WTN: Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese 2002

Pork with cinnamon and onion - a wonderful match for the wine:

• 2002 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (8/18/2008)
  9% abv; AP 3 567 142-6-03. Light colour. The scent has just the right proportions of rocks and steel and lime and passionfruit - it is a perfectly balanced, pure Mosel Riesling. Steely, some sugar, (quite tannic even?), refreshing, but from the small amount of '02s I have had, I was expecting more acid. Very nice even though I would appreciate much more age on it.
  
  I am intrigued about the tannins - I have lately noted tannins in quite a few white wines. Is it my senses playing tricks on me, or is it just the standard vocabulary used in describing whites that is causing the doubts as to what I sense?

Posted from CellarTracker

I wonder about the tannin here. I usually associate that with white wines that see extended skin contact but I believe that is something to be avoided here. Yet I know what you mean by the tactile sensation. I guess it is a function of the dry extract and something in the quality of the acids?

[David M. Bueker]

With German Riesling you are usually not experiencing tannin, but other phenolic components. One of the things I actually like about 2001 and 2002 is a bit of phenolic punch that the more recent "classic" vintages do not have (e.g. 2005 and 2007).

With German Riesling you are usually not experiencing tannin..

Not even from old oak, as Mark Lipton hypothesized elsewhere?

[David M. Bueker]

Given that the old oak is usually ancient I don't think so, no. If it was there would be a lot of it going around as many producers still have large, old oak ovals/fuders.

You want tannins in a white wine, Otto? You should try something from Frank Cornelissen.

Ok, so it's phenolic grip I was sensing ... but what are those other phenolic compounds?

J-T, I've been looking for them, but they seem hard to come by. For tannic whites, Musar has so far been a favourite (which is probably a great surprise).

-O