PSA: 2009 Willi Schaefer Kabinetts

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Entire US allocation of 2009 Graacher Himmelreich and Graacher Domprobst Kabinetts is under screwcap.
European markets that I am aware of are receiving the same wines under cork, with the same AP numbers, 02 and 03.
There is nothing on Skurnik site regarding closure in 2009.
In 2007, two separate lots of each were shipped to the US, AP 02 for GH and AP 16 for GD under screwcap, and AP 09 for GH and AP 07 for GD under cork. This information was on Skurnik website at the time.
However, some European markets were receiving 2007 AP 2 and AP 16 under both cork and screwcap.
Just the facts ma'am.
 
so is this a bad thing? screwcaps are manufactured with a choice of permeabilities, and by now they must have done enough research to have a handle on what permeability is closest to that of a cork closure. this while removing the threat of having your wine ruined by tca taint doesn't sound like a bad option. is the sky still falling?
 
Good to know, thanks for the info. I'm glad Schaefer's making the shift towards screwcaps (even if it's only at Kabinett level); wish more producers would follow that route.
 
When I learned that Kabinetts were under screwcap (sent to Italy and having the same AP numbers. Incidentally there is usually only 1 AP number per Kabinett bottling at Scheafer), I was not happy at all. We were not told (we buy direct from the winery) when we placed our order.

Maybe because I am attached to the usual evoultion of wines under cork and I never knew anything different. And this is what I have been taught to like and expect (a bit like those ducks and the red boots).

Maybe because it suggests that Kabinett should be drunk in their first 1/2 years of their life and if maybe this could be true for the Himmelreich it's certainly not true for the Domprobst. I tried them both in the last 3 days and the Domprobst was closed as a nut.

On the bright side I can confirm that Magnums of Kabinett are still under cork. Rest assured that my 2010s will have cork (though from what I learn this will not be a Kabinett vintage for whatever that means).

F.

PS. I still need to check that bottles sent to England are NOT under screwcap. I will have an update at the end of May.

PPS. And if you wanna really know the state of the art in closures, please have a read of the excellent Jamie Goode's Wine Bottle Closure. You can find it here: http://www.flavourpress.com/. It gets a little techincal at times but this is what you should expect from a PhD guy and pretend when dealing with matters that can be treated with a certain degree of objectivity (like permeability of closure and the resulting evolution of the wine)
 
Had a few aged GD Kabs from Schaefer last year, Filippo. Just wonderful. Two different APs from 1997, a 2002, 1999. Also, 2001 GH looks like a classic in the making.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
so is this a bad thing? screwcaps are manufactured with a choice of permeabilities, and by now they must have done enough research to have a handle on what permeability is closest to that of a cork closure. this while removing the threat of having your wine ruined by tca taint doesn't sound like a bad option. is the sky still falling?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I don't know that data on level of permeability for the screwcaps used is avaialable anywhere (or even whether such screwcaps are commonly available for use yet) so it is still something worth being aware of.
 
I noticed that 2009 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Spatleses were under screwcap as well.

Kabinetts, I can understand...sort of. But, spatleses? You would think that some would want to age them.
 
I think the whole 09 Meulenhof lineup (Auslese as well) is under screwcap. Glad they've changed, and I've bought a lot (terrific wines).
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
I noticed that 2009 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Spatleses were under screwcap as well.

Kabinetts, I can understand...sort of. But, spatleses? You would think that some would want to age them.
Click to expand...

Why ? Kabinetts are just as worthy IMO, perhaps even gaining significance with a warmer climate trend.
 
Some '47 Cabinet (different back then, but still) are going strong, as was a '53 recently not too far away from Schaefer's holdings. Creamed petrol stage, and a bit short on the finish, but great stuff at ~10% ABV. Sulfur + sugar, a winning combination!
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
I noticed that 2009 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Spatleses were under screwcap as well.

Kabinetts, I can understand...sort of. But, spatleses? You would think that some would want to age them.
Click to expand...

Why do you think that screwcaps are inconsistent with aging? The AWRI studies (performed on Riesling, no less) show that wines age more slowly and consistently under screwcap. Since those studies were conducted, screwcap manufacturers have redesigned their screwcaps to allow slightly more oxygen in with the anticipation that wines will age similarly to how they'd age under "ideal" corks. Like David and Salil, I see this as an unalloyed positive development.

Mark Lipton
 
I have no doubt Kabinetts are ageworthy, but I'm guessing that if you were going to pick a pradikat level to drink young, you would lean towards kabinetts first. Also, kabinetts tend to be the least expensive, so if you are going to risk closure failure with screwcaps, you would screwcap kabinetts and see how they turn out while continuing to use natural corks for the more expensive wines.

But, I'm not a closure expert (I'll leave that to others). I have no idea whether screwcaps are just as good as natural corks for aging.

Edited: Just caught Mark's post after posting this one. I haven't read the AWRI study. If it's true, great. I'm not a cork romantic by any means. I just wonder whether screwcaps will prove to be as reliable as corks 10, 15, and how many more years down the road.
 
actually, I've had a negative experience with some SCed austrian wines which I used to like quite a bit under cork, so the jury is out

but some of you guys are happy with SC, so good for you. That's not why I started the thread - my point is that this is important information which would be disclosed to the consumer. This is a top producer with a limited production, so the assumption should be that the consumer is sophisticated enough to care, one way or the other.
 
originally posted by .sasha:
actually, I've had a negative experience with some SCed austrian wines which I used to like quite a bit under cork, so the jury is out
Click to expand...

What was the nature of the negative experience, Sasha? Reduction? Something else? If the latter, can one say with any certainty that the closure was to blame?

Just curious,
Mark Lipton
 
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