (17/01/2021)
    Pale primrose; (initially reduction dominates for 4 hours), the definition of filigreed refinement; delightful palate, effortlessly graceful, pitch perfect. Auslese-like. Splendid. (94 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker

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2018 Peter Lauer Kupp Spatlese Fass 7 (Saar). 8% alc, $60 Cda. Medium straw color, mineral citrus nose, gunflint, candied.
Searing acidity, honey, lotsa tangerine and mandarin. Rich finish with herbs after an hour. Great with BC prawns.

******anyone have thoughts on Willi Haag?
Do rather like Lauer. Have a fair few cases ageing and a smattering of odd bottles and auction bottles.
Agree with Mark seems a decent guy and was happy to chat at the one tasting I met him at. Even humoured my questions.
 
Had a couple recently that I’ve put up in weekly drinking threads. The low end super cheap, direct from winery Blees Ferber Rose Spatburgunder Halbtrocken. About €7 . A bottle of their white Halbtrocken was used for the Coq Au Riesling last week.

1990 WS Prum Auslese. Still in brilliant place and just getting that older Riesling profile. Managed to grab about 9 or 10 bottles of this a few years back at a sensible enough price and very thankful for it. Maybe 2 or 3 left.
 
Good to see this thread rejuvenated.

Regarding the JC Steingarten, judging from the notes here and those in CT, and from my own experience with the 03, I feel pretty confident in my conclusion that the back-label claim about 20 years cellarworthinesss is just about perfectly reliable. My 03's really only started opening-up after a decade. This is the only vintage Pernod-Ricard put on the market here and in the end they were retailing it at 5 quid or so as a bin-end.

Just worked-out my riesling: chardonnay ratio. 155:1:oops:
 
Recent TNs
  • 2016 Weingut Knewitz Appenheimer Riesling Kalkstein - Germany, Rheinhessen (11/03/2021)
    Primrose coloured; hayseed, grapefruit, impactful; rapier like acidity, there is a touch of ripeness, followed by a spicy freshness on the front of the palate & then an attractive sour edge. Expansive finish with fair length. Yet to fully knit. (88 pts.)
  • 2007 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (07/03/2021)
    Mid-gold. Sweeter & richer than I remember. Drinking very well. (91 pts.)
  • 2014 A.J. Adam Hofberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (05/03/2021)
    Pronounced spritz; hessian, hayfield, foursquare; a touch heavy, spritzy. Broad. expansive finish. Drink over the medium term. (89 pts.)
  • 2007 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese #7 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (19/02/2021)
    Buttercup yellow, whisper of spritz; an initial touch of petrol, restrained, mellow, inviting; cosseted palate, gentle, softly expansive; serene finish. Fully mature. Best now & next five years. (90 pts.)
  • 2011 Weingut Keller Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (31/12/2020)
    Pale; citrus (grapefruit even), intense impact; lovely density, dry, tension throughout; power packed finish. Now & next 5+ years. More broadsword than rapier. (92 pts.)
  • 2004 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (29/12/2020)
    Pale gold; pinpoint focus, white fruit, underpinned by subtle wet slate; exquisite, deft, delightful. Pitch perfect balanced. At peak, with time in hand. (93 pts.)
  • 2016 Weingut Clemens Busch Pundericher Marienburg Fahrlay Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (14/12/2020)
    Faint spritz, corn colour; slatey, muffled white fruit, latent attack; dry, powerful, strident; broad though best left to mellow. Has all the elements, but needs time, say three years. (90 pts.)
  • 2008 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/12/2020)
    Pale gold, whisp of spritz; delicate, honeyed, white flowers; deft, lovely balance, exquisite fruit; delightful finish. Persistent. At its peak. (93 pts.)
    • 2011 Philipp Veser Mülheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (25/11/2020)
      Retains spritz;rounded, dry grass; softly, softly palate, on the sweet side for Kabinett; quiet yet generous finish. Drink now & next couple of years. (88 pts.)
    Philipp is a protegé of Thomas Haag
  • 2011 Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (13/11/2020)
    Light spritz, primrose; suave, with a spiciness which follows, oats; lovely mouthfeel, walks a tightrope between rich & gracefulness, latent depth; has the classic dry note which makes the finish so attractive. Drink now & next decade. (92 pts.)
  • 2007 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (03/11/2020)
    Mid-gold, star-bright; delicate bouquet, an intermingling of muted floral/white fruits, spearmint; shows more on the palate, refreshing acidity, expansive; classic dry edge to stiff finish. Another 5 years before peaking.
    48 hours later: ginger root, sappy. Clearly will benefit from more time. (93 pts.)
  • 2017 Dönnhoff Roxheimer Höllenpfad Riesling trocken - Germany, Nahe (03/11/2020)
    Pale primrose; quiet nose, kiss of citrus. elegant ; zippy & zesty, well-shaped, precise; distinguished finish. Extended. (91 pts.)
  • 2005 Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese #7 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (01/11/2020)
    On the plump side yet well balanced & fulfilling. A good accompaniment to lemon posset. (90 pts.)
  • 2014 A.J. Adam Hofberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (17/10/2020)
    Brilliant gold; fretful bouquet, restrained, muted, talcum; quite sweet, easy going acidity, a scratchy note; finishes a little awkward. Plenty of aging potential Initially striking, this flattered to deceive. Hopefully just going through a phase. (89 pts.)
  • 2006 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill Clare Valley - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley (16/10/2020)
    Bright canary yellow; penetrating lime bouquet, one dimensional, reticent; rasping acidity, plenty of power which runs out of kilter; monolithic, scrawny finish. Interesting but best drunk up. (90 pts.)
  • 2014 Von Hövel Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/10/2020)
    Mid-gold, advanced colour; muffled nose, rigid, mousy; hard edged, same rigidity, stripped-back & bereft of flavour; inexpressive, downbeat finish.
    24 hours on: more relaxed but lime cordial notes dominate but lacks real appeal. (82 pts.)
  • 2014 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (09/10/2020)
    Mid-gold; lumpen, dry straw, a citrus undertow, mousy; rather obvious, marked acidity, loose knit; finishes in a heap. Disappointing. (84 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
 

