WTN: Riesling!

2011 Tegernseerhof Steinertal Smaragd
Had a couple bottles of this recently. Crisp, coiled and direct with a slightly sappy texture and a slight verdant plus golden tinge to the fruit. I’m exploring more of this producer – riesling and GV – and the wines are definitely good value so I seem to be slotting them into the dinner party zone. There are some great vineyards that show elegance and poise, but in an easy and relatively-straightforward way that is always just on the verge of being complex and profound (and therefore meditative), but never actually turning that corner.

2011 von Othegraven Altenberg GG
What a disappointment. I’ve had several bottles of this in recent years and they have always thrilled. Except this one. The broad golden color is there and the familiar subtle yet expressive citrus oil fruit pit aromas are all there. But on the palate it doesn’t quite pop like previous bottles and feels limp and clipped. Mildly corked? Slight heat damage? Slight user damage? Off day? Who knows.

2011 Beurer Stettener Pulvermächer Schilfsandstein
Interesting wine because I opened for a dinner party and it gave the classic fresh focused and crisp white fruit mineral riesling experience. Maybe a bit too taut for its own good, but I wasn’t complaining under the circumstances. Then, for some reason, I decided to let the rest of the bottle stay in the refrigerator all week. Six days later it has a lovely textured and layered expression of racy golden-tinged/flecked riesling fruit. Something to catch my attention. I have no idea when it turned that corner, but I will be giving the next bottles plenty of air. And after the 6-day experiment, I am happy to have those next bottles!

2015 Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Spätlese Feinherb
So so easy to like. Lacy sweet and juicy but crisp and crunchy at the same time. Intense yet feathery and delicate. Such a lovely touch to these wines. Didn’t hurt that I was drinking it with a phenomenal dish of clams in riesling, fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, chives and butter. God is good!

2016 Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett trocken
A bit harder to like right now. I remember enjoying it more at the end of 2017. But now the fruit has receded a bit too far (for my tastes) and the sourness is a bit too prominent (for my tastes). There is a liveliness that lets you know it’s the real deal. But doesn’t make me want multiple glasses.

Interesting notes, thanks.
Never heard of Tegernseerhof.
I like Falkenstein in general, but especially the feinherb bottlings. Never seem to be in an awkward stage.

Interesting notes, thanks.
Never heard of Tegernseerhof.

Very solid producer, although I am just exploring myself.

I like Falkenstein in general, but especially the feinherb bottlings. Never seem to be in an awkward stage.

Well, this '16 kabinett trocken is getting awkward. Although elsewhere we had a little back-and-forth and (unsurprisingly) it turns out there are a few '16 kabinett NH trockens that show very differently. NC only got the #19 (which is what I have been drinking), which has always been more austere. But this recent bottle was less appealing than in the past and felt pretty shutdown/awkward to me. Nyc got the #1, which is a bit more generous and may be showing better now.

Always enjoy notes from Rahsaan, but as usual his selections hard to find up here. Pity.

I like Falkenstein in general, but especially the feinherb bottlings. Never seem to be in an awkward stage.

Well, this '16 kabinett trocken is getting awkward. .

To clarify, I meant that the Feinherb bottlings never seem to become awkward. Though I've never really aged a Falkendtein FH.

[David M. Bueker]

Has there really yet been an opportunity to age a Falkenstein feinherb? How long have they even been exporting one?

Don't know about how long they've been exporting, first ones I bought from Chambers were 2012. So no real aging. But in first few years it seems to be trocken bottles can be (unpredictably to me) quite tempermental. While Feinherb/halbtrockens are more forgiving. I was thinking of Falkenstein in particular, but kind of applies across board. I'm struggling to think of a feinherb that I've opened that I regretted my timing. Thoughts?

I was offered these Hofgut Falkenstein 2016 for € 90, delivered home.

Is this worthwhile?

1 Krettnacher Ober Schäferhaus Trocken (Lorenz Manni) - AP 18
1 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett Feinherb (Onkel Peter) - AP 4
1 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Spätlese Feinherb (Meyer Sydney) - AP 15
1 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Kabinett Alte Reben (Gisela) - AP 8
1 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Spätlese (“Stirn, Mammen”) - AP 6
1 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Spätlese (Forster) - AP 14

Thanks

Roberto

[David M. Bueker]

I was offered these Hofgut Falkenstein 2016 for € 90, delivered home.

Is this worthwhile?

1 Krettnacher Ober Schäferhaus Trocken (Lorenz Manni) - AP 18
1 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett Feinherb (Onkel Peter) - AP 4
1 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Spätlese Feinherb (Meyer Sydney) - AP 15
1 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Kabinett Alte Reben (Gisela) - AP 8
1 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Spätlese (“Stirn, Mammen”) - AP 6
1 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Spätlese (Forster) - AP 14

That looks like a fun way to explore. I would go for it.