2012 Alfred Merkelbach Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese Urglück- Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (3/29/2017)
Most Mosel Spatlesen would be shut down and sullen at five years of age, but this bottling is definitely not. It’s still essentially the youthful wine it was on release, with maybe just a bit of an added bass note that makes it even better than it was when it came out. Apple skin, pear and lime zest flavors are complimented by bright acids that make for a beautifully refreshing package. It’s springtime in a glass!
How does the Urglück differ from the regular Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese? I’ve been happily imbibing the 2015 version of the regular which at $16 is a steal.
Are the 2012 Merkelbachs still drinking well? I had enough experiences with shut down 2012 Willi Schaefers that I stopped sampling the vintage and didn’t plan on touching for a while.
Urgluck is Auslese in 2015 only (AP #9), but was Spatlese in 2012 (AP #17).
The AP/parcel thing is getting a bit hard to keep track of with them though. They also bottled a “Lang Pichter” Auslese in 2015 (AP #8), though the Lang Pichter designation is only in the catalog (and perhaps the back label). The front label of the Auslese AP #8 doesn’t mention Lang Pichter, even though the AP #9 mentions Urgluck.
How well does this producer age? I picked up some 15 Urgluck Auslese but not sure how long to wait to open. I loved Merkelbach’s #7 and #10 Spat as well as the Rosenberg Kabs