WTN: Leitz Quartet

Opened over the last few days. Great wines for warm, tropical weather!

2008 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Kabinett
Herbal and stony flavours around a core of bright lime and pear fruit with bracing acidity keeping it very refreshing, precise and just barely sweet. Very nice, though I wonder if this is slightly closed as this didn't show the same brightness and depth it had a year ago.

2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese
Really tasty stuff with beautiful floral and peachy aromatics leading into a palate full of ripe apples, peaches and yellow fruits on a sleek, polished frame carried by nice acidity that balances the sweetness and richness.

2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Spätlese
Starts out with an explosion of bright yellow fruits and honeysuckle flavours, opening further with air to show so many other layers of stone, apple and other floral elements. Really rich with plenty of sweetness and weight, but there's really impressive acidity here that gives this fantastic energy and vibrancy in the mouth; fruit and stone with a livewire through it and a finish that just persists. Wow - great wine!

2008 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Drachenstein Riesling Dragonstone
Two bottles opened over the past few days, both on form as expected. Full of bright pear, apple and tangy citrus fruit flecked with orange blossom and stony accents; very light, refreshing and all too easy to drink. (A stunning match with chicken satay and peanut sauce!)

I remember that upon release, the ´08 Dragonstone was intense in acidity (not that I minded!), as the fruit has emerged over the last year, do you find that the acidity has settled into more of a supporting role?

I too love the 2007 Berg Schloßberg. What a wine! Do you feel at all bad abut opening it now instead of cellaring?

Cheers,
Bill

I just find Leitz to be such a consistently good value. Thanks for notes

I remember that upon release, the ´08 Dragonstone was intense in acidity (not that I minded!), as the fruit has emerged over the last year, do you find that the acidity has settled into more of a supporting role?

I too love the 2007 Berg Schloßberg. What a wine! Do you feel at all bad abut opening it now instead of cellaring?

I found the Dragonstone pretty similar on release to what it showed now. The acidity certainly is bright, but there is really nice fruit to match it (which has been there from the start in the bottles I've had).

The Schloßberg really is a stunning wine, one of the best 07s I've had. No regrets about opening it young as I love what great Riesling in this style can show in its youth, though I'm sure it'll be equally compelling (just quite different) a decade or two down the line.

[David M. Bueker]

Good vintages of the Dragonstone (or Drachenstein) have always had a kick of acidity to my taste. I would hate for that to fade into the background.