Ruth Winkel's Forecast for the 2006 Saar Riesling

<table><tr><td colspan="2">Ruth Winkel who joined our forum recently and whose husband is a winemaker (Kellermeister) in Konz, Germany which is in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region asked me to post her prognosis for the 2006 Riesling harvest. It follows in the original German with a rough translation into English. The fellow you see in the photos is her husband, Michael.</td></tr><tr><td align="middle"></td>
<td>Die Traubenlese hat begonnen und es sieht an der Saar seeeehr gut aus.
AKTUELL, SEPTEMBER 2006, PROGNOSE FÜR DEN 2006er:
Der kühle Frühling zögerte den Austrieb etwas heraus. Diese Verzögerung wurde jedoch durch eine ungewöhnlich schnelle und reibungslose Weinblüte eingeholt, so dass wir im heißesten Juli seit der Wetteraufzeichnung sogar einen Vorsprung von 10 Tagen hatten. Durch die große Hitze und die enorme Trockenheit traten im Juli schon vereinzelt „Trockenschäden” an den Reben auf. Das Warten auf den Regen hatte im August ein Ende und es regnete 4 Wochen lang. Nun ist der Wachstumsvorsprung zum mehrjährigen Durchschnitt zwar von 10 auf 4 Tage geschrumpft, aber die Rebe ist durch den ausgeglichenen Wasserhaushalt bereit für einen schönen, trockenen „Altweibersommer”, der hoffentlich das „i-Tüpfelchen” auf den 2006er setzt und bis zur Traubenlese, im Oktober bzw. Anfang November, enscheidend für die entgültige Qualität unserer Rieslingweine ist. Wenn das Wetter weiterhin mitspielt, erwartet uns voraussichtlich ein sehr guter Jahrgang.

Der Riesling wird ab der 2. Oktoberwoche gelesen.
Werte gemessen am 12.09.2006: Riesling: 64,5Grad Oechsle
</td></tr><tr><td>The Grape Harvest Has Started and Things Are Looking Really, Really Good Along the Saar
UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 2006, FORECAST FOR THE 2006 VINTAGE:
A cool spring caused a somewhat delayed bud break. This delay, however, was made up for by an unusually fast and unproblematic bloom such that we even had a ten day head start on development, despite this being the hottest July on record. Due to the high temperatures and tremendous dryness some heat damage appeared on the vines as early as July. Finally, the wait for rain ended in August and it came down for four weeks. In the meantime, the original developmental head start has shrunken from ten to the perennial average of four days, but the vines, thanks to a balanced water supply, are ready for a beautiful, dry Indian summer which hopefully will “cross the t and dot the i” on the 2006 harvest. This period which lasts until harvest time in October and early November is critical for the final quality of our Riesling. If the weather continues to play ball, we can anticipate a very good vintage.

Riesling will be harvested starting in the second week of October.
64.5 Oechsle (about 16 Brix) on 9/12/06.</td><td align="middle"></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2">Ruth just let me know this morning that they expect that there will be a large proportion of "Prädikatswein," i.e. there will be lots of tasty "Kabinett," "Spätlese," and "Auslese." Ruth, by the way, is a professional photographer by trade, and provided the following photos of her vineyards.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr>
<tr><td align="middle">
Riesling</td><td align="middle">
The Wiltinger Knoll with the Saar River in the background.</td></tr><tr><td align="middle">
Vineyard</td><td align="middle">
Vineyard</td></tr><tr><td align="middle">
Country roads, take me home!</td><td align="middle">
The next generation of winemakers! Although hard to see, grapes are strewn on the ground, consequence of a nocturnal visit by wild boar.</td></tr></table>

So cool! I`m so happy !!!
Thank you very much, Gary!


Ich bin wirklich beeindruckt .... toll wie Du das in Szene gesetzt hast. Mal gespannt ob es hier überhaupt jemanden interessiert.
Vielen Dank..... dafür umarme ich Dich.

Liebe Grüße aus Konz
RUTH

[James Roscoe]

These are great photos! Do we get a family shot? It looks as if Ruth has a really beautiful family as well as a beautiful vinyard and they are both to be treasured!

Gary, I assume you did the translation? Great job. Hopefully we can look forward to some nice qba and kabbinet next summer when the heat hits North America again.

Hi James, and thank you.

I`m the photographer (http://www.atelier-unartig.de) and we have four or five family shots - and all other pictures are without me :O(((( But just for the forum I look what I can do, ok??

Lovely greetings from germany
Ruth

[James Roscoe]

Hi James, and thank you.

I`m the photographer (http://www.atelier-unartig.de) and we have four or five family shots - and all other pictures are without me :O(((( But just for the forum I look what I can do, ok??

Lovely greetings from germany
Ruth

Ruth,
Good luck with the harvest! Enjoy the family too. Life is too short not to take time for the good stuff and the spouse and children are part of the good stuff!
Prost!
James

Children are a BIG part of good stuff!!
Prost!

Thank you!

Gary, I assume you did the translation? Great job.

Danke schön, James.

[James Roscoe]

Gary, I assume you did the translation? Great job.

Danke schön, James.

I can never remember the proper reply. My father tries to teach me this stuff and I'm a complete failure. Anyway, you're welcome. At least I can tell what you're saying. I could even stumble through the untranslated version. English and German aren't that different.