WTN: good but slightly disappointing MSR Kab & Chassagne

Wednesday Betsy made a couple of recipes from this week's time, Shaking Beef along with a bokchoy and mushrooms in oyster sauce side. I thought about light spicy red as a match for the beef, but she said she felt like white, so I opened the 2001 Maximim Grunhauser (Von Schubert) "Herrenberg" Riesling Kabinett. 2001 was the middle of Grunhauser's supposed slump, but I've had several lovely 2001s and 2002s. This, however, was not one of them. Not a bad wine by any stretch, but surprisingly soft and verveless for a 2001. Sweet candied pear fruit, nice length, if it had anywhere near the acidity I'd expect from the vintage I'd have called it a very good wine. As it is, pleasant but not more. Revisited Friday night it had held up well, but still seemed low acid. B/B-

Friday's dinner was steamed lobster (again $3.99/lb at Stews, I think I've eaten more lobster this year due to price slump than any previous 3 years combined), asparagus, and salad, wines was the 2006 Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet. I'm generally drinking up 2006s, but should have waited on this. Big sweet white fruit, just a hint of heat, good length, mineral tones, but the oak is still a bit unintegrated. Good, but I'd hope better in a couple years, though I don't think it has the structure to age long term (premox issues aside). B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.  

I opened the 2001 Maximim Grunhauser (Von Schubert) "Herrenberg" Riesling Kabinett. 2001 was the middle of Grunhauser's supposed slump, but I've had several lovely 2001s and 2002s. This, however, was not one of them. Not a bad wine by any stretch, but surprisingly soft and verveless for a 2001. Sweet candied pear fruit, nice length, if it had anywhere near the acidity I'd expect from the vintage I'd have called it a very good wine. 

I've had a few disappointing 01s recently from Grunhauser, and in part softer than I expected. Do I assume this has been in your cellar since release so heat damage is not an issue? I bought all of mine recently so was wondering about that. And sweet candied pear sounds potentially off. But, I've also had some nice 01s over the past year from Grunhaus.

Dale - how was the Shaking Beef? The recipe looked good and I saved it.

Rahsaan,
this was a purchase within last couple years, so certainly possible that wine saw heat. But this seemed to not have mature, oxidative, or other notes that I associate with heat, as I said if it had better acidity, it would be outstanding. I've never seen low acidity as a sign of heat, but maybe it is- hopefully one of the chemically knowledgeable can comment

Diane,
the shaking beef was quite good. Betsy had made Charles the Slanted Door Guy Whose NAme I Can't Remember's Shaking Beef recipe a few years ago, and I might give that a slight edge, but only slight. Definitely worth trying.

I'm not sure the Ruwer enjoyed as consistently successful a vintage in 2001 as the Mosel for example. From David Schildknecht's IWC review of Von Schubert's 2001 from back then:
"While 2001 offers some excellent wines, it by no means represents a return to the consistently fine and impeccably vinified results that characterized this estate for decades. The wines frequently sacrificed some clarity as they ascended in residual sugar, and I was particularly puzzled by the sweet/sour and at times attenuated flavors that attended the four 2001 Auslesen - perhaps in part explained by the fact that some fruit hung through frost under plastic sheeting."
Charles

The wines frequently sacrificed some clarity as they ascended in residual sugar, and I was particularly puzzled by the sweet/sour and at times attenuated flavors that attended the four 2001 Auslesen - perhaps in part explained by the fact that some fruit hung through frost under plastic sheeting."

That's unfortunate. I had planned to open the 'basic' 01 Abtsberg Auslese soon.

I've got the 01 #190 Abtsberg Auslese, quite enjoyed before