Good German Riesling trocken? Really?

S

Saina Nieminen

Saina Nieminen
Today I tried two Rieslings from a "cult" producer (says the importer) whom I hadn't heard of before (and nor did I follow how these two properties are related). Amazingly I liked them, though I prefer the style with RS in it. The Battenfeld-Spanier was truly a lovely wine and was the first German Riesling trocken that I have fallen in love with. I must try to find a bottle to drink with dinner to see if my infatuation lasts.

Spanier-Gillot Riesling Kalkglimmer 2008 - Rheinhessen
12% abv; c.16; under screw cap. More obvious than the lovely Battenfeld-Spanier, but a very enjoyable wine. Also very mineral, but despite the lower alcohol, it seems to have riper fruit aromas. Crisp, dry palate but just like the Battenfeld-Spanier this isn't the charmless trocken style I usually see, but is very lovable. But this isn't as ethereal and pure as the B-S. But it is cheaper! A very nice wine.

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier Mlsheim Riesling Riesling "S" 2008 - Rheinhessen
13% abv; c.20. For the first time in my experience, I get the aromatic complexity of the sweeter styles of German Riesling in a dry wine. And also for the first time in my experience, I love a Trocken and don't have to make excuses for a lack of RS. Elegant lime aromas, much rocks. Full bodied but not powerful like Alsace, instead it is delicate and floral and very charming like the non-trockener styles in Germany at best are. Long and stony finish. Lovely wine.

Can German trocken really be this good? I am still stunned at my reaction to these two wines.
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:


Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier Mlsheim Riesling Riesling "S" 2008 - Rheinhessen
13% abv; c.20. For the first time in my experience, I get the aromatic complexity of the sweeter styles of German Riesling in a dry wine. And also for the first time in my experience, I love a Trocken and don't have to make excuses for a lack of RS. Elegant lime aromas, much rocks. Full bodied but not powerful like Alsace, instead it is delicate and floral and very charming like the non-trockener styles in Germany at best are. Long and stony finish. Lovely wine.

Can German trocken really be this good? I am still stunned at my reaction to these two wines.
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Otto,
I had the '02 version of this wine in '05, courtesy of our German-born babysitter. The '02 was a very nice wine, but your '08 sounds quite a bit more impressive -- perhaps the imprint of the year?

Mark Lipton
 
Claude, good to hear. Since Finland seems completely fixated on dryness, I will not see my preferred style any time soon, so which producers should I seek for trocken?
 
For GG's.

Schafer-Frohlich
Rebholz
Keller
Wittman
Wagner-Stempel
Clemens Busch
Burklin Wolf
Kunstler
Schonleber
Von Buhl
Christtman

Specific Pradikat bottlings

Karthauserhof Auslese Trocken and Auslese Trocken "S"
Knebel Spatlese Trocken (Uhlen, Rottgen)
Schafer-Frohlich Bockenau Felseneck Spatlese Trocken
Emrich-Schonleber Mozinger Halenberg Spatlese Trocken and Monziger Frhlingspltzchen

Other (more feinherb and halbtrocken)
F. Weins Prum makes nice feinherbs in the Mosel
Peter Lauer
Knebel Feinherbs
Steinmetz
 
Agree with most of Lyle's picks (aside from a couple of producers I'm yet to try for myself), I'd also add in Donnhoff's Hermannshohle and Dellchen Grosses Gewachs which I find superb, and anything by Muller-Catoir.

Also look up Van Volxem - the wines sometimes have a touch of rs and are not labelled 'trocken', but for the most part they taste dry and for value I love their regular Saar or Alte Reben bottlings.

(And on the off chance you can actually find some Koehler Ruprecht, grab any trocken you see from them.)
 
In addition to what Lyle and Salil suggest (and I would't limit myself to GG), and just off the top of my head and in no particular order, so others are being left out unintentionally:

Pfeffingen
Mosbacher
Knipser
Gunderloch
Weil
Wegeler (Rheingau)
Leitz
Spreitzer
Khn
Flick
Jung
Frst
Wirsching
Castell
Ho. Sauer
Salwey
Breuer
Bassermann-Jordan
Brgerspital
Juliusspital
Bergdolt
Bickel-Stumpf
Schmitt's Kinder
Diel
Kruger-Rumpf
W. Schaefer (yeah, Willi Schaefer in Graach, even though Terry doesn't take the dry wines)
Siegrist
J L Wolf
Liebfrauenstift (formerly P. J. Valckenberg)
Freiherr von Simmern (recent)
Schloss Johannisberg
Sankt Urbanshof
Hofkeller Wrzburg
Kloster Eberbach
Salm-Salm
Villa Sachsen (recent)
Domd. Werner
Schnaitmann
Dautel
K. Haidle
Winter
von Kesselstatt
A. Clsserath
R. Haart
F. Haag
Schloss Lieser
Eymael/Mnchhof
 
I'll just put in another vote for Kunstler (with thanks to Lyle for introducing me to them a few years ago). With the exception of a wonderful Donnhoff that Eden opened many years ago they have been my favorite.
 
