WTN: Diel Auslese Gold Capsule VdP-Auction 1996

Schlossgut Diel Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule VdP-Auction 1996
A standard size bottle that started leaking a few drops (bought at auction and impeccably stored, apparently due to a faulty cork with what looked like an indentation on its side) and that I decided to open and drink immediately. Full amber-yellow. Quince, orange and citrus zest, brown-bready botrytis, white chocolate, complex, quite fat, viscous and sweet, the flavour profile of a Tokaji Aszú, the texture of a BA and the mouth-puckering, almost brutal passion-fruit-flavoured acidity of an icewine (don’t remember the percentage, but this contains quite a bit of icewine). Quite long. Reasonably mature, if youthful at the core. Despite the great concentration, the acidity is so high that I always wondered if it made sense to cellar this wine, and I still do. Holding up perfectly for 24 hours in the fridge. dp 95-

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

I have a few 1996s still in the cellar, and when I open one I always wish I had consumed it during the first year or so after release.

I have a few 1996s still in the cellar, and when I open one I always wish I had consumed it during the first year or so after release.

Because of the acids?

I've been wondering sometimes if VdP-Auction wines aren't, more often than not, selected to please at pre-Auction tastings, in other words, whether they aren't wines to drink sooner rather than later. While that may or may not be true on average, I could certainly enumerate a number of wines where this has proven to be true. While this may be one of those, it's maturing nicely, more so than I'd anticipated perhaps.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

I liked the balance better at release. More fruit to buffer the acids.

Full amber-yellow. Quince, orange and citrus zest, brown-bready botrytis, white chocolate, complex, quite fat, viscous and sweet, the flavour profile of a Tokaji Aszú, the texture of a BA and the mouth-puckering, almost brutal passion-fruit-flavoured acidity of an icewine

Just spoke with Caroline Diel about the issue how much eiswein it contained: between 5 and 10 per cent!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Full amber-yellow. Quince, orange and citrus zest, brown-bready botrytis, white chocolate, complex, quite fat, viscous and sweet, the flavour profile of a Tokaji Aszú, the texture of a BA and the mouth-puckering, almost brutal passion-fruit-flavoured acidity of an icewine

Just spoke with Caroline Diel about the issue how much eiswein it contained: between 5 and 10 per cent!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

So little! I seem to remember at the pre-auction tasting, they claimed more… Be that as it may, it means the acidity of the non-ice-wine component was, well, ice-wine-like!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti