Nice matureish Zilliken

S

Saina Nieminen

Saina Nieminen
Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 1993

7,5% abv; A.P. 3 551 083-5-94; c.28

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Excellent level despite fully soaked cork (overfilled?). Light gold - only slight signs of age. The scent is really lovely: crystallized limes, elegantly honeyed and herbal. Not very sweet anymore nor high in acidity either which was a bit of a surprise as I didn't think this was a vintage known for lowish acidity! But despite having softened out, the almost steely finish fans out like a peacock's tail. Rather excellent balance despite its surprisingly low acidity. Lovely. Drink and hold.

Is it just me, but are Zillikens a bit on the soft side for the Saar?
 
I have to wonder if you think the '89 needs a lot more time, exactly what it is you are looking for. I actually finished up most of my '89s (from virtually everyone) except the auslese+ bottlings because the botrytis elements (which Zilliken was not immune from) were taking over as the sole surviving element in the wines.
 
Yawn.

I'm not going to get into some big dispute on a holiday day off just because. If you have finished off all your '89s, god bless. Hope that strategy works out for you.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Yawn.
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Did I miss something? Has this been discussed often before?

Seemed like a legitimate question to me (at least from someone without strong views on 1989 German wines one way or the other).
 
Levi - not trying to get into a dispute, just trying to understand what you are looking for in the wines. I actually have many '89 Auslesen still in the cellar, but truly found that the kabinetts and spatlesen for the most part had reached their theoretical apogee a little while ago. Even for a fanatic like me, aging the lower level bottlings beyond 15-20 years is a crap shoot.
 
I find zilliken's wines to be a bit soft for saar wines - altho I usually like them - but when I want that saary essence, I reach for a scharzhofberger (Muller or kesselstat)or schloss saarstein.
 
originally posted by Salil Benegal:
Slightly off-topic - but Maureen, any thoughts/experience with Van Volxem's Scharzhofberger?
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I don't think I've ever had it - the one wine from him I've had was toooo big and hot - but this was a few years ago, off the list at Grammercy Tavern. I figure if I'm going to pay VV prices, might as well buy Egon Muller.
 
still a big difference between VV and Egon Muller pricing where I've shopped. VV is more in the JJ Prum range from what I've seen. Still tough competition, but I don't buy Muller and I do buy Prum (when I'm buying wine) so I guess the economic distinction is important for me.
 
originally posted by maureen:
[...] but when I want that saary essence, I reach for a scharzhofberger (Muller or kesselstat)or schloss saarstein.
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How were the Schloss Saarsteins in '03? Normally a year avoid, but we so rarely see non-trockener Rieslings here that I am almost tempted to try the '03 Sptlese that we will soon get.
 
Otto, I don't know - perhaps Claude can speak to the 03s - I have next to no experience with any 03s from germany or france (or italy or spain for that matter).
 
Otto,

I have not had the '03 Saarstein Spatlese, but the '03 Kabinett was quite good and typical enough (in these global warming days) that David Schildknecht used it in a "tutored" kabinett tasting a few years ago.
 
'07 and '08 were good years for van Volxem. Lower alcohol and rs, higher acidity.

'03 SSS wines are good now. Just had a couple the other evening.

'89 Le Gallais kabinett great now. Similarly Grnhaus, JJ Prm and Dr. Loosen's UW spt. Good stuff from Weil, too. At a slightly lower quality level, both Dr. Wagner and Dr. Fischer were very good - Saaburger for the former and Ockfener for the latter. Ed von Kunow opened a couple during a visit in spring - Scharzhofberg Spt was quite tasty and surprisingly lean. He said it came from top of the hill as most of the good grapes went into a big Auslese.
 
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