WTN: German Rieslings 1967-2007

Is there anything better to do on a Thursday evening than taste through a dozen or so German Rieslings?

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 2007 - 8,5%; label
Very primary, ripe and honeyed. Sweet, quite low in acidity as seems to be typical for the year. Needs time to calm down and, hopefully, for the acids to show through all the fruit.

Maximin Grünhäuser (von Schubert) Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese 2001 - 7%; label
Completely shut down. Very tight, very pure, delightfully high in acid. Tasting later on the evening it had opened up a bit and smelled of crystallized citrus fruits. I think this will be lovely, but do not open now.

Deinhard Bernkasteler Graben Riesling Auslese 1976 - no abv; label
Copper colour. Quite an oxidised aroma; generic old wine character instead of obvious Riesling aromas. The sugar has dried up nicely, but it remains a fairly fat, low acid wine. One for necrophiliacs only (I must admit to quite enjoying wines even in such advanced stages of evolution).

von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Auslese 1997 - 7,5% abv; label
Lovely, steely and mineral fruit, quite obviously Saar profile though reputedly a warm vintage. Steely and delightfully high in acid, lovely balance and still seems rather young. One of my favourites tonight.

Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese 1997 - 8% abv; label
Sweet, ripe aroma, still very primary and promises supreme richness on the palate. And yes, that promise is kept. Extremely dense, extremely sweet, still primary. A bit too much of everything in this wine just now. Perhaps a decade more will calm it down a bit?

Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Auslese 2001 - 8,5% abv; label
I love the steely, cool style of this producer and this 2001 didn't let me down. Tight and young but pure and elegant. Should be lovely in the future. Don't open now.

Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben) Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese 1995 - 8,5% abv; label
Quite a strange aroma for a Riesling, in fact, it reminded me more of Chenin Blanc! Something slightly vegetal like peas, quite spicy. Well balanced, racy and moreish and in such a stage of development that it shows both primary and aged character. Drink and hold.

J. J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2005 - 7,5% abv; label
Classy but very ripe - yet not at all over the top, either. Very rich, primary and the fruit is so huge that it pretty much smothers the acidity. I think this will need much time. Hold.

J. J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2005 - 7,5% abv; label
Not decanted long enough so at first it smelled almost corked. Cleared up over the evening but never really opened up aromatically. Very rich, and primary even more so than the Himmelreich before. Hold.

Langwerth von Simmern Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Eiswein 1989 - 8% abv; label
Copper colour. Generic old wine aromas instead of Riesling. Surprisingly soft and un-acidic for an Eiswein, just sweet. A bit cloying, frankly, and hasn't aged very gracefully. But still good enough that I didn't spit.

Robert Weil Kiedricher Wasseros Riesling Eiswein 1991 - 8% abv; label
Honey and flowers - perhaps not the most multifaceted aroma but attractive. Supreme intensity and acidity on the palate but it has also wonderful sweetness to counter the structure. Electric. And pretty awesome despite the rather simple aromatics.

Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Beerenauslese 1989 - 9,5% abv; label
Copper colour. Burnt sugar and spice aromas. Quite soft and ripe and really surprisingly advanced - this bottle was one I wouldn't have aged any longer.

R. von Bühl Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 1967 - no abv; label
Quite the most bizarre Riesling I have ever tasted. And I'm not sure I like it. '67 was supposed to have been a good year and this producer is usually very good. But this smelled more like chocolate and coffee than Riesling! And it tastes more like Cognac (without the alcoholic burn). Weird. And kind of pleasant in a way, but I have to stop thinking this is Riesling to get the pleasure. Quite frankly a massive disappointment considering the cost.

Hi Otto -

Thank you for the very interesting notes. Actually, I just came across your post after posting a note on a 71 von Buhl Ungeheuer Spatlese that I had recently.

At any rate, I've never had a 1967 from anywhere in Germany - supposedly it was one of the better vintages of the 1960s for the Mosel, though I'm not entirely sure about the Pfalz. You're also quite lucky to get to try a Donnhoff BA - not to mention at the same event.

As for the Deinhard Auslese, I am attaching a couple of photos of a label from a 1975 Deinhard BA-Eiswein that I had four years ago - you'll notice the 8-10% alcohol range on the distributor's label.

1975 Deinhard Oestricher Doosberg Beerenauslese Eiswein_2 - Copy (2).JPG

1975 Deinhard Oestricher Doosberg Beerenauslese Eiswein_2 - Copy (2).JPG

At any rate, I've never had a 1967 from anywhere in Germany - supposedly it was one of the better vintages of the 1960s for the Mosel, though I'm not entirely sure about the Pfalz. You're also quite lucky to get to try a Donnhoff BA - not to mention at the same event.

I've not had any other '67s, but the Pfalz enthusiast at the tasting told us that it was a very good year there, especially for BA and TBA because of high sugar levels and plentiful botrytis. He felt it had only been a good instead of a very good year in MSR. Though I having tasted with him for almost ten years now, I think he's always biased towards the Pfalz.

Odd, but we had the '01 Abtsburg Spaetlese a couple weeks ago and everyone agreed it was not shut down and drinking quite well. Our bottle was well stored since release but had one of those German corks that make one worry (wet along the sides almost to the top). Do wish I had another bottle to see how it develops.