Question for David B..and those interested in German wines.

Some new German wines have arrived downtown and prices look pretty good. Most are 2014 and I am tempted to sample Kuhling-Gillot, Georg Mosbacher...plus some library releases from Querbach (201, 2002). Any opinions welcome!

[David M. Bueker]

No idea.

I recall that Mosel Fine Wines newsletter warns that the character of the 2014 vintage is not homogeneous in the Mosel region and recommends special care in selection. Is the same true in the Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz?

Some new German wines have arrived downtown and prices look pretty good. Most are 2014 and I am tempted to sample Kuhling-Gillot, Georg Mosbacher.

Hi Bob,

according to the Blog of Rainer Kaltenecker (whom I hold in high esteem) I would say: Go ahead!

https://toaster.wordpress.com/author/kaltenecker/

He says that in particular all vintners in Forst (Mosbacher) were extremely successfull. I am also considering to put some bottles from Nierstein (Pettenthal and Ölberg) aside. In times of Google translate his blog should give you some idea.

Best Winfried

Hi Win_fried,

Do you have an insight into the issue about 2014 quality variability raised by Mosel Fine Wines. Here is a quote from Jean Fisch and David Rayer about it.

"2014 produced some real gems, among the finest since the 1990s. But 2014 was a very demanding vintage in Germany and quality and style vary as widely as never before, sometimes at the same Estate. Buying blind is never a good idea. It is downright suicidal in 2014."

For the Mosel area itself, I hope that we can rely on their recommendations. But what about other regions? I was also hoping that David B would have some input on this.

Hi Tim,

insight would definitely be exaggerating. I am a subscriber of Fisch and Rayer, too, and am myself not that familiar with Mosel wines. We have been to a brief visit to Trier and Bernkastel this spring, though. The Ruwer seems to have done quite well. It was said that there have been only good years concerning quality in this decade. The variance is only in quantity. Surprisingly, they thought 2011 was superior to 2012, while Fisch and Rayer could not praise 2012 high enough.

Of course the best vintage always is the one on sale. I am looking forward to 2015.

Best Winfried

Great discussion here. Winfried, what is the availability of German wines in your area? Think Tim had better access when he lived in Belgium...now he is a cider hound!

Hi Bob,

availability of German wines in "my area" is great. My area is the Rhineland. I live in Cologne. On Sunday we are planning to hike the "Rotweinwanderweg" along the Ahr.

Best

Winfried

Great discussion here. Winfried, what is the availability of German wines in your area? Think Tim had better access when he lived in Belgium...now he is a cider hound!

Bob,

Access to German (Mosel) wines was created by only about 2 1/2 hours by road to Bernkastel or Trier. Belgian sources are only marginally better than French. I know of one good importer in Flanders and, close to where I lived near Brussels, there was a merchant who stocked a few from the ranges of von Schubert, Bürklin-Wolf and a producer in Hochheim, a charming elderly couple, whose name I forget.

David B, any views on the variability of the 2014 vintage?

PS: The Hochheim estate is Domdechant Werner.