Quick thoughts from Theise portfolio event

[David M. Bueker]

Totally off the top of my head/raw notes from the NYC tasting:

I spent a lot of time at the beginning of the tasting with the Austrian producers who were present. That was an overall excellent decision. Hirsch and Hiedler had impressive collections. Hiedler leads on the value front (2017 & 2018 Thal Gruner Veltliner!), but Hirsch is no slouch (2017 Renner Gruner Veltliner was a big highlight for me). I almost never see notes on either producer, and they both deserve more air time and cellar space, for both Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. Schloss Gobelsburg showed a couple of 2017s (Lamm Gruner and Heiligenstein Riesling) that blew me away.

2018 Muskatellers were excellent across the board from producers who make them - in both Austria and Germany. Berger, Heidi Schrock & Darting (Germany) made compelling, reasonably priced Muskatellers.

On the Germany front, the 2018 Selbach-Oster collection was predictably fantastic. Their Feinherb wines were completely compelling, especially the Feinherb Alte Reben Graacher Domprobst. Their 2018 Graacher Domprobst Spatlese was also fantastic - my favorite Spatlese of the day! The Dönnhoff 2018 Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett and 2018 Weissburgunder Trocken (yes, Weissburgunder!!!) were highlights for me. I also had really good wines from Schneider (Niederhauser Klamm Kabinett, Hermannshohle Auslese), Künstler (2018 Domdechaney Riesling Trocken, 2017 Berg Rottland Grosses Gewachs), A. J. Adam (2018 Im Pfarrgarten Riesling Feinherb), and others as well.

I have plenty more info from the event, just not enough time to type it all up. I did not get to everyone I wanted to, but I tried to ensure I talked with producers at length, and did not just swirl, sniff and spit. Though spit I did, and lots. I was stone cold sober for my subway ride back to Grand Central Station.

Feel free to ask questions!

Very informative notes there David. Sorry to say I am not seeing many Austrian wines up here in Alberta..great pity.

Though spit I did, and lots. I was stone cold sober for my subway ride back to Grand Central Station.

You must be a very efficient spitter! Even when spitting, I still end up ingesting alcohol and after a long tasting am usually far from stone cold sober.

Otherwise, you don't mention how the heatwave of 2018 showed in the wines. I hear there are nice acids to balance things?

Only yesterday in the evening the 2018 Germany list arrived!
All prices are € bottle/delivered
Suggestions?

Donnhoff
Dönnhoff Qualitätswein trocken 2018 10,87
Dönnhoff Tonschiefer trocken (Kabinett) 2018 13,64
Kreuznacher Kahlenberg trocken (Spätlese) 2018 18,56
Dellchen Grosses Gewachs trocken 2018 38,89
Hermannshöhle Grosses Gewachs trocken 2018 44,23
Dönnhoff Qualitätswein Feinherb (5% sconto per acquisto di casse da 6 btl) 2018 10,87
Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett 2018 13,64
Oberhäuser Brücke Spätlese 2018 25,16
Niederhauser Hermannshöhle Spätlese 2018 29,74
Oberhäuser Brücke Auslese Goldkapsel 375 ml 2018 23,79
Niederhauser Hermannshöhle Auslese Goldkapsel 375 ml 2018 25,38

Schafer
Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett (AP 02) 2018 14,43
Graacher Domprobst Kabinett (AP 03) 2018 14,43
Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese (AP 08) 2018 18,64
Graacher Domprobst Spätlese (AP 5) 2018 23,33
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (AP 18) 2018 49,41
Graacher Domprobst Auslese (AP 14) 375 ml 2018 29,01
Graacher Domprobst Auslese (AP 14) 2018 53,83

F. Haag
Brauneberger Kabinett AP03 2018 12,02
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese AP07 2018 18,70
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese AP06 2018 25,38
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel AP09 2018 45,91
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel AP09 375 ml 2018 25,88
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnnneuhr Beerenauslese AP16 375 ml 2018 130,22
Brauneberger Juffer Trockenbeerenauslese AP21 375 ml 2018 242,07
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese AP07 Magnum 2018 50,21
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese AP07 Doppia Magnum 2018 107,98
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese AP06 Magnum 2018 63,74
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese AP06 Doppia Magnum 2018 133,02
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel AP09 Magnum 2018 111,32

Merkelbach (few labels this year)
Ürziger Würzgarten Urglück Spätlese fuder 6 2017 11,44
Kinheimer Rosenberg Auslese fuder 1 2018 13,66
Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese fuder 9 2018 15,86

Hofgut Falkenstein
Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett Trocken (Mutter Anna) AP 1 2018 11,10
Niedermenniger Herrenberg Spätlese Feinherb (Meyer Nepal) AP 11 2018 13,18
Krettnacher Euchariusberg Kabinett Alte Reben (Gisela) AP 8 2018 15,86
Krettnacher Ober Schäferhaus Spätlese (Lorenz Manni) AP 18 2018 16,47
Krettnacher Euchariusberg Auslese (Kupp) AP 5 2018 20,50

[David M. Bueker]

Roberto,

I only tasted a few wines from your list. Haag and Falkenstein are not part of the Thiese portfolio, and there was a limited offering of Schaefer and Merkelbach available - none from your list.My favorite Donnhoff of the day was the Leistenberg Kabinett. The Hermannshohle Grosses Gewachs also showed very well.

