July (AND August!) Wine Focus: Riesling Around the World

[David M. Bueker]

Tim,

All mine say Nahe. US regulations must be helping me out.

I was as usual invited to the Devine Wines staff BBQ last night and enjoyed the whole evening with no rain and a pleasing lack of mosquitos. I will post a list of the wines I sampled ....in moderation of course.
The first 2 wines were from Germany including a very nice Sauvignon Blanc from Mosbacher.

TN: 2014 Kuhling-Gillot Qvinterra Riesling, Rheinhessen.

Have this and the Trocken in my cellar. SC, light yellow straw color, slight spritz pop on opening.
Attractive nose with pear, apricot tones, brief hint of gasolein, some mineral tones too.
Entry thought was nice weight, hint of rs.Crisp, refreshing, medium length with citrus and peach to forefront.
Lots going on around me but went well with salmon and halibut straight off the BBQ!
No previous experience with this weingut but eagerly await other vintages.

Tim,

All mine say Nahe. US regulations must be helping me out.

Not just US. Every bottle of German Wine must have an indicator of origin corresponding with its quality level. If it doesn't say Nahe somewhere on a bottle of Dönnhoff, it has been removed.

Cheers,
Bill

Check the back label.

[David M. Bueker]

But that's so much work Bill!!

But that's so much work Bill!!

We here all know that we have to check the back label when dealing with VDP labelling but we didn't when it was labelled Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese trocken unless we wanted the AP number. This could easily fool people less aware than fully paid up wine geeks. But perhaps they don't care whether it's Nahe or Rheingau.

[Jenise]

We tasted the latest iteration of Chateau Ste. Michelle's Eroica reisling (2014), a so-called joint project with Dr. Loosen, using WA fruit, who may not have actually stepped foot near the winery in years. The wine certainly doesn't have the kind of concentration or tension I believe he'd demand. It was bright but rather dilute when compared mentally to a German and barely Kabinett level; however, by far the better wine when poured next to a flabby 2014 Erath pinot gris. 2014 was a terrible white wine vintage for Washington and an even worse one in Oregon--hottest vintage ever in the Willamette Valley.

[David M. Bueker]

That's been my impression of the Eroica for a very long time. If it's the best they can do then they should fold up the Riesling tent.

[Jenise]

That's been my impression of the Eroica for a very long time. If it's the best they can do then they should fold up the Riesling tent.

It's as if their prime motivation is not offending people with simple tastes. So the wines end up bland and characterless. And yet Washington fruit isn't that bland; I've actually tasted some surprisingly good rieslings here--wouldn't most likely pass muster with an expert like you, but at the same time no one would call them bland. Why CSM considers that a good standard, I haven't a clue.

I remember the first Eroica I ever tasted..that was years ago. Looking at the price here in AB and the quality of the wine..I said never again .

2011 Ürziger Goldwingert Riesling Spätlese, Peter Nicolay:

Wanted to try this because a local shop is clearing this out for $12 a bottle. No experience with this producer, but the vineyard is a famous one. Tiny (0.3 ha.), steep red slate wedged between Erdener Prälat and Ürziger Würzgarten. Historically, the Berres family owned this entire vineyard, which has passed to Nicolay though marriage. The Pauly-Bergweiler estate also has Berres and Nicolay links, so I think all Goldwingert wines appear under one of these three names.

Still very youthful looking, with great aromatics. This is classic Spätlese, honeyed peach and mineral, and just when you think it might be a bit too soft and sweet, some gentle acid comes rushing in to save the day. Good, long finish. The Nicolay website boasts about the power of red slate, but this strikes me as a very delicate and nuanced wine, not one that impresses me with power. I'll need to go back and pick up some more of this, as it is a great value. 8% abv, screwcap closure.

[David M. Bueker]

2001 St. Urbans-Hof Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/4/2016)
Severe leaker, so I had little hope, but wow was this ever good. Still a very pale color, and showing lots of fruit along with developed smoky elements and a riveting mineral base. Just delicious, and gone in about 60 seconds.

