On a quick day trip to Austin yesterday, I was surprised to find out at the last moment that Skurnik was presenting the 2018 Theise German portfolio for its one and only visit to Texas. Happily, still having some involvement ITB- and in particular promoting German wines locally- I was kindly allowed to attend.
The downside is that it was a travel day, and lacking advance notice I did not have time to make the appropriate physical preparations for such a tasting (which is a 2 day process for me.) So even with the customary tasting and spitting and the low alcohol content of the wines, to be completely and appropriately safe I needed to allow for a large meal and rest afterward. As a result, I had little time at the tasting itself and aside from a couple of one-offs, carefully tasted through the portfolio of one estate (Selbach-Oster) from which I routinely buy for my own cellar plus 1.5 portfolios of two other estates in close physical proximity at the tasting event. The wines of Muller-Catoir, Donnhoff and Schaefer were not presented, and my choices are in no way indicative of a lack in interest in the other producers present at the tasting, many of whose wines I know well and appreciate greatly.
Also, given that most of these were barrel samples- I am not presenting notes here where I just tasted a single wine from a given producer. That would be unfair I think- below are only where I tasted through all or most of a portfolio presented. With that said, here is my small snapshot in the hopes it is of use.
My initial reaction to the vintage after this tasting was that it was a welcome return to something very classic after the excesses of 2015, 2016 to some extent, and certainly 2017. But even so, on reflection 2018 is highly unique in its own way- and that is in the weight of the wines relative to the sweetness. I am not sure why- perhaps the lack of botrytis?- but these wines had much of the inherent sweetness of vintages like 2007 or 1989- but without the extra bit of weight that usually accompanies that sweetness. The 2018s are beautifully light in feel. They are peachy and floral. They are delightful and easy to love. The handful of 2017s present were a stark reminder of just how unwieldy and ponderous that vintage is, as well as how joyous and endearing the 2018s promise to be. The acids are moderate, perhaps a bit light, compared to the last 3 vintages- but in proper scale with the wines themselves which are also lighter than the prior 3 vintages. For the wines I tried, the acids were in proper balance- but if I were looking more broadly I would certainly have a care as I see the potential for wines out there with insufficient acids for my tastes. From what I tried- this seems a vintage that very much favors the Auslese category- but note that the lack of botrytis is translating into Auslesen that are wonderfully light in weight and feel.
Of particular note, this is a vintage where I really loved the Trocken and GG wines I tried. The ever so slight bit of sweetness they had, plus the reduced acid levels, left wines that I understand and appreciate more than usual from this end of the spectrum. I really enjoyed them and could foresee many great uses for them at table- and in ways distinct from the traditional Pradikats. And just as I had to have a 2006 Magdelaine (a very unusually precocious vintage for the wine) to finally really learn to love Magdelaine- so too may 2018 be the vintage that eases me into an appreciation of dry German Riesling. I think it safe to say I will not ever full come to enjoy some of the really big and screechy (to me) GGs that are auction darlings today, but in 2018 I plan to buy many Trocken and GG wines personally- and pay them more attention at future trade tastings.
Ratings in brackets and no parentheses to indicate maturity ranges as most of these were barrel samples. Same 5 star system I used otherwise.
A.J. Adam
2018 A.J. Adam Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett
intense nose, raw pineapple, edgy, oranges, on the palate sweetish, very tight, good length, quite promising but a rough ride today, the goods are there and this was rarely 2017ish in its unruliness, a wine I want to revisit in bottle after release as I might be greatly underestimating it [**]+
2018 A.J. Adam Dhron Hofberg Riesling Spatlese
sweet and primary nose, citrus, earth, excellent depth on the palate, pineapple, apple, orange, good racy finish with fruit nicely coating the acids [****]
2018 A.J. Adam Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese
edgy and pungent nose, pineapple, on the palate a lighter wine but with a good persistent impact, citrus, good length [***]
2018 A.J. Adam Dhron Hofberg Riesling Auslese
a fine nose with a great breadth of fruits, citrus and orchard- the full spectrum, lively mineral notes, on the palate superb impact, citrus notes, lively, sleek and elegant in its way, no botrytis- confirmed with winemaker, as with many of the greater wines today the sweet fruit nicely coated the acids on the finish of excellent length, wonderful wine [****]+
Kunstler
2016 Kunstler Pinot Noir (Spatburgunder) Dry āTraditionā
light red color, gamey nose- reminiscent of Gevrey-Chambertin, a little reduction, cherries, earth, on the palate a buttery fruit, red fruits and strong earth notes into a good long finish, light leather notes, tannins evident but in proper place, promising [***]+
2016 Kunstler Hochheimer Reichestal Pinot Noir
bright light red, cherry and plums, roasted note, walnuts, good firm tannins on the primary and undeveloped palate with a slightly buttery fruit, fine full length, quite good, not as showy as the 2017 but give it time [****]
2017 Kunstler Hochheimer Reichestal Pinot Noir
bright light red color, sensational nose, leather, dark berries, plums, firm earth, on the palate buttery with pronounced saddle and earth notes, ripe cherries, excellent length, love this [****]+
2018 Kunstler Estate Riesling Trocken
