WTN: 1998 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese

[David M. Bueker]

1998 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Pfalz (4/26/2007)
It's been over a year since I last visited this wine. Development is ongoing, but likely not finished. There's still a tropical element to the nose, and that grapefruit note that is signature Catoir (at least old school Catoir). Crisp, lean and still full of fruit, this has turned into something much less sweet but much more food freindly that it was on release (when it was a bit of a monster). The fruity finish is persistent, but well balanced by firm acids. There's very little secondary nuance on the palate, but still lots of material, so look for further development here. From a cold cellar this has a good 10-15 years of life left in it, perhaps more. This doesn't sound like a particularly laudatory note, but what this wine has is supreme balance. At age 9 it's just coming into its own. Age 12-15 will see this approaching maturity, with the full breed of the wine coming out. Classic, old-school (read Hans-Gunter Schwarz) Catoir.

David,

I tried a bottle of M-C's 1998 Haardter Manderling Shereube Auslese some years back and was rather impressed. Wondering if you've tried any from M-C, and if so, how you rate them (qualitatively) against their Riesling's. Also, do they have a similar aging profile? TIA

David (Bueker),
PLEASE keep this TNs coming. This is definitely one I needed.

David (Lole),
You've grooved a soft pitch down the middle, We should hear the crack of David Bueker's bat any moment.

Charles

[David M. Bueker]

Here's the wind up, and the pitch:

Muller-Catoir used to be the best producer of Scheurebe. The new winemaker (who came on for hte 2002 vintage) has not yet proven he can reach the heights that Hans Gunter Schwarz did with Scheu. All that said, if you find any of the 2001 Scheurebe Spatlese it is still drinking wonderfully. The 1998 Scheurebe Spatlese is beginning to tire, and while some bottles are still deliciously tropical (if not the original tropical fruit mega-monster), others are a garden salad in a bottle. The '98 Scheurebe Auslese is still going strong. Scheurebe does not change much as it ages, but when it tires it goes downhill quickly. Terry Theise (importer extrodinaire) says that Scheu holds for around 10 years, and with the big boys I think he's right. Smaller wines of course age more quickly. BAs and TBAs are typically glacial in their aging profile.

From the new Catoir regime I enjoyed the 2004 and 2005 Scheurebe wines, but they do not hold a candle to the best of the old guard. Other producers who do Scheurebe well include Darting (dessert style), Lingenfelder (much more table friendly wines) and Gysler (liter bottlings that are great summer quaffers).

Thanks a million, David.

I've got my eyes on a few bottles of that '98 Sheu I referred to, at a reasonable price. If I manage to get them, I'll post a note on how one looks.

I bought all sweeties from M-C in '98:

1998 Müller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlössel Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese

1998 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Rieslaner Beerenauslese

1998 Müller-Catoir Mußbacher Eselshaut Riesling Eiswein

I thought I'd start trying a bottle when they are 10-12 years old. What do you think? Baby killing?

I really loved the '98 M-C Mandelring Scheurebe Auslese. I think I opened my bottles already but will search my inventory on the chance that I held one back.

[David M. Bueker]

Bucko,

I would get into the Eiswein. The BAs and TBAs can age for eons. I've always thought that eiswein was all about brightness and freshness, so why let age dull that.

I just found two 2007 Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese in the fridge, one trocken and one not.

David/Salil/Bill Hooper, which of these has the most cellaring potential under the new regime?