Tasting Notes 1996

Rating Systems

Below, I used to rate with a five star system: * for bad, ** acceptable, *** good, **** very special, ***** a sublime pleasure. I decided to switch to the 20 point system later. The relation is roughly this: ***** for 18-19 points, **** for 16-17, *** for 14-15, etc.

22-31/12/1996

I drank mostly stuff I have already described, or that wouldn't be of enough interest here, with one exception:

Koehler-Ruprecht: Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Auslese 94 Powerful Riesling. It's in the grip of its massive acidity at this stage. Restrained aromas of peach, minerals and a hint of honey. Needs many years to find its balance. 16(+)

6-8/12/1996

Gunderloch: Nackenheimer Rothenberg Auslese '92 A restrained nose, grapy, with a slight spicy/earthy touch. Rather sweet on the palate, leaving me underwhelmed somewhat. Maybe it needs some more years (or I've grown too fond of the racy Saar-style Auslesen). 15(+)
Reinhold Haart: Riesling QbA trocken '95 Underdeveloped nose. Good young Riesling flavors, a refreshing, well blanced dry wine. Might get better. 13.5

Tuesday 26/11/1996

Dr. Loosen: Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Spätlese trocken '93 More proof, if proof was needed, of the potential of MSR for producing excellent dry wines. Typical Bernkasteler racyness, and flinty slate aromas, with a suggestion of lemon peel. The wine is fairly sleek of course, but manages to pack quite a punch nevertheless. Good balance, long finish. I think it's still holding back. 15.5

Wednesday 6/11/1996

G. Mosbacher: Forster Freudenstück Riesling Kabinett trocken '93 Loveley Riesling nose, with earthy notes. Good balance, and enough body for a dry wine. 14.5
H. Kerpen: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese** '92 A wine with rather good marks (90?) from Parker and also Pigott. It's not showing well, particuluarly on the nose, but the palate has good freshness and balance, with decent concentration. So, maybe in a few years it will deserve 16 points. On current form it wouln't.

Tuesday 22/10/1996

!H. Dönnhoff: Niederhäuser Herrmannshöhle Riesling Spätlese trocken '93 When I bought this wine two years ago it was overshadowed by the dry Spätlese from the Oberhauser Brücke. Helmut Dönnhoff said it would catch up soon, and it did so in the most convincing manner. A glorious Riesling bouquet has developed, that isn't easy to pin down, but keeps one sniffing and sniffing again. The palate is tight, with a piquant acidity that may be too much for some palates and keeps me from scoring it higher. 16

A tasting with friends 15/10/1996

R. Weil: Riesling Kabinett trocken '94 Somewhat closed nose. Near Spaetlese density, mineralic note, piquant finish. Needs a bit of time. 14
Jordan & Jordan: Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese halbtrocken '94 slightly earthy nose with a hint of yeastyness. Sweetness is hardly noticable, good acidity and minerally flavors. Seems at an awkward stage right now. 14.5 (?) [PS. Peter Jordan informed me that the wine's style is deliberately playing down the flowery/fruity components in favor of a more austere minerally character.]
Jordan & Jordan: Cuvee 1900 Riesling/Weissburgunder '94 Peter Jordan's attempt to recreate a Saar wine in the style of the turn of the century. The acidity of the Riesling is tamed by some pinot blanc. A touch of new wood is used, and noticable on nose and palate. The group liked it a lot, and I think it has potential, though like the other 94s it seemed not to give its best at this stage. 15
A Laible: Durbacher Plauelrain Scheurebe Spätlese trocken '95 Nicely fruity but unobtrusive nose. Good balance with a slight hint of sweetness. Enjoyable, perhaps a bit too "easy drinking". 15
!Jordan & Jordan: Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese trocken '95 Slaty nose. Spritzy on the palate, with lots of minerally character (almost like licking stones ;-). The acidity is perfectly integrated, which is a rare achievement for dry Saar Rieslings. Astonishing length. My favorite of the evening. I'm curious how it will develop. 16 (+)
G. Mosbacher: Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Auslese '93 Slightly earthy nose, revealing more yellow fruits as it warmed up in the glass. Quite dry palate, becoming a bit alcoholic at higher temperatures. (heat up to smell, then cool down again for drinking ;-). 15.5 (?)

9/10/1996

Schloss Proschwitz: Scheurebe Auslese trocken Not obviously Scheurebe on the nose. I was reminded more of Franken Silvaners in some way. "Earthy" comes to mind. The wine has character, and guts, but I find the palate too much dominated by by relatively harsh acidity, supported by 14% alcohol. Less might have been more. 14

Köln 4-5/10/1996

Johner: Grauburgunder Tafelwein Selektion 93 Good pinot gris nose, hints of toast and butter. The oack is very sensibly handled. The palate is somewhat dominated by a rather hard acidity, and a slight bitterness. May improve, but I'm not convinced. 14(+)
Staatsweingut Nahe: Schlossboeckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spaetlese trocken 92 mature nose, some petrol. Nice balance and good freshness. Seems just slightly over its peak. Enjoyable. 15
Immich: Enkircher Batterieberg Riesling Auslese 90 Maybe it was a bad bottle, though it wasn't obviously corcked. Vaguely mature Riesling nose, totally short, abrupt finish, bitter dried out aftertaste. No fun to drink. 11 (?)
Messmer: Spaetburgunder Spaetlese trocken Selection 93 More mature than last time, less fruity, with more of a bitter almond nose. A bit harsh on its own, but good with food. I still like it. 15
Crusius: Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Auslese trocken 92 Fresher than the last bottle. Still very nice. A touch more concentrated than the Kupfergrube Spaetlese above. 15.5
Crusius: Niederhauser Felsensteyer Riesling Auslese goldcap 90 A disappointment. Little fruit, a short finish, drying out. Still drinkable but no future. 13
(I tasted it again on a visit to the producer. It was fresher, but still underwhelming.)

VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auction, Trier 25/09/96

Yes, it's a tough job sitting for 5 hours, sipping about 60 wines from an excellent MSR vintage, mostly Auslesen and above, but someone has to do it. Even tougher it is to judge their quality from just a sip, the size of which was further diminished by a rather short sighted helper, who poured about as much on the table cloth as into our glasses (on one occaision he missed the glass altogether). Take the following ratings and notes with a good pinch of salt (as usual), and remember that almost all these wines will improve further for years, in some cases decades, but I don't feel confident to predict by how much, and thus do not reflect that in my rating as much as I probably should (with a few obvious exceptions). Luckily, you also have the auction prices as additional information, telling you what the buyers thought of the wine. All the wines were Rieslings, of course. The vintage is 1995 if not stated otherwise.

Bert Simon: Serriger Wuerzberg Auslese goldcap juicy peach fruit, nice balance. 16 (DM 38.50)
Le Gallais: Wiltinger Braune Kupp Spaetlese near auslese richness, lovely acidity, very good spaetlese. 15.5 (DM 29.50)
Le Gallais: Wiltinger Braune Kupp Auslese similar to above, more mineral notes, longer aftertaste 16 (DM 60)
Le Gallais: Wiltinger Braune Kupp Auslese goldcap touch of honey on the nose, piquant Saar acidity, very fine, needs time. 17 (DM 180)
Hubert Smitz: Wiltinger Kupp Spaetlese appely, somewhat unripe, and short. 13 (DM 15)
Schloss Saarstein: Auslese long goldcap honeyed apricot nose, lovely richness, racy acidity, piquant aftertaste. 17 (DM 150)
von Hoevel: Oberemmeler Huette Spaetlese slaty nose, good peach fruit, nice length. 15.5 (DM 32.50)
von Hoevel: Oberemmeler Huette Auslese long goldcap hint of honey, persistent minerally flavors, good structure. 17 (DM 120)
Egon Mueller: Scharzhofberger Kabinett juicy, nice balance. 14.5 (DM 22)
Egon Mueller: Scharzhofberger Spaetlese peaches and slate, persistent length, very fine. 15.5 (DM 57)
Egon Mueller: Scharzhofberger Auslese similar to the above, but richer. very good. 16.5 (DM 118)
Egon Mueller: Scharzhofberger Auslese goldcap more backwards than the Auslese, closed nose, richer still, not much botrytis, excellent balance and length. needs time. 17(+) (DM 280)
Dr Fischer: Ockfener Bockstein Auslese goldcap a bit light for a goldcap auslese, good slaty flaavors and length. 16 (DM 50)
Vereinigte Hospitien: Scharzhofberger Spaetlese piquant, refreshing wine 15 (DM 19.80)
Vereinigte Hospitien: Scharzhofberger Auslese goldcap perhaps a little rustic. 16 (?) (DM 60)
Dr Wagner: Ockfener Bockstein Spaetlese good structure. 15 (DM 21.30)
Dr Wagner: Saarburger Rausch Auslese some yeast on the nose, nice intensisty and balance. 16 (DM 43)
Geltz-Zilliken: Saarburger Rausch Spaetlese typical Saar style. 15 (DM 25)
Geltz-Zilliken: Saarburger Rausch Auslese a bit fuller than the above. 15.5 (DM 45)
Geltz-Zilliken: Saarburger Rausch Auslese goldcap honey and apples, good structure. didn't impress me as much as the 94. maybe with time? 16(?) (DM 76)
!Karthaeuserhof: Spaetlese #39 typival cassis note, excellent acidity, nice. 15.5 (DM 23.30)
Karthaeuserhof: Auslese #37 goldcap no evident botrytis, good intesisty and structure. piquant aftertaste. 16 (DM 60)
Karthaeuserhof: Auslese #38 long goldcap seems closed. nice richness, excellent fruity acidity, long finish. 17 (DM 100)
J.J Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese yeasty nose, finely balanced. needs time. 16 (DM 51)
J.J Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese goldcap still yeasty too, richer, slaty. too young. 16.5 (DM 80)
J.J Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese long goldcap similar to the above but more concentrated and longer. will be superb eventually (?). 17+ (DM 153)
Christofel-Berres: Erdener Praelat Auslese goldcap seems closed, good richness. 16(?) (DM 40)
Christofel-Berres: Uerziger Wuerzgarten Auslese goldcap seems closed too, perhaps a touch rustic. 16 DM (54)
Willy Haag: Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese goldcap rich honeyed peach fruit, lovely acidity. a bargain ;-). 16.5 (DM 54)
J.J. Christoffel: Uerziger Wuerzgarten Auslese goldcap touch of yeast? has a slightly funny tone, which isn't just the "spicy" wuertzgarten character. not sure about it. lovely elegance and lenght though. 16.5(?) (DM 70)
S.A. Pruem: Graacher Himmelreich Auslese darker fruits, blackberry? good structure. 16 (DM 50)
S.A. Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese #6 goldcap nice honeyed apricot fruit. 16 (DM 65)
!Willy Schaefer: Graacher Domprobst Spaetlese good minerally and blackcurrant flavors. nice. 15.5 (DM 22.50)
!Willy Schaefer: Graacher Domprobst Auslese goldcap honeyed nose, somewhat closed. intense, superb fruity acidity, very long. great prospects. may well be the auslese of the vintage. 17(+) (DM 130)
Reinhold Haart: Piesporter Goldtroepfchen Auslese goldcap seems slightly closed too. good structure and length. elegant, piquant finish. 16.5 (DM 51)
Wwe Dr. Thanish: Berncasteler Doctor Spaetlese quite full for a Doctor spaetlese, very good balance. 15.5 (DM 43)
Wwe Dr. Thanish: Berncasteler Doctor Auslese yeasty nose. elegant, good intensity and structure. 16 (DM 55)
Wwe Dr. Thanish: Berncasteler Doctor Auslese long goldcap honeyed nose, rich on the palate, darker fruits, good structure, long aftertaste. 17 (DM 175)
Fritz Haag: Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Spaetlese a hint of cassis. nice balance. 15 (DM 31)
Fritz Haag: Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslesesome yeast on the nose. good cassis fruit. 16 (DM 76)
Fritz Haag: Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese long goldcap similar to the auslese. a bit denser, and longer on the finish. 17 (DM 210)
Robert Eymael: Erdner Treppchen Honey on the nose. BA fatness, richly sweet. has backbone though, and good length. 17 (DM 100)
Dr. Loosen: Uerziger Wuerzgarten Spaetlese an auslese in all but name. rich palate, good backbone. 15.75 (DM 41)
Dr Loosen: Erdener Praelat Auslese long goldcap honeyed richness, sweet, good structure. long. quite decadent. 17(+) (DM 233)
Vereinigte Hospitien Wiltinger Hoelle Eiswein 92 smells a bit oxidised? quite full, some botrytis. 16(?) (DM 230)
Le Gallais: Wiltinger Braune Kupp BA 90 touch of kerosene, honey, great acidity, piquant aftertaste. needs more time. 17.5 (DM 380)
Karthaeuserhof: BA 94 not a heavyweight. nice length and balance. 17 (DM 200)
!Reinhold Haart: Piesporter Goldtroepfchen BA 94 honeyed nose, rich palate with great backbone. very long finish. 18 (DM 410)
Christoffel-Berres: Erdener Praelat BA 93 very sweet. lacking in backbone a bit. 17(?) (DM 200)
Bert Simon: Serriger Herrenberg TBA 94 dried fruit nose. piquant, not enough concentration for a great TBA. 17 (DM 200)
!Schloss Saarstein: TBA 94 smells of dates, and dried fruits. highly concentrated, massive acidity, very long aftertaste. superb potential. my favorite wine of the day. 18.5 (DM 400)
von Oethegraven: Kanzemer Altenberg TBA seems closed. elegant, intense acidity. quite elong 17 (DM 210)
Milz-Laurentiushof: Trittenheimer Leiterchen TBA 94 a hint of orange peel. great richness and backbone, good length. 17.5 (DM 250)
Robert Eymael: Uerziger Wuerzgarten TBA honeyed nose. full, yet elegant, excellent backbone. very long. 18 (DM 610)
Fritz Haag: Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr TBA 93 restrained on the nose. honey richness on the palate, superb intensity and length. great prospects. 18(+) (DM 1500)