lively peach nose, inviting, hints of apple, same on the palate and lime acid notes leading into a good bright finish with moderately firm acids, a touch of sweetness [***]
2018 Kunstler Estate Riesling [Feinherb]
peach and sweet lemons, honeysuckle, on the palate a distinct note of ripe apples, quite attractive, good length with mild lime-driven acids [***]
2018 Kunstler Hochheimer Kirchenstuck Riesling Trocken
light nose, berries, orchard fruits, on the palate savory with light earth and slate notes, good long zesty lime finish, very open [***]
2018 Kunstler Hochheimer Herrnberg 1er Lage Riesling Trocken
limestone and hints of blueberry on the nose, hints of peach, good breadth and a fine balance more in the vein of the traditional Pradikats, vibrant note of white stones, good length [***]
2018 Kunstler Hochheimer Domdechaney 1er Lage Riesling Trocken
lovely ethereal nose, honeysuckle, washed pebbles, light white peach notes, fine depth and persistence, hints of blackberry, orchard fruits, very forward and again with more of a traditional Pradikat balance between the body and finish [***]+
2018 Kunstler Hochheimer Kirchenstuck Grosses Gewachs - tank sample, wine will be racked to stainless steel tanks
big step up here, orchard fruits, elegant and soft stone notes kissed with sweet fruit, on the mid-palate dark berry notes and persistent earth tones, grass notes, long and very fine finish, superb [****]+
2018 Kunstler Hochheimer Holle Grosses Gewachs
full and rich nose with noticeable sweetness, almost meaty, hints of dark berry, on the palate a huge wine, strong lemon acids leading into an intense finish, mineral and metal notes, magnificent potential and an unusually brooding and restless wine compared to other 2018s tasted today [****]+
Selbach-Oster
2018 Selbach-Oster Pinot Blanc
cat urine and violets on the nose, refreshing light wine on the palate, good length and a bit racy, great summer wine [***]
2018 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken
light nose, peach and sweet limes, on the palate slightly sweet, deft lemon and lime acids, hints of orchard, good length [***]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Bomer Riesling Trocken
dark citrus, blood orange, gravel notes throughout, on the palate peaches, wonderfully inviting, earth notes, fine depth, good persistence on the fragrant finish, noteworthy [****]
2018 J&H Selbach Riesling āTraditionā Kabinett Feinherb - from a new line (negociant I believe from how I read the catalogue)
sweetish nose, peaches and pears, on the palate a sweet but classically-styled fruit pounces quite nicely onto the palate, white cherries, peaches, stones, pear, very good length [***]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken
sweet peach and blueberry nose, limestone, lime and orchard fruits on the palate, good weight on the palate, classic finish with acids on the softer side [***]
2018 Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst āAlte Rebenā Riesling Spatlese Feinherb
peach and pear nose, classic beauty on the palate, peaches, white cherry, pears, fine length with good firm acids [***]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett
dark fruit tones on the nose, peaches, apples, good breadth, lovely cuddly fruit with a vivacious impact, fine depth, peaches, cherries, lime tones on the acids [***]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
sweet nose, keystone peaches, red cherry, berries, on the palate more Spatlese in feel than Kabinett, lovely and vibrant, a particularly elegant long finish with just a hint of honey over the finishing acids [***]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese
sweetish nose of apples, peaches and white cherry, beeswax, blueberry, marvelously good on the deft palate, sweet and ripe fruit- yet wonderfully light and elegant, great depth and fine length, and where the Kabinett presented was on the sweet side- this is comfortably and classically Spatlese, good firm acids lightly coated by the fruit [****]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese *
in a decidedly classic, genteel and inviting vintage this manages to be a real standout while retaining all of those qualities, soaring and undeveloped primary nose, beeswax, blood orange, on the palate nothing short of spectacular, ethereal and elegant in feel but with a remarkable persistence and depth of primary flavors just as primary and undeveloped as those on the beautiful aromatics, all delicately sweetened throughout, blueberry notes, acids more prominent here and in line with the great promise this wine holds for the future, in the fullness of time it will be the epitome of succulence I dare imagine, a magnificent Spatlese and- happily in my view- one that will be bottled under cork [*****]
2018 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
heavenly nose with blueberries and rounded stones, on the palate beautifully sweet while almost weightless, primary and undeveloped but overall very inviting, markedly floral, long and luscious finish- the sweet fruit burying the acid finish almost completely, early days for this and I have very high hopes [****]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese
peach stones and blueberry on the nose, red fruits, this one has a more traditionally honeyed and textured body to it as Auslesen go, but still the sweetness is in proper balance, very primary on the palate- deceptively approachable but with much yet to come, great length [****]+
2018 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich 'Anrecht" Riesling Auslese
fiery nose of orange and peaches, sunny, sweet, on the palate magnificent with a very pure essence of oranges, it is not an unusual quality in Riesling- but rare to see it so purely presented, joyous and almost hedonistic- yet with the light feel of the vintage to keep all in proper balance, honey tones but without the weight of what I would call āhoneyed fruitā in most vintages at this level of sweetness, a truly beautiful wine [*****]