Two 2003 Germans yesterday:

2003 Domdechant Werner Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Kabinett - Exactly 100 months have passed since I last had this wine. This bottle also showed an old leak and was ullaged to 3.5 cm below the multi-fractured cork, which despite not at all looking like a top-quality closure, remained intact upon extraction. The wine's colour was a mix of dulled light amber and old gold. An oxidized nose strongly reminds me of Manzanilla sherry, which impression continues on to the palate, but to a lesser extent. Mandarin and yellow citrus feature. Ripe acids and no vintage flabbiness. There's some sweetness mid-palate, yet the finish is distinctly that of a dry wine. Though simple and good enough, for me the main interest in this wine lay in the apparent alteration in the structure of the residual sugars since my previous note.

2003 Willi Schaefer Riesling - An astonishingly fresh bottle, and the contrast with the 2003 Domdechant Werner Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Kabinett couldn't be greater. Compared to the latter, this was still a teenager, with the energy of a mountain stream. The petillant palate had green and yellow apple with hints of peach. This very good plus bottle brought memories of drinking this wine in it's infancy on the balcony at the height of summer, so many years ago. But with a grey sky persisting from morning till night and the melted snow revealing the grime it had hidden underneath for several months, I felt I had wasted the bottle. It deserved a much better day.
 
Willi Schaefer prices have been creeping up over here Ingmars but I am still in the market!!
Yes, Bob, they have. But, when I look at the price increases in other regions in the world, Bordeaux Cru Classé, Burgundy, Penfolds and other iconic brands, over almost two decades of vintages, I feel the Shaefers and other small producers of quality Mosel are being entirely fair. I'd hate to see the fine producers of Mosel like Willi Schaefer go the way the cult producers elsewhere and start asking prices what they think the market will bear. If that were to happen, I'd almost go back to drinking red wine again.
 
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