[David M. Bueker]

2014 Schloss Lieser Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/6/2016)
Crystalline clarity-a window to the site, as there is zero excess fat or sweetness in the wine. Crunchy fruit tones over a firm slate foundation with point perfect balance makes this an exemplar of Kabinett, especially considering what has happened to the genre in the last two decades. It would be hard to find a better Kabinett, and the pricing makes it a complete steal.

[David M. Bueker]

2012 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #4 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/8/2016)
A gorgeous wine. The fruit is perfectly ripe, like biting into a dripping peach. The acidity is bracing and balances the richness of the wine to a perfect point. Just amazing despite being so young.

David, you must have some great connection in Conn. to stash away all these great German wines?

David, you must have some great connection in Conn. to stash away all these great German wines?

Are you new here?

2012 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #4 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/8/2016)
A gorgeous wine. The fruit is perfectly ripe, like biting into a dripping peach. The acidity is bracing and balances the richness of the wine to a perfect point. Just amazing despite being so young.

Nice. I haven't had all the wines, but the combination of 2012 and W. Schaefer seemed especially special, even by the estate's special standards.

I was a little surprised to see English on the label of 2013 Leitz Rüdesheimer Magic Mountain Riesling Trocken, but I suppose I should not have been. I was not surprised by the quality of the wine, which was solid savory intensely-flavored riesling, although with a fresh-ish structure and fair amount of accessibility.

I'm not sure how serious or ageworthy this wine is supposed to be. The structure moved around a lot over the course of a few hours, so perhaps that indicates a 'stage' of sorts. But it didn't seem particularly deep for extended aging.

Regardless of those issues, it was a delicious riesling to open and drink with a dinner of various North Sea fish and seafood items.

[David M. Bueker]

It's the drink now dry wine from Johannes. Not intended for aging, but can handle a few years.

It's the drink now dry wine from Johannes. Not intended for aging, but can handle a few years.

Makes sense.

[Robin Garr]

It's the drink now dry wine from Johannes. Not intended for aging, but can handle a few years.

Seguing into talking-about-Riesling, David, it's my impression that Riesling by nature is surprisingly ageworthy, especially for a white. As you point out here, even a Rieslig not intended for aging can still age for a while. What's going on with that? Is this generalization valid? Are there any Rieslings that can't take some time, or at least any Rieslings worth drinking in the first place? In other words, any general guidelines on holding on to Riesling and watching it grow?

Seguing into talking-about-Riesling, David, it's my impression that Riesling by nature is surprisingly ageworthy, especially for a white. As you point out here, even a Rieslig not intended for aging can still age for a while. What's going on with that? Is this generalization valid? Are there any Rieslings that can't take some time, or at least any Rieslings worth drinking in the first place?

I'm not David, but my first reaction is that the fresh acidity present in so many rieslings helps keep them 'alive' even if they do not develop. But of course development is what you're after with aging, not just 'staying alive'. So the simpler wines, less noble sites, shriller years, all may have limitations for how much they repay aging.

[Robin Garr]

'm not David ...

Sorry, Rahsaan! My bad for turning to the guy with Riesling in his Email name when the room is full of Riesling lovers. Thanks for the thought ... I agree that acidic "cut" helps a wine last. I wonder if there isn't something more, though. I can think of other acidic whites that fade fairly fast and don't evolve.

[David M. Bueker]

The acidity is certainly a major component to Riesling's age worthiness. Look at what happens to low acid Rieslings like the CSM bottlings. They tend to collapse quite quickly compared to their German counterparts. Of course that is not the whole story because low acid vintages in Germany have produced some very age worthy wines. The sugar/acid combination in balance certainly gives a lot of material for the wines to age on. Dry wines do age faster as a general (but not ironclad) rule. If we knew all the answers it would not be as fun.