2015 Enderle & Moll

[Rahsaan]

Being back in Berlin means getting back to favorite wine shops and checking in on favorite producers they keep in stock. That includes Enderle & Moll, especially because of the general practice of having older vintages available. In the past, I’ve really enjoyed these wines with 3-5 years of age, due to the textural integration that comes with a bit of bottle time. However, these 2015s are probably reaching the limit of what I would want for my palate.

2015 E&M Spätburgunder Muschelkalk
The 2015 fruit is very ripe and juicy but also clear, silky and delicate. I love that combination. Plus, the texture is so vibrant, the wine pulses through the mouth. Lots to love and lots to enjoy. The only nit to pick is that the ripe fruit seems to be getting thinner and more feathery than bottles from the past. Not a problem for drinking now, but this might be rounding the optimum curve for my palate.

2015 E&M Spätburgunder Buntsandstein “Ida”
Here we have the deep dark woodsy side of Spätburgunder, although still with plenty of E&M juice. That dark juicy berry fruit is great for enjoying with your meal now, but the fruit is edging towards the murky undistinguished phase of aging, without any compelling aged texture or complexity. Again, for my palate, probably passing the optimum point.

 

[Robert Dentice]

I used to really love E&M but they have just been too variable lately. When they are on they are fantastic.

See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there. My favorite German Pinots by far. Also Daniel Twardoski from the Mosel which we offered through source | material.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

I popped onto Disorder to post a quick note on 2019 Enderle & Moll Spätburgunder-Rosé, and you’ve provided the perfect too-lazy-to-start-my-own-thread spot, Rahsaan.

Spicy, cranberry, cool, bite at the backend. Not your typical Rosé. This was the only wine I bought and drank while in Wyoming for 9 days, and it held up very well in the bottle for the four days I had it open. I liked it.

I had not had the Rosé previously to my recollection. It struck me as more akin to Pearl & Morisette Violette than other Rosés. I think a couple years will round out the back end. I wouldn’t dare to guess true aging potential.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Robert Dentice:


See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there...

Yes, you've mentioned them before and I've been intrigued but unable to get them in NC. Now I'm in Germany for a year, so I can hopefully track them down on this side.

 

[Ben Hunting]

Even the entry level Wasenhaus red is pretty fantastic.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

The only Wasenhaus I tasted, the Chasselas, was a bit underwhelming, but maybe it's the grape.

Rahsaan gave me my only taste of the E&M Rose some 10 years ago and it was fab, if memory serves.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Ben Hunting:
Even the entry level Wasenhaus red is pretty fantastic.

originally posted by Robert Dentice:
See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there. My favorite German Pinots by far.

Just went out to a nearby shop and bought 2019 Am Kreuz and 2019 Bellen, the only two Wasenhaus Spätburgunders they had at the moment. Looking forward to opening!

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Rahsaan gave me my only taste of the E&M Rose some 10 years ago and it was fab, if memory serves.

Pretty good memory! I only remembered this once you brought it up. Perhaps that was Chinatown dinner in late Dec? That was probably 2014.

 

[Pavel Tchichikov]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
The only Wasenhaus I tasted, the Chasselas, was a bit underwhelming, but maybe it's the grape.

nah, too far from the Alps

 

[Robert Dentice]

originally posted by Rahsaan:

originally posted by Ben Hunting:
Even the entry level Wasenhaus red is pretty fantastic.

originally posted by Robert Dentice:
See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there. My favorite German Pinots by far.

Just went out to a nearby shop and bought 2019 Am Kreuz and 2019 Bellen, the only two Wasenhaus Spätburgunders they had at the moment. Looking forward to opening!

I have not had the Am Kreuz, it looks like a new wine for 2019. Bellen is great but needs some time.

Looking forward to you impressions. I hope you enjoy them.

 

[mlawton]

originally posted by Robert Dentice:
Bellen is great but needs some time.

Vulkan early, Bellen late, Kanzel later?

 

[Pavel Tchichikov]

originally posted by Robert Dentice:
See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there. My favorite German Pinots by far.

I can neither refute nor confirm since every Wasenhaus pinot I've tasted has been in the 2-3 year old range, and was nowhere near a point of accessibility. Who wants a transparent young pinot these days anyway?

