Terry Theise’s 2018 Germany Vintage Report

Is out. Seems to be low acid, low botrytis, but hard to glean much else from it. Anyone with first-hand experience?

https://www.skurnik.com/terry-theises-2018-germany-vintage-report/

Haven’t tasted yet. Still a couple of months out.

Acid seems to be the great divider these days. Some folks want to have battery cables attached to their glass.

I want the acid to be in balance with the rest of the wine. We’ll see where these stand in time.

Agree with you. I used to think if acidity was good, more was better. I know better now. And with a cellar full of 2012s and 2015s, I’d like something a little easier-going (like 2016, which I didn’t buy enough of). With that said, I am not really looking for overt opulence either, so it’s all a matter of balance.

“It’s all a matter of balance” is the truth. Of course we all have different balance points.

I like acidity in my German wines. For example, I have really liked vintages like 1990, 2010, etc. I think a lot depends on whether you are drinking dry German wines (which you may need lower acidity because there is no residual sugar to balance the acidity) or more traditional German wines that have a wonderful balance of sweetness and acidity. Too many wines from vintages like 2011 and 2016 taste pretty flabby to me.

Always better to taste (and certainly form opinions) in September than April.

I used to like acidity more than anything in my rieslings. Nowadays for me clean fruit is more important than anything. Generally I like 12, and even 09, better than 10 for that reason. Well, the question was 2018. I did a day of grape picking in Germany in 18. It was the cleanest fruit I ever have seen. I can’t imagine it is possible to go wrong. I have not tasted that much from bottle, but acids are not high, although the fruit is nowhere as ripe as for example 2003. Fruit will probaby mostly be perfect and the cooler sites will gain from giving some freshness.

I will buy folks’ unwanted '10s and '15s.

You misinterpret…I may prefer vintages like '01, '12, etc., but even more I love surfing the variations that vintages give, high acid or low acid. Every vintage has wines that find a balance point. It would be boring if they were all the same, or even all similar.

Yep. And nobody needs another 2010.

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COULD SOMEONE PLEASE PAGE A RIESLING EXPERT

Definitely agree with your last statement. The difficulty I’ve found (with Riesling, as well as some other grapes) is that I often find the more “balanced” wines boring — not always, but often enough that these are varietals where I tend to stick to a particular style or two, rather than have an assortment. … my comment about buying folks’ unwanted '10s and '15s was a bit TIC, but mostly genuine — I seriously will have that conversation with anyone who has some that they wish they didn’t have.

Then do you really like Riesling, or do you just like acidic wine?

Not meant as an insult, just an observation.

That’s interesting, as I find the two vintages to be almost polar opposites. I loved 10, but I don’t care for 15 much at all.

2015 has some issues. What’s good is very good, but there is a lot of disjointed wine.

Too acidic, or something else?

2010 was higher acid, sleeker wines, particular Spatlese and below. 2015 was a very warm, rich vintage. I guess I don’t see them being that similar.

2015 has a lot of acidity. Unfortunately in a lot of cases it sticks out at odd angles.

That could be, I stopped sampling the wines after a dozen or so, just too ripe and rich for me.

That’s surprising, Alan. Both '10 and '15 are vintages of high ripeness and high acidity, though I think '10 is higher in both. I find '15 to be much more consistent and balanced.