If you like pointillism, all the notes have been posted — one-by-one — to oenoLog, but they’re in more coherent form over on the main site: Alsace & Germany (with apologies for getting those two back together, even temporarily), Bordeaux, and the U.S.A. (California, Oregon, and one Washington interloper).
germany
Urban decay
St. Urbans-Hof 2006 “Urban” Riesling “Nik Weis Selection” (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Fruity and lush, with some rubber and lime juice. Good, basic fruit and acid. (2/08)
Piesporter control
St. Urbans-Hof 2006 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett 10 07 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Light and pretty, but pure, with great acidity and abundant steel flakes. Fun. (2/08)
Ernie Bock
St. Urbans-Hof 2006 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese 13 07 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Beautiful peach and thick apple with floral notes. Flawless balance, with length and purity. (2/08)
Shakespearean
Heger 2005 Pinot Noir “Sonett” 9 07 (Baden) – Clean pinot fruit with lavender and microgreens. Smooth and pretty. (2/08)
Summer Rheingau
Küntsler 2005 Pinot Noir (Rheingau) – Chilly clay and dark soil, with good balance. (2/08)
Maxed out
Kesseler 2002 Spätburgunder “Cuvée Max” (Rheingau) – Dill and wood, beet and cherry. Simple and too intense; it’s striking, but that’s all. Disappointing. (2/08)
Run Willi, run
Willi Schaefer 2004 Riesling 01 05 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Still fresh, crisp, lightly sweet, and fun, though there’s the beginning of a skin-bitter edge to the juicy apple fruit. Drink soonish, I think. (2/08)
Piesporter creek
St. Urbans-Hof 2005 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese 26 06 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Gorgeous sweetness, crisp-ripe rapple, green grapes. Balanced and incredibly acidic, but the weight of the fruit more than makes up for it. Clear and crystalline finish. Gorgeous. (2/07)
Piesporter control
St. Urbans-Hof 2005 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese 13 06 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Flowers, banana, papaya. Very youthful. (2/07)