Parsing through my notes, I note that a 2002 Brand Riesling and a 2001 Goldert Muscat both showed for me as flawed wines recently. Anyone with thoughts as to whether there are some of the portfolio that seem to be turning up problematic? A 1997 Clos Windsbuhl Gewurtz last year was very solid and a 2001 Heimbourg de Turckheim Gewurtz a couple of years ago was stunning and in my WOTY list last year. Appreciate any input, thanks everyone.
Maluhia,
Mike
Mike,
We had a flawed 2002 Z-H Brand Riesling 5 years ago out of 375ml. More recently, we drank a very good 750ml bottle of the same wine. Both purchased at same time (release) from same source.
Regards,
Peter
Some bottles have what appears to be premox 
Haven’t had any bad bottles, although I don’t buy the Rieslings and Muscats and don’t generally age them as long as you do (have been drinking mostly 2005’s and 2007’s recently). The 2001 and 2002 Rangen Pinot Gris have been good, although the latter was a deep gold color. 1998 Gewurztraminer Rangen VT, also golden, was excellent earlier this year.
OK, thanks guys for the responses so far. The 01 Muscat was particularly distressing (“shrill” is the adjective I’d use) because it was such a tremendous year in Alsace (at least for my tastes).
What were the flaws you encountered? Shrill sounds like it could just be a matter of taste, but I don’t want to assume.
Many of the folks in the European distribution channel simply weren’t prepared for the summer of 2003 - a whole lotta wine sat in non-air-conditioned warehouses that summer.
And it would have taken them years of HVAC work to have been prepared - it’s not the sort of infrastructure which all the participants in an entire industry can simultaneously throw together overnight.
In retrospect, I often wonder whether that’s what happened to much of the Theise/Skurnik shipment of 2002 German wines - whether those Rieslings might have been sitting for several weeks in some ancient warehouse which became an oven in the summer of 2003?
Maybe also the 2002 Huets?
Point being that many 2002 European white wines were likely bottled & boxed & palleted & cargo-containered & shoved into the distribution channel by, say, August of 2003.
I’ve had pretty good luck with them…will say that their general tendency towards heavy extract gives them a pretty dark golden hue which can be mistaken for oxidation but I’ve only had one from the early 2000s that was a bit over the hill.
They’re definitely not for everyone (pretty much the other end of the spectrum from the current rage for GG and trocken Riesling) but I enjoy them occasionally with Sichuan or Indian food and buy older bottles when I come across them.
Hard to completely put my finger on, Rory—other than it was so atypical for ZH. Over-lean? tasted “stripped”. I don’t think oxidation was a factor, though that comes in any guises. But it was missing the harmony, elegance, depth I’ve experienced in many/most 01s. Thanks, hope that helps.
Mike
I have had the premox issue with various aged “dry” ZHs over the years, though I can’t ever recall it in a VT or SGN.
But when they are on they sure are terrific.