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
...every Wasenhaus pinot I've tasted has been in the 2-3 year old range, and was nowhere near a point of accessibility...

Sly comment on the fact that their first vintage was 2016.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by Rahsaan:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Rahsaan gave me my only taste of the E&M Rose some 10 years ago and it was fab, if memory serves.

Pretty good memory! I only remembered this once you brought it up. Perhaps that was Chinatown dinner in late Dec? That was probably 2014.

Yes, 2014 sounds right.

 

[mark e]

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:

originally posted by Robert Dentice:
See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there. My favorite German Pinots by far.

I can neither refute nor confirm since every Wasenhaus pinot I've tasted has been in the 2-3 year old range, and was nowhere near a point of accessibility. Who wants a transparent young pinot these days anyway?

Well, the 2018 Wasenhaus Spätburgunder that we recently opened was lovely, but confirming Pavel's comment, was nowhere ready to drink. We have, over the last year, drunk quite a bit of the 2017 Koehler-Ruprecht Spätburgunder Kabinett Trocken, which had quite a bit less tannin (so more ready to drink), was, yes, a bit simpler but quite smokey and had a bit of "leather" in the way German and Alto-Adige PN can.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by mark e:
...We have, over the last year, drunk quite a bit of the 2017 Koehler-Ruprecht Spätburgunder Kabinett Trocken...

I am a big fan of that wine across many vintages. Such an easy wine to open, drink and enjoy. A very special (spätburgunder) niche.

 

[mark e]

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:

originally posted by Robert Dentice:
See if you can find a Wasenhaus while you are there. My favorite German Pinots by far.

I can neither refute nor confirm since every Wasenhaus pinot I've tasted has been in the 2-3 year old range, and was nowhere near a point of accessibility. Who wants a transparent young pinot these days anyway?

Well, the 2018 Wasenhaus Spätburgunder that we recently opened was lovely, but confirming Pavel's comment, was nowhere ready to drink. We have, over the last year, drunk quite a bit of the 2017 Koehler-Ruprecht Spätburgunder Kabinett Trocken, which had quite a bit less tannin (so more ready to drink), was, yes, a bit simpler but quite smokey and had a bit of "leather" in the way German and Alto-Adige PN can.

For the record, the Wasenhaus was vastly better and more complex after being open for a couple of days (I saved a ¼ of the bottle to try on day 1 and 2), and is easily - in terms of complexity - at the level of 1er cru Burgundy. Price for the Vulkan where we are in Norway is about $60 (25% VAT inclusive). For reference, the cheapest German spätburgunder here is about $14 and the most expensive about $110.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by mark e:

...Wasenhaus was vastly better and more complex after being open for a couple of days (I saved a ¼ of the bottle to try on day 1 and 2), and is easily - in terms of complexity - at the level of 1er cru Burgundy...

I know this is a classic wine board topic that gets beaten to death. But do you keep your 1er cru Burgundies open for several days as well? I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a Burgundy/spätburgunder better the next day.

 

[fatboy]

originally posted by mark e:

For the record, the Wasenhaus was vastly better and more complex after being open for a couple of days (I saved a ¼ of the bottle to try on day 1 and 2), and is easily - in terms of complexity - at the level of 1er cru Burgundy. Price for the Vulkan where we are in Norway is about $60 (25% VAT inclusive). For reference, the cheapest German spätburgunder here is about $14 and the most expensive about $110.

having sampled a fair section of this shit in the few years it has been available, i will expand on mark's note by saying that my fleshy buttocks remain infirmly on teh fence. the story is fine, and there have been some wines that i could even allow give credence to it. otoh, the flip side is these dudes have sold a lot of dull, overpriced hooch.

which is to say that, albeit that german spätburgunder is a totally stupid market, teh hype to substance ratio here is really quite dubious (as it usually is elsewhere), and i despair at the way people talk about wineries like wasenhaus as their being other than speculative.

originally posted by you show us your spreadsheet and i'll show you mine:

I know this is a classic wine board topic that gets beaten to death. But do you keep your 1er cru Burgundies open for several days as well? I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a Burgundy/spätburgunder better the next day.

some days i wonder how i ever managed to stay away from this bored.

fb

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by Rahsaan:
I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a Burgundy/spätburgunder better the next day.

As opposed to the ‘19 Lauer Kern I’m drinking, which is now crushing it on day 3.