. . .we will drink some of my stash. Still have my '05 Holle and Kirchenstuck plus Old Vines '05 and '06. These wines have legs.

Claude,

Do you think Otto would like some of the more austere ones on your list like the wineries from Franken or Wurrtemberg? It seems like he likes the dry ones that give that sweet sensation on the nose 9common in Rheinhessen), but are dry on the palate. I find the Franken ones bone dry and don't hint at sweetness aromatically.
 
I don't consider the Franken or Wrttemberg wines to be austere because they are so rich on the palate, although I realize you are talking about the nose. The austere ones are the Mosels -- admitedly not for everyone. I think Otto ought to at least expose himself to the likes of Wirsching, Sauer, Haidle, Dautel, etc. -- they are great wines and quite different from the Rheinhessen and Pfalz wines.
 
I'd say austerity in trockens is more a middle Mosel thing. I find not that much austerity towards Punderich and Winningen. Guess its warmer there.

And I agree Otto should expose himself to as many trocken styles as he can, as they are so diverse across Germany.
 
Thanks for the lists. FWIW, it's not so much the austerity of MSR trockener that I dislike; I have no problems with Austria or Alsace of the Trimbach type of dryness and austerity. But for example I received little enjoyment from the Karthuserhof Auslese that Lyle suggested: I found it impressive, technically flawless, and completely incapable of moving me in any way. So I don't think austerity is the problem I had, I don't mind austerity at all, it's rather their lack of charm that bothers me (and yes, austere wines can have charm).

I have had better luck with Palatinate trockener and enjoyed many of Josef Biffar's wines. We have had some Rebholz and Brklin-Wolf here but they have been outrageously priced at over 40 so I don't think I'll be drinking them unless I have a big change in circumstances soon.

I will, however, soon try a Breuer Berg Rottlan '04. Hopefully shall be palatable.
 
originally posted by Lyle Fass:
one day . . .. . .we will drink some of my stash. Still have my '05 Holle and Kirchenstuck plus Old Vines '05 and '06. These wines have legs.
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I'll be opening a bottle of the 2008 Stielweg this Sunday. It's not really on-theme but it will horrify Brad and that's always fun.
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:


I will, however, soon try a Breuer Berg Rottlan '04. Hopefully shall be palatable.
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A schlossberg 2004 was too austere and closed last week. not for opening in the near term

After all the knowledge (will look for some of the names mentioned here, so thanks), a short list of favourites...

Great (all GG) are:

Rebholz Birkweiler Kastanienbuch
Wittmann Westhofener Morstein
Keller (all the lineup but I have a soft spot Kirchspiel; G-Max is too pricy but great and the abterde 2007 is magical)
Breuer Rdesheimer Berg Schlossberg
Emrich Scnleber Monzinger Halenberg (auslese trocken 2002 and Lay GG are two of the greatest dry german wines I have tasted)

Great but less:

Dnhoff Niederhuser Hermannshhle
Christmann Knigsbacher Idig

In the low price side of the spectrum I normally enjoy Emrich Schonleber's mineral; Dnhoff riesling (I like better the one with some rs) and keller's von der fels
 
Ignacio,

In 2008, Mineral went up wholesale $60 a case, and the '07 was much better. '08 is too searing even for this acid-lover's palate.

Rebholz Kastanienbusch is a revelatory wine, and ages very very well. Had a '92 and '94 (just labeled spatlese trocken at that time)at the estate in 2006 that were downright youthful.

You should check out Nonnenberg from Breuer. I love that wine. Interesting site as it faces "the wrong way." But it still it a riveting wine.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by Lyle Fass:
one day . . .. . .we will drink some of my stash. Still have my '05 Holle and Kirchenstuck plus Old Vines '05 and '06. These wines have legs.
Click to expand...

I'll be opening a bottle of the 2008 Stielweg this Sunday. It's not really on-theme but it will horrify Brad and that's always fun.
Click to expand...

Oh, and I have some '05 Holle that I picked up on winebid at a good price about 2 years ago. How long do you suggest holding it for? I've been assuming that this isn't a good time to be opening '05s...
 
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