A few more firsts for me here: my first Rieslaner, my first bottle of Beerenauslese, my first older Riesling purchased at a restaurant, and my first purchase of a S.A. Prüm . . .
2005 Müller-Catoir Mußbacher Eselshaut Pfalz Rieslaner Spätlese (Pfalz, Germany) cork closure, 11% - my first Rieslaner - appears spectacular gold with clingers, smell distinct nose, quite heavy, raspberry jam and molasses, very distinctive nose that kind of reminds me of a sweet version of dry white from northern Spain but heavier and fuller, definitely noted distinctiveness, mouthfeel viscous and thick, taste rich succulent peach syrup upfront, then dry and herbal, ripe peach mango, creamy, this is a big big wine, at first, though the heaviness took some getting used to, I really liked every aspect, the nose-the sweetness, the taste, the complexity, but the finish was an uncomfortable incredibly intense attack of dry pineapple and honey, just too much for me to really like the wine, somewhere along the line on day two, however, everything fell into place and the finish matched the wine—a solid sweet package, once that package arrived, I was very happy for paying 12 euro —my best guess is this wine could have used a number of more years to burn off some of that extra sweetness, alas I would have like to have compared the trocken version of the same wine, but that has disappeared. Purchased 2007
2006 Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Lump Franken Riesling Beerenauslese (Franken, Germany) cork closure, 7.5% - appears deep intensive gold, smell rich honey, pointed and fragrant, yet cool on the nose, nose is absolutely lovely complex honey, taste welcoming high acidity upfront followed by simple delicious honey, cool on tongue, excellent flow, delicious again and again, this wine moves, nice explosion of orange and peach, reminds me distinctly of a quince paste combined with a slice of cheese as a vehicle, this was one mightily drinkable BA, a style of wine I don’t purchase very often, could not have been more pleased even at a pricey 31 euro for a 500 ml bottle in 2007 (but a mini Bocksbeutel is one mighty cute vehicle!) Purchased 2008
1985 Landgräflich Hessisches Eltviller Sonnenberg Rheingau Riesling Spätlese (Rheingau, Germany) cork closure – imported to USA by Stefmon Selections, Waltham, Massachusetts - I shared this one at a visit to the Castle Restaurant in Leicester, Massachusetts. My friend was playing jazz on the patio overlooking the lake, which was fantastic (as was this wine). The food, however, is the worst I've had at a restaurant in some time--ah well. appears deep dark gold, smell subtle mix, some rich fruit, wonderful heavy oiled feel to nose, richness, mouthfeel not heavy, decent flow, taste rich honey, soft and bit watery, tasty with quite a tanged, tart finish, but still remains mild and well bound together, opens up over the first hour to a vibrant fruit spice, texture of sweet rocks and hint of perhaps petrol, delicious lip smacking wine, certainly alive and quite kicking, $40 off wine list at Castle Restaurant in Leicester
2003 S.A. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling Kabinett (Mosel, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) cork closure, 10.5% - imported to USA by Palm Bay Imports, Boca Raton, Florida – appears light pale straw gold, smell expressive upfront, nice rocks and very deep, beautiful rich deep expressive nose, adored nose, taste rich and honeyed, slight tangy bitterness of grapefruit rind that provides nice balance for the intense richness, this is certainly rich and honeyed in the mouth and was just a touch too much on that front for me, though I still enjoyed it, my mom was absolutely enthralled with every aspect of the wine, however, $24. Purchased 2008 I bought this one based on a recommendation from a retailer I just discovered in Worcester: O'Hara's Wine and Liquors. I don't live in the area, so I haven't spent a lot of time seeking out good wine retailers (but it doesn't appear to be rich territory--more 'package stores' than anything else), but O'Hara's was notable for me in having both an interesting selection of wines and an excellent staff--I had a nice chat with JP who works there and provided me with excellent guidance. I plan to shop there again whenever I visit the area.
