WTN: 1999 Carl Loewen Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese

[David M. Bueker]

1999 Carl Loewen Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Mosel (9/1/2007)
Pale golden color. Initial petrol blew off with 5 minutes in glass to show baked apple, peach, brown spice, forest floor and a spritz of lemon. Creamy, smoky and fruity on the palate, with an invigorating level of acidity (shocking for a 1999) and moderate length. Delicious wine from a vineyard site that I really like and a producer I have little experience with (but will be pursuing more). A fantastic showing for a wine from a vintage that is generally considered to be rather ho-hum.

[Jenise]

What a crescendo of a name. A question: should I in general be drinking up my 99's? I have a few more left, which I passed up to open a 94 MSR Auslese early last week, which had plenty of acidity. It's so hard for me to break all my other habits about choosing vintages when it comes to riesling.

[David M. Bueker]

'99s are drinking well now at the kabinett and spatlese level, but I see no reason to drink them all up. Heck the '73s (another ok but undistinguished vintage) did alright into the late '90s. I would wait another year or two on auslese at least.