WTN: '95/'96 German Riesling - about twenty years on

Notes on wines taken from my cellar in December 2016.

1995 Joh. Jos. Christoffel (Mosel) Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese 2-stars
The color is light gold. Introverted with restrained nose. Expands on the palate with pronounced minerality and aromatic acidity, focused and straight, the shy fruit remains in the background. A real classic without mainstream attitudes. Medium sweetness, concentration and length. Still in excellent shape. Should keep up well for another 10 years. My subjective rating: 90/100.

1995 Von Hövel (Saar) Riesling Oberemmeler Hütte Spätlese VDP-Auction
The color is light gold. On the nose: lime blossoms, concentrated ripe pears, bitter-lemon, smoke, iron, wet stone, beeswax. On the palate: fine tannin structure with minerality and spiciness, good concentration and length. Refreshing and versatile food companion. Should keep up well for another 5-10 years. My subjective rating: 88/100.

1996 Robert Weil (Rheingau) Riesling Kiedricher Gräfenberg Spätlese
Deep gold with oily viscosity in the glass. The nose is world-class and reminds in its richness and complexity of top wines from the Loire (Huet, le Haut-Lieu), from Alsace (Zind-Humbrecht, Rangen de Thann) and from Tokaj (Disznókő). The scent of its incredible acidity suggests an ice wine. On the palate the wine explodes revealing spectacular qualities (electricity, precision, beauty, depth, concentration, tannin structure, harmony, lenght, aftertaste, ..). The dedicated enjoyment of this wine pushes back the ambition to describe it. Now in spectacular condition. Should keep up well for at least another 10 years. My subjective rating: 98/100.
(I admire the products from Robert Weil. However, I'm wondering what went wrong in the process of labeling this bottle at the winery? This is for sure not a normal Spätlese, more likely something like a top-notch Auslese from a VDP-Auction.)

Best regards, Rainer

Welcome, great notes. You obviously have a very fine cellar..many German Riesling fans here so keep the notes coming!

Thanks for the encouragement, will do so

[David M. Bueker]

Welcome Rainer!

I have a few '96s left in the cellar, mostly Catoir. Have not checked in for quite a while.

Rainer has been here before, under another name... Right, my friend?

And, the 96 Spätlese... My word, what a wine...

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

(I admire the products from Robert Weil. However, I'm wondering what went wrong in the process of labeling this bottle at the winery? This is for sure not a normal Spätlese, more likely something like a top-notch Auslese from a VDP-Auction.)

Thanks for the mouth-watering TNs, Rainer.

I didn't realise that downgrading true Auslese and even B/A to Kabinett and Spätlese was going on 20 years ago. For me, with a RS allergic wife (except for dessert), it is a major reason why I no longer buy anything other than trocken without tasting or a specific recommendation that the wine's style is true to the label.