VDP Nahe & Ahr Auction Bad Kreuznach 21/09/96

The VDP Nahe/Ahr held its annual auction, where members of the organisation, that includes all the leading growers of those regions, bring their best wines (in theory) to sell them to the highest bidder. The good news is that one can go there and taste the lot without having to buy anything. Here are some selective notes from a highly enjoyable afternoon.

Ahr

I once saw an advertisement for Ahr red wines describing them as "powerful". What could be further from the truth, I wonder. The wines on auction are the cream of the region, and none of them deserves that description. They are elegant, fruity, gentle wines. I'm a bit unsure about their ratings, as I'm rather biased towards big red wines, Barolo, Shiraz, Hermitage etc., so I'll be perhaps more generous than I should. Still, even with those ratings, the prices they fetched at the auction are absurd. I wouldn't buy any of them for half the money. These were the best:

J.J. Adeneuer Nr.1 Spaetburg. Auslese trocken 93 Smokey pinot nose (touch of new wood?), good length. 15 (DM 52)
J.J. Adeneuer Nr.1 Spaetburg. Auslese trocken 95 Smells a bit rough, good cherry fruit and lenght. 15 (DM 69)
Deuzerhof: Altenahrer Eck Spaetburg. Auslese trocken 95 Sweet fruit, relatively full for an Ahr wine, good balance. 15.5 - (DM 75)
Meyer Näckel: Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spaetburg. Auslese trocken 94/95 Sweet pinot fruit, juicy wines. 15.5 - (DM 105/100)
State Domain Marienthal: Ahrweiler Silberberg Spaetburg. Auslese trocken 95 Good fruit. 14.5 (DM 71)
State Domain Marienthal: Ahrweiler Rosenthal Spaetburg. Auslese trocken 88 Funny nose, somewhere between a Scheurebe and a mature Riesling. Palate a bit dilute. Not obviously a red wine, but sort of interesting. 14 (?) (DM 90)

Nahe

Despite Armin Diels "euphoria" for the vintage, 95 is not comparable to the brilliant 94 vintage in the Nahe in my view. Still, there is plenty to be proud of. The following are all Rieslings:

