2001 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (5/9/2019)
If you have this, drink it. We’re into late middle age, and it’s turning into generic “nice old Riesling.” That’s fast evolution for purchased on release and properly stored 2001 German Riesling, but Loosen has never made the most age worthy wines IMO.
Posted from CellarTracker
I had a bottle of 1961 UW Kabinett with Ernie years ago, so his family has made age-worthy wines. I still have mags of Spätlese and Kabinett from the 00’s I’ll have to give a run and see if have same issue.
Thanks for note David.
I don’t have a lot of experience with their wines. Why do you think that is?
I don’t know. I do think the Loosen is one of those trying to do too much with too many sites, but I can’t pinpoint a reason.
As for a 1961, that was a completely different cellar regimen. Ernie cleared out all the old stuff in 1988 or 1989 (per David Schildknecht).
This was 2006 or 7 that we were drinking them at Ernie’s house in Bernkastel.
If I remember correctly I think in the 00s winemaking started using less sulfur because prior there was so much the wines weren’t aging, they just existed in a static sort of state.
I could be misremembering though.
That would be consistent with the general trend.
Thanks for the tip. I don’t have any UW Spat, but I do have several bottles of '01 Erdener Treppchen Spat. Think I’ll pull one out and put in the drinking queue. Also, '01 Graacher Himmelreich “Stablay”, but that wine has always been an ager, even in years like '99.
Before the Loosen Bros. operation started up, I purchased from the local importer. I got them for dirt cheap. Still have a couple of bottles of '01 UW Auction Spat. that I bought when the transfer happened. Erni didn’t care much about getting tiny lots back so those were sold to me for $18 (along with bottles of '97 and '98 UW Auction Spat).
I can still get FOB prices on Loosen (a close friend is a higher-up sales manager for Loosen Bros), but I have enough more recent vintages (2004-8, except 06). Those have been drinking fine.
Check in on that UW Auction Spatlese. I bought a bunch on release, and they were all DOA, cooked.
I drank one 2-3 years ago and it was painfully young. When did you open yours?
I haven’t had any old Dr. Loosen. How does it compare to older Willi Schaefer and Fritz Haag?
It’s not nearly as good.
Last one was two years ago. Like I said, cooked.
I happen to really like Loosen young but I agree with david that the 01s have not aged well. The ET spatlese, purchased pre-arrival from Woodland Hills in the fall of 02 and properly stored, was delicious in 2011 - but a bottle opened last october was OTH - something I very rarely say - and dumped. The last time I opened a UW spatlese was 4.5 years ago and it was fine. The UW gka was ok with lots of air 9/17 but not great. The WS gka opened the same day (in the presence of Ernie I might add) was only slightly better and both were nowhere near where they should be. Haven’t had the UW auction spatlese for 8 years so who knows…
These wines were so delicious young that i bought a ton and drank many young. But they can’t hold a candle now to 01s from my cellar from Selbach, Haag, Schaefer and Christoffel.
Count me with Maureen & David on Loosen’s 01s:
2001 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/07/2018)
{375ml, cork, 7.5%, AP 37 02} Much better than the last bottle. Still fully mature; there’s little botrytis evident, instead it has a honeyed richness, fading somewhat, not much beyond off-dry quite honestly, and rather simple. Mostly, the finish disappears very fast. It’s still pleasant while it lasts but not worth seeking out. You wouldn’t convince anyone of the merits of cellaring riesling on the basis of this.
2001 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (25/11/2016)
{375ml, cork, 7.5%, AP 37 02} Very dark yellow. Too dark. Pleasant, lightly sherried aroma of honey and nuts. Slightly candied. The palate is clearly oxidised; not too badly to kill the flavours, which are just off-dry and a bit caramelised but rather simple, but certainly enough to kill the finish, which is now desperately short. A disappointment, but is it typical? One bottle left; I’m not hopeful…
Thanks for the notes, but your bottles were 375s so that has to be taken into account.
Just opened my first bottle of '01 ET Spatlese. It’s not over the hill by any means, but I’ll drink my remaining 3 bottles much sooner than later. It’s not out of balance which is a good sign. Not a great wine, but certainly very good. Next up will be '01 GH Spat “Stablay”. I’ve had a few vintages of that wine and IMO, it’s easily Loosen’s best Kab and Spat. I’ve generally found the acidity to be electric. 2005 Kab out of 375s is drinking well currently. At the time I bought this from my friend, the only place it was available for sale in the US was at The French Laundry. That and the Spat were only bottled in 375s for them. At the time, my friend told me to not post tasting notes, but I figure the statute of limitations has run out. I bought a 12 pack of each of those wines.
Opened one of these last night, expecting to need to replace it and lo and behold it was delicious!
I bought 5 bottles of the Spatlese GK Auction bottling this year. Drank 2 of them and they were superb.
Light honey color. My previous note still applies: nose of butterscotch, honey, beeswax and hibiscus. Palate is rich, but crisp with apples, clover honey, toasted caramel. Finish with a lovely tartness of underripe pineapple. But the end of this bottle was left lingering for 3 hours. With more air time and warming to room temperature, the luscious and lingering finish appeared. Turns out this wine needs air to show its depth and class. Different style than Prum, but no less sexy and stunning. 96 pts.
Bet yours did not come from Dee Vine.
The, essentially monopole, plot they call Stablay is really special, I took over that FL label for Wild Ginger in Seattle and had it bottled in 375ml, 750ml, and 1.5L.