WTN: VinExpo '07: Austria & Germany

Austria

Bründlmayer Kamptaler Terassen GV 2006 was peppery and fruity but had a slight sweatiness to the nose - almost as if over-ripe! Could it really be so?

Bründlmayer GV Alte Reben 2005 was a nice drop as always. Mineral and deep and fairly complex and typical to the grape. Nice!

Bründlmayer GV Alte Reben 2004 was in its aromas like the '05 yet had more freshness and life to it - which was nice. It is less ripe and all the better for it.

Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein 2006 Once again I get some rotting fruit on the nose as if it were over-ripe. Apart from that, it is a nice wine with some refreshing Riesling fruit. It is a rather powerful style of Riesling for one like me who tends to drink more Mosel than Austrian.

Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein 2002 was very floral and orange-like - as if it has some botrytis. It is powerful and mineral and very moreish. I like it.

Bründlmayer Zweigelt 2004 is a decent example of Zweigelt, but not more. I couldn't help thinking it lacked personality compared to the whites.

Jurtschitsch Sonnhof Grüner Veltliner Steinhaus 2006 is fresh and mineral and a great deal of fun even though it isn't a grand vin.

Jurtschitsch Sonnhof GrüVe 2006 has a groovy lable and name, but frankly isn't all that memorable a wine. It is correct but uninspiring.

Jurtschitsch Sonnhof Riesling Platin 2006 again had that rotting fruit note that I noted in several other 2006s. What is going on?

Jurtschitsch Sonnhof Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein 2006 is very nice, but a touch soft for what a young Riesling should be.

Germany
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Maximin Grünhäuser Abstberg Riesling Kabinett 2003 was aromatically very open and Rieslingy and had all that crystal-like purity that I hope to find in M-S-R. Unfortunately the warm vintage was very obvious on the slightly flabby palate.

Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling 2004 was pure and savoury, mineral and slightly sweet. It is a very refreshing drop and I like it.

Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese 2004 was a touch weightier than the previous and with a nice touch of RS providing balance to the tartness. Yet despite this, I did note down that the wine was curiously soft and unintense. It isn't bad, but just doesn't have the focus I hope to see in my M-S-Rs.

Nahe
Tesch Riesling Unplugged 2005 What's up with these "groovy" names and lables? Will we soon be seeing [formula=obnoxious adjective + cute animal] in Germany? Well, the wine inside, though not terribly interesting was competent and tasted like a dry Riesling that has enough fruit to not need RS. Not exciting but gluggable.

Mittelrhein
Ratzenberger Steeger St. Jost Kabinett Halbtrocken 2005 was a fair example of a rather weighty style of Riesling. It is wonderfully mineral, but seems a tad heavy. I would love to taste this in an unhurried environment to see how it fares there, but for now the producer has picked up my interest.

Ratzenberger Steeger St. Jost Spätlese Trocken 2005 is ripe enough to be somewhat a success. But I still find this Spät Trocken more an intellectual pleasure than something I would like to have at my table.

Ratzenberger Bacharacher Wolfshöhle Erste Lage 2004 is very nice and mineral and though it doesn't have much RS this is a more harmonious wine than the previous. In fact, it is even a friendly wine despite being a bit reserved. I like it.

Ratzenberger Bacharacher Wolfshöhle Auslese GK 2005 is nice. More weight, but still a delicate and elegant wine with just the right touch of RS to be lovable. Pure and refreshing and lovable.

Pfalz
von Buhl Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2006 is pure and mineral yet a bit tart - which is odd, because I've usually found the Pfalz can handle the Trocken style with some style. This is a bit clunky.

von Buhl Pechstein Forst Riesling Spätlese 2005 is impressive, big and powerful and in this sense reminds me more of the Austrian or Alsatian style of Riesling, yet aromatically this is distinct from them with its less austere yet still mineral nuances. I like it.

von Buhl Weissburgunder Trocken 2006 is fun, clean and very refreshing. Nice acids and very pure.

von Buhl Forster Stift Rieslaner Auslese 2003 is a bit earthy and floral - "dirty" in an interesting way. Sweet and floral, not terribly acidic, but balanced enough. It's nice stuff, but I don't feel the need to try it again.

Rheingau
Künstler Kirchenstück Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2006 is pure and ripe and mineral and is something I would drink for pleasure, though I don't usually care for Trockens. But Künstler seems to get this style right fairly often.

Künstler Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Erstes Gewächs 2005 is quite complex and ripe, yet mineral. Though it only has a touch of RS it isn't austere, but it is savoury. Moreish. Nice!

Künstler Riesling Estate 2006 is in a softer style, but still nice. A bit forgettable.

Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spätlese 2004 is fresh, sweetish and very good if perhaps a trifle obvious about what it is all about. I would prefer a less flamboyant style: I like it when my nostrils are interested in lingering over the wine rather than having everything served up to them. I still like this wine, however.