Reichsgraf Plettenberg: Kreuznacher Hinkelstein Spätlese 95 Smells of (underripe) pears, lively acidity. 14.5 (DM 17.50) The other wines , including the Kupfergrube Auslese didn't impress me too much.
Prinz zu Saml - Dalberg: Wallhäuser Johannisberg Spätlese(?) 95 Well made Riesling. 15 (DM 19) There was also a QbA on auction. Why?
Prinz zu Saml - Dalberg: Schloss Wallhausen Eiswein 95 Classic Eiswein style, rhubarby nose, apricots, sweet and saur on the palate. Very nice. 17 (DM 160)
Kruger Rumpf: Münsterer Dautenpflänzer Spätlese trocken 95 A bit rustic. Not as good as the 94. 14(?) (DM 18)
Kruger Rumpf: Münsterer Pittersberg Spätlese 95 Juicy, well balanced. 15 (DM 17.50)
Dönnhoff: Norheimer Dellchen Spätlese trocken 95 D's first vintage from this forgotten site proves the potetial of the vineyard. Lovely minerally Nahe style. 15 (DM 21)
Dönnhoff: Schlossboeckelheimer Felsenberg Spätlese 95 Fruitier style (peach), juicy, good length. 15 (DM 32)
!Dönnhoff: Oberhauser Brücke BA 95 What a wine from a difficult vintage! Honeyed, spicy botrytis nose. Excellent structure and intesity. It's stunning length puts it into a different category. 18 (DM 315)
Paul Anheuser Schl.B. Kupfergrube Kabinett trocken 95 I skipped it, but my neighbours told be it gained enourmously from the remains of the Dönnhoff BA in the glass ;-). The following Koenigsfels Kabinett and Kreuznacher Kroetenpfuhl Auslese I found dissapointing.
Tesch: Laubenheimer Karthäuser Spätlese 92 Mature nose, some kerosene, quite dry. 15 (DM 15.50)
Diel: Dorsheimer Pittermännchen Spätlese 95 Quite full, piquant on the finish. 15 (DM 31)
Diel: Auslese Goldcap 95 Nose seemed closed, a hint of rhubarb (did he add Eiswein again?), fullbodied, good acidity and length, but not as brilliant as the 94. 16 (DM 100)
Diel: Eiswein Goldcap 95 A touch of honey on the nose, very sweet, fatter than the other ice wines, but lacks a bit in drama. 17 (DM 520)
Crusius: Traiser Rotenfels Spätlese trocken 94 Quite robust and powerful. 15 (DM 16)
Crusius: Auslese godcap 95 Elegant wine, with good acidity, a bit closed. 16 (DM 65)
Crusius: Eiswein 95 Nose quite closed too, racy acidity, good length. Needs time. 17 (DM 160)
Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingplätzchen Spätlese 95 Juicy peach fruit. 15 (DM 18.50)
Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Halenberg Auslese goldcap 95 Fullbodied, piquant aftertaste, good length. Very nice. 16 (DM 33)
Staatsweingut: Traiser Bastei Spätlese 95 Good peach fruit, and typical minerally/earthy notes of the Bastei. Rather enjoyable. 15(+) (DM 33)
Staatsweingut: Schlossboeckelheimer Kupfergrube Auslese 95 Lacks some of the the typical racyness and drama of the Kupfergrube. 15(?) (DM 54)
Staatsweingut: Niederhäuser Herrmannsberg Eiswein A slightly dirty/yeasty smell on the nose, that will probably go away. Quite full, a touch of botrytis, racy acidity. 17 (?) (DM 330)
Staatsweingut: Niederhäuser Herrmannsberg TBA 94 Here we go. Dark golden colour. Nose of dried fruits and spices, (a hint of liqeuer Muscat?). Thick syrupy texture, it seems to stick together in the mouth before it slowly dissolves. Massivley concentrated, great acidity. After two sips one is almost tempted to add a bit a water ;-). I'd like to try it again in 30 years. 18 (DM 550)

Two dry Rieslings 8-11/09/96

Crusius: Traiser Bastei Auslese trocken '92 Less evolved than the Rotenfels version, less mature nose and fresher on the palate. Typically pronounced mineral flavors from the porphyry soil of this amazing little plot underneath the massive rock of the Rotenfels. ***(*)
Dönnhoff: Oberhauser Brücke Spaetlese trocken '93 When young this wine had an exuberant nose reminiscent of the grassy, goosberrish aromas of Savignon Blanc. Now, more complex mineralic accents are emerging. Fairly sleek on the palate, yet with excellent lenght. ***(*)

A week of wine travels

I tasted some German wines but mostly spent my time in Alsace. Highlights there were the wines of Francois Baur from the Brand at Turkheim, which are excellent value for money, such as the minerally, full flavored Brand Riesling '90. I was also taken by a dry Hugel Riesling from 1970, which was still very fresh on the palate, and their Pinot Gris SGN 89 (the man in their tasting room is very generous!). Also impressive were the '95 Pinot Gris' and Gewuerztraminers from the Domaine Weinbach. But now to a few selected German wines:

Schloss Saarstein: Riesling QbA trocken 95 Well made, with a touch of residual sugar to balance the typical Saar acidity. I prefer it to the Kabinett trocken, which hasn't got the body for a dry wine in my view. **(*)
Schloss Saarstein: Riesling Auslese 90 The nose was puzzeling me a bit. Hints of woodiness, but also citrus peel, and exotic notes (mango?). On the palate a classically structured elegant Saar Riesling, mouthwatering acidity, good concentration and fruit (more mango?). Drinking well, but no hurry. ***(*)
Schloss Saarstein: Riesling Eiswein 90 A surprisingly gentle example from this estate. Some botrytis. Not the supercharged Riesling that the '91 Eiswein is said to be, but very nice, and with some way to go. ****
Buerklin-Wolf Dornfelder Kabinett trocken '95 Lovely cherry fruit, not a big wine of course but serious, and good value. I preferred it slightly to the oak aged Spaetlese 92 (no surprise...), although the oack was admittedly well handeled. **(*)
Buerklin-Wolf Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling '94 (Sp. tr.) The best dry wines of this estate are now sold under the vineyard names alone. Only the back label declares them to be a Spaetlese trocken. They are very good indeed. This one is a powerful, mineralic riesling that would also classify as Auslese trocken. ***(*)
Buerklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Goldbaechel Riesling '94 (Sp. tr.) Less muscle, more noticable acidity, and fruitier than the above. ***(*)
!Buerklin-Wolf Forster Kirchenstueck Riesling '95 (Sp. tr.) Rather youthful, of course, but to me it seems near perfectly balanced between power and elegance. Maybe I'm biased by the fact that this vineyard is regarded by some the the finest of the whole Pfalz. ***(*)
Buerklin-Wolf Forster Pechstein Riesling Auslese 89 Quite tired and short in the finish. May have been better when the fruit was still youthfully charming. I remember the Wachenheimer Boehlig Auslese 89 as having been quite gorgeous 3 years ago, but now fading too. **(*)
!Koehler-Ruprecht: Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Spaetlese 89 What a difference to the above. Nice mature nose. Palate fresh and powerful, long finish. Delicious. ***(*)

Köln 17-18/8/96

Immich: Enkircher Batterieberg Riesling Auslese halbtr. '90 The nose is quite cheesy, with a suggetion of herbs. Palate dry with a rather short and austere finish for a Auslese from such a site and vintage. Unconvincing. (Better drunk with food I think.) ***
Staatsweingut Nahe: Schlossboeckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Auslese '89 Restrained nose of spicy honey and dried apricot. Sweeter than I remembered it (maybe because of the Immich before it, but even the Keller Rieslaner tastes sweeter this time round), though clearly with good acidity, good concentration and lenght. A nice wine that might get better still. ***(*)
Staatsweingut Nahe: Niederhauser Hermannsberg Riesling Auslese '89 Mild peach nose, Nice mineral Nahe flavors, but little structure, and less concentrated than the above. Questionable perspectives. ***
Crusius Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Kabinett trocken '93 Quite mature on the nose. Not bad, but lacking in brilliance. The acidity tastes somehow "cut off" rather than lively. **(*)
!Koehler Ruprecht: Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Kabinett trocken '93 Dry Riesling Kabinett wines rarely excite more than a few German "trocken" masochists. The worst cases are shrill, acidic, thin wines. None of this applies here, but at 12% alc. it is hardly a true "Kabinett". The nose is still underdeveloped, smelling of minerals and peaches, suggesting a much younger wine than the above. Excellent mouthfilling falvor on the palate, much more brilliance. It stood up even to grilled lamb chops. Will improve further, and I cann't wait to try the Spaetlese trocken. The price (12 DM) makes it a steal. ***
Winzergenossenschaft Britzingen: Britzinger Sonnhole Rulaender BA '83 The last bottle I tasted was stone dead. This (half) bottle seems to have survived in an oxygen tent. Oxidised nose, suggesting a Madeira of some sort. The palate is sweet, caramel and maple syrup. No acidity or life in sight, but somehow not dead either, just sweet. **

Saturday 10/8/96

Schloss Groenestein: Ruedsheimer ??Berg Kabinett halbtr. 93 Appearently the Schloss, one the famous old Rheingau estates, is no more. This wine wasn't so bad, quite dry, appely nose and acidity. **(*)
Messmer: Spaetburgunder Spaetlese trocken "Selection" 93 This wine has seen little or no new oack. Wisely so, I think. Lovely dark cherry fruit, nice balance, and good concentration. A "serious" German red that should keep for a little longer, but is drinking very well now. ***

Sunday 28/7/96

Dr Loosen: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spaetlese 1994 Nice mineral "slaty" flavors, but seems a bit restrained at this stage. ***
Crusius: Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Auslese trocken 1992 Has recovered well from the closed stage it was in by the end of last year. Pronounced mineral notes, hints of herbs, decent freshness. Won't get much better, probably. ***(*)

A week in Edinburgh 7-14/7/96

von Kesselstadt: Josefshoefer Riesling Auslese '88. Lovely Auslese, good minarally fruit, beautifully balanced and drinking well, but no hurry. ***(*)
Keller: Weiss/Spaetburgunder Rotling TBA '94. Curious blend of pinot noir and blanc, as a TBA. Color pale golden, with a suggestion of redness, if you look long enough ;-). Good concentration, but the acidity dominates at this stage. Not a great TBA, but might improve. ***(*)
Keller: Monsheimer Silberberg Rieslaner Spaetlese 95. Youthful peach/melon nose. Very zippy wine. Tasted again, in a less stressful context, it seems a bit simple, but still highly enjoyable. Should gain more complexity with age. ***
Lingenfelder: Grosskarlbacher Burgweg Scheurebe Spaetlese 92. After the racy Keller wine, this one appeared a bit broad, and there is something slightly odd about it. Maybe sulphur? Still, nice grapefruit/redcurrant nose, and good concentration. *** (?)
!Dow: Vintage Port 1977. Nose seemed quite tight and "winey", beginning to reveal darker fruits and raisiny notes. The palate is intense, packed with flavor and extremely long. Impressive already, and should get better and better. ****(*)
!Keller: Dalsheimer Steig Huxelrebe BA '90 Another winning Huxelrebe dessert wine, similar, but even better than the Auslese 3star 94. Lovely orangey flavors, racy, well integrated acidity. A great bargain at 14 DM per 1/2 bottle. ***(*)