[David M. Bueker]

Though spit I did, and lots. I was stone cold sober for my subway ride back to Grand Central Station.

You must be a very efficient spitter! Even when spitting, I still end up ingesting alcohol and after a long tasting am usually far from stone cold sober.

Otherwise, you don't mention how the heatwave of 2018 showed in the wines. I hear there are nice acids to balance things?

For some reason I was very focused on Tuesday. Everything was quite precise, even my spitting! Too bad the weather was crap. A nice high pressure, bright day and it could have been a real treat.

Regarding the 2018 heat, I did not feel that it had a huge impact. There were a few Austrians that were a little too hot (mostly the wines that are trying to be statement bottlings), and a few Germans that were soft/over-rich (Christoffel was a good example), but generally I didn't see it as an issue. Several Austrian producers - but not all - showed a large sample of 2017s as well, with 2018 mostly represented in the "smaller" wines. I won't flat out say I prefer 2017 from them, because that extra year in bottle is a huge benefit, leaving an unlevel playing field.

Yes I know very well the Germany Theise portfolio, every year I download his precious document, even if his language is not so comfortable to me
Thanks David.

[
Regarding the 2018 heat, I did not feel that it had a huge impact..

Good to hear. I guess people are getting more knowledgeable about how to work with the (seemingly-constant) hot vintages.

David, I saw your posts on Facebook and Instagram. And salivated.

My Cellar Tracker inventory is infested with bottles of Selbach-Oster. Tzora Vineyards in Israel has a twin winery thing going with Selbach (Tzora is imported to the US by Skurnik, so there's a sort of connection there as well). Hanna visited here a few years ago and everyone tried to convince her to find a job in the local industry.

I'm out of Austrians. There's a local importer who carries Hirsch and Gobbelsburg. Time to ring him up. Thanks for prodding me.

thanks
I got a couple invites to this, but thought I had a conflict.
I haven't had a Hirsch in years, thanks for reminders.
I haven't even opened any of my 2017 TT wines yet
Only '18 I've bought is Willi S GHim Kab.
Will be on lookout for Selbach O and Donnhoff OL

Regarding the 2018 heat, I did not feel that it had a huge impact..

Good to hear. I guess people are getting more knowledgeable about how to work with the (seemingly-constant) hot vintages.

I had my first tastes of 2018 these past few days and it was not pretty. Admittedly I had a very small sample and they were all entry-level wines, but it made me skeptical of my next samples.

I had three bottles of 2018 Rebholz: the 2018 Weissburgunder trocken, the 2018 Riesling trocken and the 2018 Ökonomierat Riesling trocken, and none them impressed. The Weissburgunder and the Riesling trocken were classic examples of disjointed heatwave wines. Ripeness and front-loaded weight, but not much harmonious development underneath. These were still Rebholz wines so they had acidic backbones, but far from harmonious. Maybe they just needed time, but they did not inspire optimism from me. The Ökonomierat Riesling was the most promising, fresh and lively, but still not yet really a pleasure.

Nonetheless, I look forward to drinking more...

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting...though I don’t care for Rebholz in any vintage.

Interesting...though I don’t care for Rebholz in any vintage.

Really! Why? The GG wines are so elegant I would have thought you would be a fan.

Admittedly the US prices are out of control so it’s not good value (I only purchase them in Germany), but that’s a different story from not liking them.

[David M. Bueker]

I actually find them too elegant, almost as if they are forced.

Too elegant! I don't hear that very often about any wines. You mean not enough energy? Not enough substance/weight?

The reason I like Rebholz so much is that unlike the Mosel dry wines, they always have a full pleasing core of rich-ish fruit. But, they interpret that fruit in an elegant light-touch manner that speaks to me. Of course not all wines speak to everyone in the same way. Such is life.

And, even though Kastanienbusch is supposed to be the top Rebholz wine, I have a harder time reading it, in part because it is more restrained/elegant and perhaps I haven't had enough bottles. The Sonnenschein wines are more lively and are easier to enjoy, for me.

[David M. Bueker]

Not enough substance.

Worth noting that if you give me a choice between a top GG and a top Austrian Riesling I will take the Austrian 9 times out of 10.

Not enough substance.

Worth noting that if you give me a choice between a top GG and a top Austrian Riesling I will take the Austrian 9 times out of 10.

Fair enough. I can see that.

I love Austrian rieslings as well but I have less exposure/familiarity, and at times their substance is too much for me. To each his own!