Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt 2005 Majoratsfllung Riesling Deutscher Sekt Extra Dry (Germany) For a change (amongst various brands of sekt, not something particular to this bottle) this isnt like drinking glass shards spiked with tartaric acid. Rather, theres some almond skin, melon rind, apple, and bitter lemon to be braced by the expectedly vivid acidity. Not bad at all. (12/09)
Vollenweider 2008 Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Sptlese Goldkapsel 05 09 (Mosel) Very ripe. Very, very ripe. Very, very, veryoh, hell, you know where Im going with this. But it isripe, I meanthough theres a flood of acidity to match it, and it actually manages a fierce, fisticuffs-in-lava sort of balance. Apples? Sure, why not? Mineral-grayed coarse sea salt as well. Fascinating. And very young. Very, very young. Very, very, very (1/10)
Nigl 1996 Grner Veltliner Alte Reben (Kremstal) I dont know if this is fully developed, but its drinking awfully well at the moment. Celery dust. The wines ripe but precise, with rocks and sweat more dominant than any sensation of fruit. Finishes long, with pepper in both powdered and seeded form. Swirls and evades as much as it envelops. Really quite delicious. (1/10)
Schmitt-Wagner 2001 Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett 15 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Difficult. Muted, somewhat sulfurous, and probably too young. Nonetheless, whats perceptible is moderately enticing. A grayed-out minerality suffuses everything, but theres a leafy, almost lemongrass-like aromatic component (albeit brief), then apple skin, and finally some walnut thats not only aromatic, but textural as the wine drifts off into an uncertain finish. I wonder how much more time this will require, or if that number is imaginary. (1/10)
Schmitt-Wagner 2001 Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 18 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Despite obvious power and intensity, this suffers from the same seemingly sulfurous muting as the same vineyards kabinett tasted at the same time. Everything here is dialed up fruit, acidity, palate impact and that helps. In terms of a terroir signature, this wine performs largely as the kabinett does, with the exception of an expansion of the realm of apple-derived characteristics. I have more hope for a future here than I do for the kabinett, but I dont lack hope for either. (1/10)
Darting 2007 Drkheimer Fronhof Scheurebe Beerenauslese 030 08 (Pfalz) From 375 ml. Not as lurid as the tropical soap factory that scheurebe can sometimes be, but still with one foot in the drink umbrella and lounge chair genre. Thankfully, the other foots in a big vat of (loose) structure and vibrancy. Very sweet, but not in a tooth-eroding way, and fun. (1/10)
von Kesselstatt 2007 Graach Josephshfer Riesling Sptlese 15 08 (Mosel) I miss the days when a sptlese was a medium-weight wine. This is a bruiser, and though along with its full metal jacketed weight comes vibrant structure that carries that weight, its a very muscular wine. Green apple granite and dripping molten iron sundae topping. Age is called for. (1/10)
Fritz Haag 2002 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 3 03 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Dryish lemongrass, dry apple skin, and spritz. Sulfurous. Still too young for true enjoyment. (1/10)
Vollenweider 2008 Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Sptlese Goldkapsel 05 09 (Mosel) Very ripe. Very, very ripe. Very, very, veryoh, hell, you know where Im going with this. But it isripe, I meanthough theres a flood of acidity to match it, and it actually manages a fierce, fisticuffs-in-lava sort of balance. Apples? Sure, why not? Mineral-grayed coarse sea salt as well. Fascinating. And very young. Very, very young. Very, very, very (1/10)
Nigl 1996 Grner Veltliner Alte Reben (Kremstal) I dont know if this is fully developed, but its drinking awfully well at the moment. Celery dust. The wines ripe but precise, with rocks and sweat more dominant than any sensation of fruit. Finishes long, with pepper in both powdered and seeded form. Swirls and evades as much as it envelops. Really quite delicious. (1/10)
Schmitt-Wagner 2001 Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett 15 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Difficult. Muted, somewhat sulfurous, and probably too young. Nonetheless, whats perceptible is moderately enticing. A grayed-out minerality suffuses everything, but theres a leafy, almost lemongrass-like aromatic component (albeit brief), then apple skin, and finally some walnut thats not only aromatic, but textural as the wine drifts off into an uncertain finish. I wonder how much more time this will require, or if that number is imaginary. (1/10)
Schmitt-Wagner 2001 Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 18 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Despite obvious power and intensity, this suffers from the same seemingly sulfurous muting as the same vineyards kabinett tasted at the same time. Everything here is dialed up fruit, acidity, palate impact and that helps. In terms of a terroir signature, this wine performs largely as the kabinett does, with the exception of an expansion of the realm of apple-derived characteristics. I have more hope for a future here than I do for the kabinett, but I dont lack hope for either. (1/10)
Darting 2007 Drkheimer Fronhof Scheurebe Beerenauslese 030 08 (Pfalz) From 375 ml. Not as lurid as the tropical soap factory that scheurebe can sometimes be, but still with one foot in the drink umbrella and lounge chair genre. Thankfully, the other foots in a big vat of (loose) structure and vibrancy. Very sweet, but not in a tooth-eroding way, and fun. (1/10)
von Kesselstatt 2007 Graach Josephshfer Riesling Sptlese 15 08 (Mosel) I miss the days when a sptlese was a medium-weight wine. This is a bruiser, and though along with its full metal jacketed weight comes vibrant structure that carries that weight, its a very muscular wine. Green apple granite and dripping molten iron sundae topping. Age is called for. (1/10)
Fritz Haag 2002 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 3 03 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Dryish lemongrass, dry apple skin, and spritz. Sulfurous. Still too young for true enjoyment. (1/10)