Interwein 96, Frankfurt 22/6/96

I had intended to taste mainly foreign wines, but ended up mostly in the German section. The New World presence was very dissapointing. France wasn't there in force either. Spain and Italy had a large contingent, but the top names from Italy were missing too. The highlights for me were some Austrians, a number of superb trocken (dry) Rieslings from Germany, and discovering the world class dessert wines made by the Keller estate at Dalsheim, deep in Rheinhessen's Liebfraumilch country. They are a rising star in Germany, and I would not hesitate to mention them in the same breath as Mueller-Catoir, among Germanies leading dessert wine producers without famed vineyards at their disposal. I didn't try their simpler qualities and dry wines, as I was already sipping a TBA when I came to their stand, which makes it pretty impossible to assess such wines anymore. All the more impressive was the impact of their wines, which all have a racy (occaisonally too racy) brilliance about them! .

Here then are some scattered highlights. Given the amount of wine I tasted during that day, I hope that it is excusable if the notes are often very short, and won't do justice to the wines mentioned.

Bruendlmayer (Austria): Chardonnay 94 A big, juicy wine. The oak is well integrated. ***(*)
Bruendlmayer: Zoebinger Heiligenstein Riesling Kabinett trocken 95 Good apricot fruit. **(*)
Bruendlmayer: Zoebinger Heiligenstein Riesling Auslese 95 A whiff of honey on the nose. Quite dry, and very high alcohol (14%), yet plenty of mineralic fruit to cope with the alcohol. Powerful and long. ***(*)
Nikolaihof (Austria): Im Weingebirge Riesling Smaragd halbtr. 92 Mineral nose, sweetness almost unnoticable on the palate. ***(*)
Tamborini (Switzerland): Castello di Morcote (Merlot) 94 Good blackcurranty fruit, well integrated tannins. The 95 is said to be even better. ***
St. Antony: Niersteiner Hipping Riesling Spaetlese trocken 94 Very juicy peach fruit. Harmonious and full. A classy dry Riesling. ***(*)
St. Antony: Niersteiner Oelberg Spaetlese trocken 94 Tighter, and seems more closed. Maybe it will catch up with the Hipping. ***
St. Antony: Niersteiner Orbel Spaetlese 94 Some botrytis, very full, a bit alcoholic perhaps. ***
St. Antony: Niersteiner Pettenthal TBA 92 Botrytis honey nose, extreme density. Again a bit high in alcohol for me, and not quite long enough for greatness. ****
Gunderloch: Nackenheimer Rothenberg Auslese 93 Juicy, good structure. Needs time though. ***(*)
Jordan & Jordan: Wiltinger Braunfels Riesling Spaetlese trocken 95 Good mineral flavors, and harmony. ***
!Jordan & Jordan: Scharzhofberg Auslese trocken 95 Nose seems closed. Intense mineral flavors on the palate. Very good length. Should get better still. The unfiltered ("Zero") version seemed more open, and even more concentrated. Psychology? ***(*)
Jordan & Jordan: Scharzhofberg Auslese 95 Elegant Auslese with no evident bortytis. ***(*)
!Juliusspital: Wuerzburger Stein Riesling Spaetlese trocken 93 Nose seems closed. Intense and long on the palate. Seems to have potential for something great. ***(*)
Juliusspital: Iphoefer Kronsberg Silvaner Spaetlese trocken 93 Opulent wine with exotic fruit notes. ***
!Juliusspital: Randersackerer Pfuelben Rieslaner Spaetlese 94 More like an Auslese, peach and exotic fruits, big and long. ***(*)
Ruck: Iphoefer Kalb Huxelrebe BA 94 Smells of pears. A certain mintyness on the palate - tannins from the Barriques? ***(*)
Schmitt Kinder: Randersackerer Pfuelben Riesling BA 94 Closed peach nose, very good length and structure. Has potential for more. ***(*)
!Keller: Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Auslese (3 star) 95 Massively concentrated, cristal clear fruit, excellent acidity. A superb wine of razor sharp definition. ****
Keller: Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Eiswein 95 Very similar to the Auslese. A shade denser still. Supreme ageing potential. ****
Keller: Kaseler Kehrnagel Riesling Eiswein 95 A rarity from their recently acquired Ruwer vineyard - the estate is in Rheinhessen! Very elegant, tight, dominated by enormous acidity. Needs many years to eventually fulfill its promise. ****
Keller: Nieder-Floersheimer Frauenberg Chardonnay TBA I would have never guessed it to be a Chardonnay. Hugely concentrated, with great backbone acidity. Very long. ****
Keller: Monsheimer Silberberg Rieslaner Spaetlese 95 Highly concentrated, explosive, racy wine. Quite dry balance. ***(*)
Keller: Dalsheimer Steig Huxelrebe Auslese (3s star) 94 Close to BA style. Racy acidity, excellent ageing prospects. Superb value. ***(*)
!Keller: Dalsheimer Steig Huxelrebe TBA 89 Near perfection. Can this grape produce a better wine that this? ****

