A few days ago I hosted the winemakers Daniel Wagner and Andy Rings at my home. Both presented first barrel samples of the upcoming vintage 2013 & 2012 Spätburgunder including part of their portfolio. Together with the best wine-dealers, sommeliers and journalists from Berlin, Anja Schröder/Planet Wein, Anja&Carsten Schmidt/Weinladen Schmidt, Frank Krüger/Wein&Glas, Sascha Freitag/Wine-Agency, Marian Henss/Sommelier STUE, Matthias Dathan/Gault Millau and Manfred Klimek/WELT.
Daniel Wagner from the estate Wagner-Stempel in Rheinhessen makes outstanding wines since many years and plays in the same leaque like KP Keller, Philipp Wittmann and HO Spanier. Andy Rings and his brother Steffen from the estate Rings in Pfalz is the new star on the german wine-sky famous for its Spätburgunder and now also makes impressive Riesling. His 2011 Spätburgunder “Saumagen” was winner of the “BerlinSpätburgunderCup” last september. More info: schiller-wine: BerlinSpaetburgunderCup 2011/2013, Germany
http://www.wagner-stempel.de
http://www.weingut-rings.de
2013 is a promising vintage, a little bit comparable to 2012 which means cool&pure&sublime. BUT very little quantity.
"The 2013 vintage stands on its own, with all its characteristics and problems, to which we had to react timeously, and as such it cannot really be compared with other so-called “difficult” vintages such as, for example, 2006 or 2010. Looking purely at the analytical data, the musts could be classified as good or very good, with must weights ranging from 85° Oechsle in the case of various vineyard parcels used for estate wines, up to almost 100° Oechsle in the best Riesling vineyards. Acid levels, too, showed a wide but not unusual range from a moderate 6 g/l for various Pinot varieties up to racy 13 g/l in the case of a few Riesling wines.
The taste of the musts was good throughout – on the one hand very clear and fresh, and on the other hand also very ripe and aromatic. A sure sign for the fact, while most of the grapes were harvested a little earlier than had initially been anticipated, they were by no means unripe. Quite the contrary, in the case of expressive aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Scheurebe and Riesling as well, the vintage exhibits surprisingly good, full aromas. Once again, all the signs indicate a vintage of very high quality with elegant and very aromatic wines. Perhaps not as clear, cool and firm as in the previous vintage – but with a similar structure. It may well be that in spring the wines may be slightly more balanced, juicier and more approachable in terms of their aromatics than the 2012 vintage was at a comparable point in time. "
Daniel Wagner
More info regarding the vintage 2013 by the estate Wagner-Stempel:
http://www.wagner-stempel.de/img/2013/Herbst_2013_Wagner_Stempel_englisch.pdf
2013 Wagner-Stempel Estate Riesling barrel sample
Shows drive&kick. Solid estate Riesling.
2013 Wagner-Stempel Weißburgunder barrel sample
A little bit too sweet. Needs more time.
2012 Wagner-Stempel Siefersheimer Silvaner
Very good food-wine.
2012 Wagner-Stempel “vom Porphyr” Riesling
Cool minerality with grip and quite racy. Well-made and great QPR. BUY
90-91/100
2012 Wagner-Stempel “Heerkretz” GG Riesling
Brilliant Grand Cru Riesling Grosses Gewächs. Quite closed last august in Wiesbaden at the release. The little brother “Hölle” was more open and already singing. Impressive elegant, powerful and a lot of spice. Huge mineral body with vivid acidity and herbs notes. Huge aging-potential. BUY
94/100
2010 Wagner-Stempel “Heerkretz” GG Riesling
Typical 2010, bonedry with acidity, acidity, acidity. I love 2010. One of my favourite vintage with 2004, 2008 and 2012.
2008 Wagner-Stempel “Höllberg” GG Riesling
WOW…huge drive&kick on the palate and a wonderful iodine minerality like a sea breeze.
93/100
2007 Wagner-Stempel “Heerkretz” GG Riesling
The experienced expert Matthias Dathan/Gault Millau was crazy about this wine. Er war voll aus dem Häuschen.
Unfortunately I was preparing food, so I was not such concentrated. Anyway, great Riesling.
2002 Wagner-Stempel “Höllberg” Auslese Riesling
Very impressive juice with a hammer acidity.
View from Heerkretz to the south in april
View from Galgenberg to the Heerkretz in autumn
2013 Rings Estate Riesling barrel sample
Estate Riesling on high level. Wild and spicy. Strong BUY recommendation.
2012 Rings “Steinacker” Riesling
Great Riesling with tension and drive&kick.
2012er Rings “Weilberg” Riesling
Fine spice and lush fruit
2012 Rings “Saumagen” Riesling
A real stone wine. Fascinating clear&deep minerality. BUY
92/100
2010 Rings “Saumagen” Riesling
What a precision and brightness.
2007 Rings “Saumagen” Riesling
cork
2012 Rings “Freinsheimer” Spätburgunder
Very fine and easy-drinking.
2012 Rings “Steinacker” Spätburgunder barrel sample
Unfortunately no notes. But was very fine.
2012 Rings “Saumagen” Spätburgunder barrels sample
Unfortunately no notes. But was very fine.
2005 Rings “Das Kreuz”
Here we have a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and St. Laurent. Very ripe dark&spice perfume with tobacco, cassis and dark chocolate. On the palate quite dense with amplitude and black fruit and looong complex finish. WOW
93/100
2009 50% CS + 50% Cabernet franc
Mamma mia, this is good. Only 600 bottles.
Cheers,
Martin