Leitz Rüdesheimer Kirchenpfad Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2005 is ripe enough to not suffer from being Trocken, but I still can't help that this would be better with less alcohol and more RS. Even when competently made, I feel as if the Trockens are more showing off with winemaking skill than making wines for consumer pleasure.

Baltasar Ress ”Von Unsern” 2006 is competent but forgettable.

Baltasar Ress Rheingau Riesling Classic 2006 is also competent but forgettable.

Baltasar Ress Rheingau Riesling Classic 2005 Do I need to repeat myself?

Baltasar Ress Schloss Reichartshausen Kabinett 2006 is pure and mineral and rather nice. It isn't terribly complex, but is very pleasurable.

Baltasar Ress Schloss Reichartshausen Spätlese 1998 apparently doesn't have much botrytis, but I thought I smelled quite a bit of orange peel...how strange. It's a nice enough wine, but a bit softer than I would like my Riesling to be.

Langwerth von Simmern Hattenheimer Kabinett 2003 has a nice, Rieslingy nose, rather strong and weighty yet very sniffable. The palate is too soft and not refreshing enough.

Langwerth von Simmern Kabinett 1993 is a joyous wine. Mature and slightly petrolly, floral. It has calmed down into cristalline purity. Sure it isn't complex nor something to write sonnets about, but it is such a great pleasure to have a well made mature Riesling!

Rheinhessen
Freiherr Heyl zu Herrnsheim Riesling Trocken 2006 is simpe and mineral yet nice enough for a Trocken.

Freiherr Heyl zu Herrnsheim Kabinett feinherb 2006 is oddly enough not at all as nice as the Trocken. It is a bit dirty and soft and I wondered if the bottle were fine. I was told it was.

Freiherr Heyl zu Herrnsheim Niersteiner Pettenthal Riesling Erstes Gewächs 2003 had a lovely and open nose, yet was too soft. I found that many of the 2003s today were showing a much nicer aromatic profile (not so obviously over-ripe) than the last time I tasted these wines a year back. Unfortunately the palates seem still too soft.

-O-

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the notes Otto.

On the '06 Brundlmayers - I doubt it is overipeness. I think it really is a bit of rot (noble or otherwise). That's the signature of 2006.

As for the Leitz trocken - Johannes Leitz makes some of the best dry wines in all of Germany (and indeed his best are world class). The Kirchenpfad is most certainly not his best site, but the wine is consistently good. Now he makes some dry wines from the Berg Schlossberg and Berg Rottland that are mindblowing, and the equal of the best of Austria (and nearly Alsace). He has the skill with dry wines to show off.

Nice notes Otto! I too found that many of the Austrian 2006's I tasted were more plump than normal. The sugar levels in Lower Austria were higher than 2005. I was initially worried about the harvest when I visited in August. There was a lot of rain and everyone was anxious for sunshine. Of course, when I left, the sun came out and they enjoyed wonderful weather throughout September and October, pushing the grapes ever more ripe at a staggering pace. Like David said, there tended to be a lot of Botrytis if one wasn't careful with timing and selection. The saving grace is that most still have great acidity. I just visited a couple of weeks ago, and the response from the Wachau and Kamptal was one of elation. Everyone seems very proud of their wines and rightly so.

I love the Mittelrhein in good years. Facsinating wines that blend the best from the Mosel and 'Gau. AND,, they're sooo cheap, despite death-defying harvesting risks. Unfortunately, many good sites are being abandoned for the same reasons.

David, thanks for the insights on Leitz. So the other sites with Trockens provide genuine, hedonistic pleasure? Good to know. I have nothing against Trockens but do find that most of the time in Germany I prefer a touch of RS.

Bill, thanks for the comments. But I am confused about the rotting fruit smell. It certainly doesn't smell like how I've understood botrytis to be. Rather it reminds me of some of the over-ripe M-S-R Rieslings from 2005.

-O-

Maximin Grünhäuser Abstberg Riesling Kabinett 2003 was aromatically very open and Rieslingy and had all that crystal-like purity that I hope to find in M-S-R. Unfortunately the warm vintage was very obvious on the slightly flabby palate.

Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling 2004 was pure and savoury, mineral and slightly sweet. It is a very refreshing drop and I like it.

Interesting. Can't remember the 03 Grunhausers, but would be interesting to taste.

Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spätlese 2004 is fresh, sweetish and very good if perhaps a trifle obvious about what it is all about. I would prefer a less flamboyant style.. I still like this wine, however.

I feel the same way about my limited experience with Leitz. Which is perhaps why I never reach out to purchase the wines when so many other things are available. But I can't say I haven't enjoyed what I tasted.

Since other vintages of Grünhäuser are sure to be on the market, I wouldn't taste except if dying of curiosity - nice nose but flabby. Why would you want that?

We just tasted the Leitz TBA '05 - in a very similar flamboyant style. I have little experience, but does G. Breuer make a more restrained type of wine from these sites?

-O-