WTN: 2004 Willi Schaefer Riesling QbA #1 with bonus rant

[David M. Bueker]

2004 Willi Schaefer Riesling QbA #1 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Mosel (7/16/2007)
Lemon cream and slate with ample, bracing acidity. Classic Mosel Riesling. No it's not profound, but then it's not TBA. Great match with lemon and herb marinated chicken.

I was reading a number of notes for this wine on CellarTracker, and many of them were not particularly complimentary. "Lacking structure" said one. "Poor QPR" said another. Given that this cost less than $15 nothing cold be further from the truth. While the producer is the "esteemed" Willi Schaefer, the wine is still a QbA, the basic, estate Riesling calling card. I seriously wonder what people expect other than a tasty, fruity wine with ample (really more than ample) acidity to match well with dinner. Ask not what a QbA can do for you, ask what's for dinner!

2004 Willi Schaefer Riesling QbA #1 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Mosel (7/16/2007)
Lemon cream and slate with ample, bracing acidity. Classic Mosel Riesling. No it's not profound, but then it's not TBA. Great match with lemon and herb marinated chicken.

I was reading a number of notes for this wine on CellarTracker, and many of them were not particularly complimentary. "Lacking structure" said one. "Poor QPR" said another. Given that this cost less than $15 nothing cold be further from the truth. While the producer is the "esteemed" Willi Schaefer, the wine is still a QbA, the basic, estate Riesling calling card. I seriously wonder what people expect other than a tasty, fruity wine with ample (really more than ample) acidity to match well with dinner. Ask not what a QbA can do for you, ask what's for dinner!

I give that rant a 5. 6 tops. You can rant better than that, David.

[David M. Bueker]

I'm tired.

[James Roscoe]

Is it always under $15? A qba over $15 is not a qpr and those people may have spent more. Of course I'm playing devil's advocate. I thought it was a fine rant, at least a 7. Maybe not up to standards, but worth a few musings nonetheless.

[David M. Bueker]

Is it always under $15? A qba over $15 is not a qpr and those people may have spent more. Of course I'm playing devil's advocate. I thought it was a fine rant, at least a 7. Maybe not up to standards, but worth a few musings nonetheless.

If it was over $15 they were being ripped off. Willi Schaefer has nothing to do with that.

And actually it's a lovely wine & probably worth more. It just isn't that expensive. To paraphrase FL Jim, a value at twice the price.

[James Roscoe]

To paraphrase FL Jim, a value at twice the price.

An excellent way to rate a wine IMHO.

2004 Willi Schaefer Riesling QbA #1 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Mosel (7/16/2007)
Lemon cream and slate with ample, bracing acidity. Classic Mosel Riesling. No it's not profound, but then it's not TBA. Great match with lemon and herb marinated chicken.

I was reading a number of notes for this wine on CellarTracker, and many of them were not particularly complimentary. "Lacking structure" said one. "Poor QPR" said another. Given that this cost less than $15 nothing cold be further from the truth. While the producer is the "esteemed" Willi Schaefer, the wine is still a QbA, the basic, estate Riesling calling card. I seriously wonder what people expect other than a tasty, fruity wine with ample (really more than ample) acidity to match well with dinner. Ask not what a QbA can do for you, ask what's for dinner!

David,
That's one of my favorite QbAs. As for those CellarTracker notes, I've learned to discount the vast majority of those notes, except from people I actually know something about. Reading a random sample of CT notes, I come away with the impression that many of those folk are trying to do their best RP imitation without understanding much at all about the wine they're drinking. Then again, I've mostly looked at Burgundy notes, which will always tend to polarize the reviews.

Mark Lipton

[David M. Bueker]

As for those CellarTracker notes, I've learned to discount the vast majority of those notes, except from people I actually know something about. Reading a random sample of CT notes, I come away with the impression that many of those folk are trying to do their best RP imitation without understanding much at all about the wine they're drinking.

I completely agree. I just felt this particular case was among the worst I had seen.

To paraphrase Adam Gopnik (in his very readable New Yorker piece http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/09/06/040906crat_atlarge ):
To turn wine away from happiness is the drinker’s sin. A good fruity bottle of a Willy Schaefer QbA, with a pretty label and a decent story, makes us happy, and happier than that we don’t really deserve to be.

Peter

PS. The #3 from 2004 makes me most happy.

[David M. Bueker]

To paraphrase Adam Gopnik (in his very readable New Yorker piece http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/09/06/040906crat_atlarge ):
To turn wine away from happiness is the drinker’s sin. A good fruity bottle of a Willy Schaefer QbA, with a pretty label and a decent story, makes us happy, and happier than that we don’t really deserve to be.

Peter

PS. The #3 from 2004 makes me most happy.

Lovely!

#3 did not make it to these shores. We only got the #1 and #2, and I was only able to find the #1. But there's plenty of other Schaefer wines on the shelves (even now!).

Is it always under $15? A qba over $15 is not a qpr

I'm not sure I agree. If I pay $16 for a QbA from Willi Schaefer, Donnhoff, or Maximum Grunhauser that is better than probably 85% of the Spatlese level wines imported, is it not a good value? Just a thought.

I paid $15 for a Willi Schaefer 2004. Unsure if same one David tasted- last 4 digits of AP are 01 05? Good wine regardless.

OK, I just saw receipt, says Estate #1. Good notes David.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks. Yep - same one.