WTN: Copper mines

2009 Schäfer-Fröhlich Schloßböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Großes Gewächs
Tasty, but not showing anything near the depth of the Felseneck GG opened a few weeks before. Very refreshing and stony with a core of pale, fresh Riesling fruit beneath, but there's not much in terms of complexity right now even though it's nicely balanced and very pleasant with food.

2005 Dönnhoff Schloßböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spätlese
Drinking incredibly well right now (from a leaker). Ripe apples, limes and peaches accented with floral, talc and minerally notes in a very rich, polished package. As understated, complex and elegant as I'd expect any of Dönnhoff's best wines to be, combining power with precision, great balance and length. Fantastic Riesling.

[David M. Bueker]

You just never know what you are going to get with those grafted vines...

Seriously, I am shocked at how well people say many 2005s are drinking now. They should be deep in the middle of a closed phase. Perhaps there is just so much material that they never closed down.

Hard to say why. I've had a couple of '05s that showed strangely ('05 Brucke Spatlese for one), but others like the Kupfergrube yesterday, and the '05 Karthauserhof Auslese you'd opened some time back have been brilliant.

Seriously, I am shocked at how well people say many 2005s are drinking now. They should be deep in the middle of a closed phase. Perhaps there is just so much material that they never closed down.

I agree, although my data points consist only of Dr. Loosen Sonnenuhr Auslese. There may have been others, but that's the only I can recall without checking my notes - and I've had it a couple of times.

Hi Salil - Thank you for the very nice notes. Glad that the leaky Dönnhoff turned out to be just fine.