German Wine Lovers:What is your favourite Rheingau Vineyard?

No poll or anything, I'm just looking for a good discussion on the 'gau and it's gems.



Prost!
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

Narrowing it down to one is tough, but I will name some favorites and then eliminate many to get to one:

Kiedricher Grafenberg: great wines from Weil, but only Weil, so no to this one

Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg: lots of producers make very fine wines, but a significant tendency to botrytis even in lower pradikats and not enough mineral definition, so no to this one

Erbacher Marcobrunn: anybody consistently making good wine here these days? judgement reserved

Rudesheimer Berg Rottland: Ah. I think this is the one for me now. I've had great dry and sweet wines from here on a regular basis. Fine mineral definition, but all the Rheingau power. Botrytis when and wehre it belongs and also whistle clean wines when that is appropriate.

This list is subject to change without notice. Not valid in Manhattan or Fairfield County. Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. People can and do lose money. Not insured by the FDIC.

Limited experience, but the few Weil wines (Auslese and BA) I've had from the Grafenberg site have outstanding.

I don't buy nearly as much Rheingau as I do MSR or even Nahe, so my opinions are not especially informed. The vineyard I buy the most is Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz , but that's no claim it's best, only that I like Leitz's bottlings (and they're relatively affordable). As far as David's choice of Rud. Berg Rottland, I only have the 2001 Leitz Spätlese, but that is one stunning wine.

Erbacher Marcobrunn: anybody consistently making good wine here these days? judgement reserved

Ah, consistency. I really liked a 2001 von Simmeren (sp?) Kab, but not their '02 Spt.

[David M. Bueker]

Erbacher Marcobrunn: anybody consistently making good wine here these days? judgement reserved

Ah, consistency. I really liked a 2001 von Simmeren (sp?) Kab, but not their '02 Spt.

I was the same way. I thought the '02 Spatlese had some bad/dirty botrytis.

I've always liked the eastern vineyards of Hochheim (Domdechaney and Kirchenstueck) for thier relative power and richness, something I've come to associate with the Rheingau. But also like Ruedesheimer Berg Schlossberg -for the fact that it consistantly produces outstanding Riesling (especially in wet "off" vintages because of it's excellent drainage). It just seems that Riesling was meant to grow here. and Rauenthaler Nonnenberg for the exotic nerve it gives the wines which would like very much to be dry, but just can't seem to shake the intense ripeness of fruit that the vineyard coaxes along to maturity. Assmannshausen Hoellenberg for Pinot Noir -especially if August Kesseler is at the helm.


Prost!
Bill

What has happened to Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads, Steinberg and Rauenthaler Baiken? When I started drinking wine in the late 50s and early 60s, these were considered the greatest sites along with Erbacher Marcobrunn. The potential must still there but I guess that the local estates are underperforming.

I must confess that, perhaps wrongly, I spend little time or money on the Rheingau these days. My German attention goes to the MSR plus Hermann Dönnhoff.

[David M. Bueker]

The old guard of the Rheingau has not been consistently good since the early '80s maybe even earlier. Occasionally there are glimmers of hope, but nothing consistent so far.

I used to be a big Rheingau fan but have been looking more and more at M-S-R. Have a few `gaus in the cellar still!

What has happened to Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads, Steinberg and Rauenthaler Baiken?

Schloss Johanniberg was purchased by Henkell/Mumm and Erwein Matuschka of Vollards commited suicide.


-Bill

I am a fan of Schloss Johannisberg, Schloss Vollrads, and Rauenthaler Baiken, though I don't know who is making the latter since Schloss Eltz folded. I haven't popped the corks on a lot of recent wines, but the '99 Auslese from Johnannisberg was very elegant and fine, and the '97 Auslese from Vollrads was rich, sweet, and also elegant. I've got more of both in the cellar!

These sites do have the capability to produce wines of exceptional distinction, and I would explore anything recent from good vintages! But I have to go out of state to get them so I limit myself to Ausleses and other sweet wines, and so haven't tried any of the other Pradikats.

Schloss Schonborn seems to be doing pretty well with their Erbacher Marcobrunn too.... ...Paul

I've mostly had MSRs, but one Rheingau that I've really liked is Balthasar Ress's Hattenheimer Schützenhaus Riesling Kabinett. It's imported directly by my favorite local distributor (Maverick), so I'm assuming it's imported through local/regional importers rather than an exclusive national deal.

In Chicago, disappointing selections imported by Wein Bauer (based here) take up far too much shelf space.

Dear Bob,

This may not be what you're looking for, but my favorite for personal reasons is Hattenheimer Hassel, because Hassel is my wife's family name. We've enjoyed a number of wines, almost all from Stephan Gerhard. One amazing thing is how close all the individual einzellagen are. Cross a one-lane dirt road and you are in Wisselbrunn, walk a few meters down the road and you're in Marcobrunn. Amazing that someone bothered to differentiate them to that degree.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the Steinberg ertes gewaechs 2003, but haven't had any others. Lovely.

Walt

I'd gotta go with Erbacher Marcobrunn, not because of recent wines, but from wonderful wines from the past. Big, ripe wines but not at all heavy or clumsy. Someone with some talent has got to get some of that land. I've also had some wonderful Steinberger, but again from years past. I guess I'm voting for potential.