Dinner 6/6/96

Mueller Catoir: Haarter Buergergarten Riesling Kabinett trocken '94 Nice minerally peach/apricot aromas, good body for a Kabinett, refreshing wine. ***
Juliusspital: Wuerzburgher Stein Silvaner Spaetlese trocken '93 Most un-germanic! I would have guessed it to be from Burgundy. "Steely" Chablis sort of nose, but softer (a shade too soft for me) and richer on the palate. Good length. Would be fascinating to compare with very good unoaked Chardonnays. ***(*)

VdP Tasting: 95 Vintage Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 3/6/96
I attended the presentation of the 95 vintage, held by the VdP M-S-R in Trier on the 3.6.96. Here are some selected highlights. I made no attempt to taste everything, and didn't take notes unless a wine seemed special in some way. So, this list leaves out a large number of pretty good wines. I didn't encounter anything that wasn't at least good (or close enough), but I didn't try any QbA's or 'trocken' Kabinetts. Generally, the vintage looks very good, on a par with 93, and 94. The wines seem to have a bit more substance than 94, but are less accessible at young age.

!!Willy Schaefer: Graacher Domprobst BA 95 (auction) Not officially in the tasting, this was the greatest wine I had in my glass that afternoon. Extreme concentration, with relatively little botrytis for this sugar level (bordering to TBA). A superb wine, loads of acidity, with a long long finish. With time the last bracket will fall. ****(*)
!Willy Schaefer: Graacher Domprobst Auslese goldcap 95 (auction) Another superb wine, dense, pure, racy stuff. Sheer class. ****
Milz-Laurentiushof: Trittemheimer Apotheke Eiswein Excellent wine, enourmous acidity, long aftertaste. Not too big though. ****
Milz-Laurentiushof: Trittemheimer Felsenkopf BA Tasted slightly bitter. Not sure about it. The Felsenkopf Spaetlese was good ***.
Dr Weins-Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spaetlese Quite sweet, but good ***. The Auslese had a funnny banana aroma.
Reinhold Haart: Spaetlese trocken Theo Haart has decided not to put site names on his dry Spaetlese label, to give him the freedom to use the best suited grapes whereever they may come from in the particular vintage. This year it happend to be the great Goldtroepfchen vineyard. A powerful, well balanced dry Mosel Riesling, the proves that the region can compete in that style with the leading southern regions. ***(*)
Reinhold Haart: Piesporter Goldtroepfchen Auslese Goldcap An excellent, very racy Auslese, intense and long. **** (Lower predicates are good too, but all these wines need some time to give their best.)
Willy Haag: Brauneberger Mandelgraben Eiswein Cristal clear, racy, typical (lighter) Eiswein style. Very nice ****.
!Joh. Johs. Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spaetlese 85 halbtrocken No 95's in the tasting, but this stunning 10 year old Spaetlese made up for it easily. Superb nose, a hint of honey, minerals, herbs. Tastes practically dry, very finely balanced. No young Spaetlese can touch a wine like this. ****
Joh. Johs. Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese goldcap 93 Clear fruit, and some botrytis, long aftertaste. ****
Joh. Johs. Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 94 Juicy, still hints of yeast, as in the more piquant Spaetlese. They need more time, but look promising. ***(*)
Fritz Haag: Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett Classic Kabinett, with perfect balance. ***
Fritz Haag: Brauneberger Juffer Auslese Elegant Auslese. ***(*)
Robert Eymael: Erdener Treppchen Auslese goldcap (auction) Very sweet but with backbone, a massive wine, intense, with a long finish. ****
Robert Eymael: Uerziger Wuerzgarten Spaetlese Fuller and a little less elegant than the 94. On the sweeter side (as usual). ***
Wwe Dr. Thanish: Berncasteler Doctor Spaetlese A big Spaetlese, yet with typical piquant Bernkasteler racyness. Nose still closed, hints of yeast. Will be a worthy representant of its famous origin. ***(*)
Wwe Dr. Thanish: Berncasteler Doctor Auslese Similar to the Spaetlese, only slightly fuller. ***(*)
Schloss Saarstein: Spaetlese trocken Remarkably harmonious for a dry Saar Riesling. ***
Schloss Saarstein: Eiswein To me the best Eiswein of the tasting. Not a monster wine either, but nice honeyed nose, elegant palate with citrussy acidity, and lingering finish. Beautiful. ****
Forstm. Gelz-Zilliken: Saarburger Rausch Spaetlese halbtrocken Intended to be dry, the wine stopped fermenting at "halbtrocken". Nevertheless it tastes dry, but fuller and more harmonious than it otherwise would have tasted. Quite a big wine, that should have a long life ahead. Good as it is now, I think it might become something very special. ***(*)
Forstm. Gelz-Zilliken: Saarburger Rausch Spaetlese Well balanced, juicy wine. ***(*) The Auslese is similar. The 95 Eiswein (not tasted) will be sold as Auslese goldcap.
von Hoevel: Oberemmeler Huette Kabinett Quite a dense Kabinett, smelling of melons a bit. Impressive. ***
Egon Mueller: Scharzhofberger Kabinett Racy, and juicy. ***
Dr Loosen: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese As always the most accessible of his Auslesen at young age. Needs time though too. Some honey on the nose, lovely richness, and density on the palate. ****
Dr Loosen: Erdener Praelat Auslese goldcap Smells of almod skins. Very full and round, less zip and more closed than the 94. ****
!S.A. Pruem: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Great purity of fruit, lovely balance and length. Another superb Sonnenuhr Auslese (preferred it to the Auslese #10). ****
Karthaeuserhof: Eitelsbacher Karth. Auslese trocken Good body. Needs time. Another pretty good dry wine. ***(*)
!Karthaeuserhof: Eitelsbacher Karth. Spaetlese Firm wine, with excellent, darker, fruit aromas. Classy. ***(*)

