Wet your Willi

[Rahsaan]

Out of practice with the pradikat wines, so why not get a few Willi Schaefer bottles and enjoy the style.

First taste of the new vintage with 2017 Willi Schaefer GH Kabinett and I can see why people have mixed/cautious feelings. Pale mild sour fresh young wine that gets a bit more interesting and racy energetic overnight, but still shows soft and simple in the middle, even for a kabinett. Just one bottle so I'm more than willing to give the benefit of the doubt and assume this will offer certain kinds of pleasure. But it didn't pique my interest for now.

On the other hand, 2016 Willi Schaefer GD Spätlese #5 is the definition of impressive. Sweet rich round and dense, but with a fine acid structure and lots of fresh herbal flavors that help it straddle boundaries. After 24h it shows even more complex, so much going on, great balance, with plenty in reserve. Fun now but would love to taste this as it evolves.

The 2016 Willi Schaefer GD Spätlese #10 is more open about its charms. The long long strands of firm lacey lace glide across the palate and are impossible not to enjoy. Not as dense or rich as the #5, but still with plenty of material for the frame. Damned delicious!

 

[John M]

originally posted by Rahsaan:

First taste of the new vintage with 2017 Willi Schaefer GH Kabinett and I can see why people have mixed/cautious feelings. Pale mild sour fresh young wine that gets a bit more interesting and racy energetic overnight, but still shows soft and simple in the middle, even for a kabinett. Just one bottle so I'm more than willing to give the benefit of the doubt and assume this will offer certain kinds of pleasure. But it didn't pique my interest for now.

I have heard that it will be hard to find a "classic" Kabinett in this vintage. There is a lot of declassification and a lot of botrytis. That said, your bottle, I expect, was just grumpy.

 

[Rahsaan]

Grumpy could be it.

Usually the new vintage tastes so fresh and vibrant this time of year, especially when drinking in Germany. I was hoping for that experience, but of course there are no rules.

 

[John M]

originally posted by Rahsaan:

Usually the new vintage tastes so fresh and vibrant this time of year, especially when drinking in Germany. I was hoping for that experience, but of course there are no rules.

I have long wished we could get those young and vibrant bottles of the new vintage to the States quickly enough that we could enjoy them during the summer, just like you describe.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

Great title.

 

[Pavel Tchichikov]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Great title.

he made a verb of it too, but kind of misspelled it

 

[John M]

originally posted by John M:

I have heard that it will be hard to find a "classic" Kabinett in this vintage. There is a lot of declassification and a lot of botrytis. That said, your bottle, I expect, was just grumpy.

Maybe I should be a bit more explicit. I have heard that there is quite a bit of declassification and that botrytis was widely present in the vintage. However, in a post on the 2017 vintage the Schaefers describe their very meticulous harvest and berry selection. So I fully expect that they produced exactly the wines they intended. Judging by the comments in Mosel Fine Wines, the results were quite impressive at Weingut Schaefer. Hence my assumption that this particular bottle was suffering from shock and was just grumpy.

 

[mark e]

originally posted by John M:

originally posted by John M:

I have heard that it will be hard to find a "classic" Kabinett in this vintage. There is a lot of declassification and a lot of botrytis. That said, your bottle, I expect, was just grumpy.

Maybe I should be a bit more explicit. I have heard that there is quite a bit of declassification and that botrytis was widely present in the vintage. However, in a post on the 2017 vintage the Schaefers describe their very meticulous harvest and berry selection. So I fully expect that they produced exactly the wines they intended. Judging by the comments in Mosel Fine Wines, the results were quite impressive at Weingut Schaefer. Hence my assumption that this particular bottle was suffering from shock and was just grumpy.

Might as well post the tasting note from Mosel Fine Wines as it is not paid content, but just to be clear - you need to sign up:

"The 2017er Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett proves still somewhat backward and only gradually reveals shy notes of smoke, white flowers, anise, yellow peach and grapefruit, all wrapped into a hint of herbs. The wine is quite intense yet playful on the palate as beautifully zesty and ripe acidity mingles with juicy yellow fruits. Despite the intensity, this Kabinett remains superbly light and develops some stunningly complex mineral and zesty fruity flavors in the finish. This is a brilliant Kabinett in the making. 2025-2037".

However, there also is some excellent insight on Schaefer's 2017s on Lars Carlberg's site (if you are not subscribed you should be: www.larscarlberg.com), which you can find there.

(NB: if the Politburo doesn't rule that this is "fair use" let me know.)

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by mark e:
(NB: if the Politburo doesn't rule that this is "fair use" let me know.)

Speaking of the pb, I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful, but the pb members might conceivably enjoy it, if nothing else for old times' sake.

 

[MarkS]

The only thing fresher would be a 2018er.

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by mark e:
(NB: if the Politburo doesn't rule that this is "fair use" let me know.)

Speaking of the pb, I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful, but the pb members might conceivably enjoy it, if nothing else for old times' sake.

Really! I liked the movie. The whole notion of a political succession in which all the competitors were low-level limey bureaucratic incompetents (except for Steve Buscemi who was a low-level Yank bureaucratic incompetent) was very funny I thought in a bloodcurdling way.

