Browse Tag

germany

Black river

[vineyard]von Kesselstatt 2005 Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – As befits the terroir, minerals, minerals, and more minerals; those who like fruit in their riesling will be massively disappointed. This lacks defined edges and honed sharpness, but that might well come with age, which any decently-made wine from this site will embrace and encourage. (5/08)

Apothecary

Boch 2006 Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Beerenauslese 25 07 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Intensely sweet and intensely acidic, just as a BA should be, with a forward presentation of makrut lime and exotic jewelry-quality minerals tumbling and churning in rapids of elegant power. Poised, lengthy, perfect. And still so, so young. (5/08)

Slander & Laible

[vineyard]Laible 2006 Durbacher Plauelrain Traminer Spätlese Trocken 09 07 (Baden) – Solid cool-climate gewürztraminer flavors of rose petals and an exotically leafy lychee rind, with good acidity and a rod-like pillar of translucent minerality around which the rest of the wine is draped. It’s not spectacular, but it’s eminently drinkable, and age might reveal a little more character. (5/08)

Dennis Hof

[vineyard]St. Urbans-Hof 2002 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese 034 03 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Less weird than previous bottles, showing wind-blown slate and a touch of makrut lime leaf, covered with a faint patina of sweet apple. It’s very delicate, perhaps almost fragile, and doesn’t yet seem to be in a drinking mood. (5/08)

Willi or won’t he?

Willi Schaefer 2004 Riesling 01 05 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Still direct, clean, metal-flecked and basic. A good summer quaffer…and at these alcohol levels, you can quaff all by yourself, if necessary. (4/08)

My zinger

[vineyard]Emrich-Schönleber 1999 Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese 24 00 (Nahe) – Sweet and trying to be crisp, but somehow muted and gauzy. Closed? I’m not quite sure what’s going on here. (4/08)

Ferris von Buhl’s day off

[riesling]von Buhl 1996 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Auslese 35 97 (Pfalz) – Massive, roboticized apple in a sheath of brilliant metallicism, firing laser-beam acidity at all who approach. Shiny and terrific. (4/08)

Knees, chin

[vineyard]von Kesselstatt 1997 Kaseler Nies’chen Riesling Spätlese 5 98 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Back up the diesel truck. Open all the valves. Let it run free over the ground. (4/08)

Do you Graach it?

JJ Prüm 1990 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 13 91 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Pretty much dead to the world, though seemingly not “dead” in the sense of being over the hill. Corked? If so, no one’s picking it up. Could be anything, really. (4/08)

BBQ beer

[roasting]Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier (Germany) – Crisper and more refreshing, and though the smoke dominates (naturally), there’s actual beer present as well; a feat of balance rarely achieved in this style. Overall, despite the char, it’s a fairly light brew. (4/08)