Pfingsten 25-26/5/96

Crusius: Traiser Rotenfels Spaetlese trocken '92 Over X-mas I had found the Auslese trocken closed and unimpressive. This wine was quite mature, with a herbal nose, and a bit too austere on the palate. Gives me some hope for the Auslese. Won't keep for too long. **(*)
zur Schwane (Franken): Volkacher Karthaeuser Silvaner halbtr. 93 Barnyardy nose, and impressive richness on the palate. A touch of sweetness, nicely balanced by adequate backbone. Opened by mistake (I ordered a dry one), it turned out to be perfect with the food we had. Clearly, it is a mistake to dismiss this Variety before one has tasted a good Franconian example. ***

Visit at Robert Weil (Rheingau) 24/5/96
This estate has reached cult status through an uninterrupted string of great Riesling BAs, TBAs, and ice wines, made over the last 6 years. They are now selling at the speed of light, despite bold price rises, esp. for the 95 vintage. Even the Graeffenberg Spaetlese '95 was sold out, and it has leapt by a confident 10DM in its price, now standing at about 37DM! I tried some of the simpler wines, but saved my money for other occasions.

R. Weil Riesling QbA 95 Well made wine, with unobtrusive sweetness, and harmonious acidity. Nice summer wine. **(*)
R. Weil Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken 95 Tastes rather acidic right now, with little else coming through. Should improve, hopefully. **(*)
R. Weil Riesling Spaetlese trocken 95 Good peach fruit and mineralic acidity, much better integrated. Quite intense, nice length. Will surely improve. ***

Brunch with Joachim Heger 20/5/96
Venue: the 'Vintage' Vinothek in Cologne. A wine merchant cum restaurant with an appropriately long wine list, and prices that are high for a merchant, but rather fair for a restaurant. The food is good too.
Producer: Dr. Heger is a leading grower from the Kaiserstuhl region, in Baden, fashionable and famed for serious Spaetburgunder, and his pioneering (for Germany) use of oak barriques since the mid 80s. Still, his style is quite Germanic, as he values lively fruityness and firm acidity over oaky fatness. He ferments practically all his wine dry. The Ihringer Winklerberg is a top site, with perhaps the warmest mesoclimate in Germany, and volcanic soil. Yields are low, averaging 37hl/ha in 95. Rain was a problem during harvest, and spoilt the potentially great year in the region, but better sites and skillful producers, like Heger, still produced some quite remarkable wines.
The prices quoted are those of the 'Vintage', not the producer.

Heger Spaetburgunder Weissherbst trocken 95 A pleasantly fruity dry rose, at an inflated price (16.50 DM). **
Heger "Pinot" Grauburgunder trocken 95 Unremarkable enough to challenge the pinot grigio flood. Probably better value (14.50DM). **
Ihringer Winklerberg Silvaner Kabinett trocken 95 Rather neutral and seems a bit thin. (17.50DM). *(*)
Ihringer Winklerberg Riesling Spaetlese trocken 95 Mild peach nose and zippy acidity (remarkable for the warm climate of the Kaiserstuhl), good intesity and balance of flavor. Maybe I underrate it even, as it is far too young (32.50DM). ***
Ihringer Winklerberg Weissburgunder Spaetlese trocken 95 My favorite wine of the tasting. Loads of juicy acidity, plenty of alcohol but not heavy. Excellent length and intesity on the palate. I would put it away for a while. The best pinot blanc I have tasted yet. 32.50DM, but from the producer it will be well worth its price (20-25DM). ***(*)
Ihringer Winklerberg Weissburgunder Barrique Spaetlese trocken 95 Nose of vanilla (french) oak. Palate more rounded than the unoaked version, but lacks the attack and clearity of flavor (39.50DM). ***
Ihringer Winklerberg Grauburgunder Barrique Spaetlese trocken A massively fruity pinot gris. Oak barely noticable, with a trace of (unintended) residual sweetness, underlining the fruityness even more. Very juicy stuff, at a price (39.50DM). ***(*)
Heger Spaetburgunder Rotwein QbA Pale pinot noir, smelling of cherries and almonds. Decent acidity and some tannin, but not worth the 19.50DM. **
Ihringer Winklerberg Spaetburgunder Rotwein QbA MIMUS A nice pinot noir, more open than the Spaetlese trocken I tasted recently, but made mostly from the same material. Dark cherries, and almonds again, more body and fruit, with well integrated tannins. The price is beyond justification though (48.50DM). ***

Dinner 19/5/96

Crusius: Weissburgunder + Riesling Spaetlese trocken 94 Tastes and smells like Weissburgunder, with a bit more zip perhaps. Nothing special, but good value. **(*)
von Hoevel: Oberemmeler Huette Auslese goldcap 88 Very petrolly botrytis nose, a whiff of butter too. Palate almost dry, oily, with just a hint of residual sugar quickly overwhemled by massive acidity which dominates the finish. Expensive (auction wine, 58DM for 1/2), but hopefully will further improve. ***(*)