 

[MarkS]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

 

[maureen]

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by mark e:
(NB: if the Politburo doesn't rule that this is "fair use" let me know.)

Speaking of the pb, I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful, but the pb members might conceivably enjoy it, if nothing else for old times' sake.

Really! I liked the movie. The whole notion of a political succession in which all the competitors were low-level limey bureaucratic incompetents (except for Steve Buscemi who was a low-level Yank bureaucratic incompetent) was very funny I thought in a bloodcurdling way.

I am with the professor onthis one but I realize not everyone appreciates satire. An even better one is “Children of the Revolution.”

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by MarkS:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

The subject matter may be dour, but the unfolding of the emotions that this triggered in a group of disparate characters held precariously together by habitual fear has amazing revelatory potential. Instead, I saw a campy charade of bumbling caricatures (with famous faces) strutting upon the stage with phony cockney accents, an assortment of clowns whose ability to muster the will to murder seems entirely unconvincing. Neither realistic nor Monty Python, it falls into a comedic no man's land that - I am now surprised to hear, causing me to temper my rejection - some may find satirically appealing.

 

[mark e]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by MarkS:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

The subject matter may be dour, but the unfolding of the emotions that this triggered in a group of disparate characters held precariously together by habitual fear has amazing revelatory potential. Instead, I saw a campy charade of bumbling caricatures (with famous faces) strutting upon the stage with phony cockney accents, an assortment of clowns whose ability to muster the will to murder seems entirely unconvincing. Neither realistic nor Monty Python, it falls into a comedic no man's land that - I am now surprised to hear, causing me to temper my rejection - some may find satirically appealing.

Alas, it sounds a lot like Hogan's Heroes.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by MarkS:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

The subject matter may be dour, but the unfolding of the emotions that this triggered in a group of disparate characters held precariously together by habitual fear has amazing revelatory potential. Instead, I saw a campy charade of bumbling caricatures (with famous faces) strutting upon the stage with phony cockney accents, an assortment of clowns whose ability to muster the will to murder seems entirely unconvincing. Neither realistic nor Monty Python, it falls into a comedic no man's land that - I am now surprised to hear, causing me to temper my rejection - some may find satirically appealing.

Alas, it sounds a lot like Hogan's Heroes.

That at least was funny. Schultz!

 

[mark e]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by MarkS:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

The subject matter may be dour, but the unfolding of the emotions that this triggered in a group of disparate characters held precariously together by habitual fear has amazing revelatory potential. Instead, I saw a campy charade of bumbling caricatures (with famous faces) strutting upon the stage with phony cockney accents, an assortment of clowns whose ability to muster the will to murder seems entirely unconvincing. Neither realistic nor Monty Python, it falls into a comedic no man's land that - I am now surprised to hear, causing me to temper my rejection - some may find satirically appealing.

Alas, it sounds a lot like Hogan's Heroes.

That at least was funny. Schultz!

Perhaps. But turning Nazis into bumbling idiots was in pretty questionable taste.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by MarkS:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

The subject matter may be dour, but the unfolding of the emotions that this triggered in a group of disparate characters held precariously together by habitual fear has amazing revelatory potential. Instead, I saw a campy charade of bumbling caricatures (with famous faces) strutting upon the stage with phony cockney accents, an assortment of clowns whose ability to muster the will to murder seems entirely unconvincing. Neither realistic nor Monty Python, it falls into a comedic no man's land that - I am now surprised to hear, causing me to temper my rejection - some may find satirically appealing.

Alas, it sounds a lot like Hogan's Heroes.

That at least was funny. Schultz!

Perhaps. But turning Nazis into bumbling idiots was in pretty questionable taste.

Not to a ten-year-old, but I suppose you're right.

 

[mark e]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by MarkS:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
... I recently saw The Last Days of Stalin while trapped on an airplane and found it several rungs below awful...

Well, consider the subject matter.

The subject matter may be dour, but the unfolding of the emotions that this triggered in a group of disparate characters held precariously together by habitual fear has amazing revelatory potential. Instead, I saw a campy charade of bumbling caricatures (with famous faces) strutting upon the stage with phony cockney accents, an assortment of clowns whose ability to muster the will to murder seems entirely unconvincing. Neither realistic nor Monty Python, it falls into a comedic no man's land that - I am now surprised to hear, causing me to temper my rejection - some may find satirically appealing.

Alas, it sounds a lot like Hogan's Heroes.

That at least was funny. Schultz!

Perhaps. But turning Nazis into bumbling idiots was in pretty questionable taste.

Not to a ten-year-old, but I suppose you're right.

No, I get it. My brother and I found it funny at the same age yet the fact that our parents were appalled by it, didn't really register at the time, but in the fullness of time - and understanding better our family's immigrant history - I definitely see why they cringed . . .

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

Death of Stalin wasn't really like Hogan's Heroes. What was objectionable about the Nazis wasn't that they were incompetent, but that they were lovably incompetent--since you had to live with them every week. They really weren't much more threatening than the Beaver's parents. And, although they had lower class London and midland accents, I didn't hear a real Cockney accent in the bunch, I don't think.