WTN: Two Grunhausers

2005 Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Auslese #16
Having recently read David's enthousiastic comments about the Abtsberg Auslese #21 I can only wish that I was drinking that instead of this. Because, while it is certainly juicy fun with botrytis flashes, it does not have the most cut in the world and does not seem to offer much serious pleasure. But, it was fun to guzzle.

1994 Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Kabinett
This is great fun. So composed and comfortable with itself. Brisk fresh verdant cucumber juice with a slight round sweetness to prevent it from veering off into shrill territory. Not a grand wine and I wonder if it has any development left, but the fine teeth shattering acids and juicy verve are a great combination. Splendid match with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Had a quite delicious 2005 Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Spatlese #7 last week. Auslese sweetness (i haven't tasted any of the actual auslesen), great clarity and seemed to have very good balance for the road ahead.
Charles

[David M. Bueker]

I had a much more favorable impression of the Auslese #16 last November. In fact it was consensus wine of the night at a table filled with wine geeks and great wines.

I had a much more favorable impression of the Auslese #16 last November. In fact it was consensus wine of the night at a table filled with wine geeks and great wines.

Did it seem like something poised that you would keep around to watch develop or rather something fun to guzzle in the glory of its immediate youth (as Said Swiss David claims to have done with his Herrenberg #44 Auslese)?

[David M. Bueker]

It was fun to drink when I had it, and seemed more forward than any Grunhaus I had ever tasted, so soem will get drunk up soon. But the terroir will win out in the end, so I put a couple away.

Either way it's a good result.

Rahsaan,

I've got some of the "numbered" Abtsberg auslese from 1994 and I don't expect it to be fully ready for at least 5-7 years. Still a little too sulphury on the nose and heaps of acid to burn. A producer I like a lot. They're numbered auslese from 1998 are quite wicked - can't quite recall the exact numbers I've got - the #219 is excellent/outstanding now but will get better, the #215 (?) is, without a doubt, exceptional - if you ever get a chance to grab one at a reasonable price, do so with confidence (with the caveat being provenance, of course).

Thanks for your notes.

They're numbered auslese from 1998 are quite wicked - can't quite recall the exact numbers I've got - the #219 is excellent/outstanding now but will get better.

I had the 219 last fall and thought it was wonderful, although I wasn't sure about its future. Unfortunately none is left..

I had a much more favorable impression of the Auslese #16 last November..

This is the "regular" Auslese with AP number 16 and no special fuder designation, right?

That's what I was drinking.

[David M. Bueker]

Right.

It might make things less confusing if you designate the wine as AP#16. Just showing a number after a Grunhaus implies a fuder designated wine for most people (I just happened ot know the wine because I had tasted it). Most folks answer as if you had a fuder wine.

Thanks for the clarification, David. I have some standard label Grunhaus from 1998 and understand the differences between the labelling.

Just showing a number after a Grunhaus implies a fuder designated wine for most people

Pardon the interruption, but what is a fuder-designated wine?

Pardon the interruption, but what is a fuder-designated wine?

A fuder is a giant wine barrel and therefore a fuder-designated wine is a wine from one specific barrel.

In some cases (although not always) the different AP numbers will in effect be different fuders.

In the case of Grunhaus they often release bottlings that are explicitly called "Fuder No. XYZ"

[David M. Bueker]

Also in the case of Grunhaus the "fuder" numbered wines are ostensibly the better wines.

More realistically it's the winemaker saying "gee this is so good/so unique that I can't see blending it with anything else."