Browse Tag

spätlese

Brücken record

Dönnhoff 2005 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese 99 06 (Nahe) – From magnum. I regularly adore this wine, and 2005 is not only no exception, it’s a standout. The nervosity is simply brilliant, with a finely-honed poise between structure and ripe white-yellow fruit as the foundation for a succulent, enticing sweetness. Very, very primary, but with wonders to spare. (8/07)

Cherry liqueur

Dönnhoff 2004 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese 13 05 (Nahe) – Hugely aromatic and bright. Dried apple skins, dried white flower petals. Very precise, with great acidity. Clear and clean. The finish is lengthy and well-supported. This is why one drinks German riesling. (4/08)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Laurentiuslay Stallone

St. Urbans-Hof 2005 Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese feinherb 28 06 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Ripe and sweet green apple, elegant, soft, yet very long, with hidden concentration. There’s a great future here. (2/07)