4 2015 German Kabinetts and Spatlesen; 2 Auslesen

Last night, we had a Keller Limestone Kabinett, a Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett, a Maxmin Grunhauser Abtsberg Spatlese and a JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese. We also had a Molitor Saarburger Rausch Auslese and a Willi Schaeffer Graacher Himmelreich goldkap auslese.

All of these German wines were really excellent, showing the strengths of the 2015 vintage. I esp. enjoyed the Schloss Lieser Kabinett, the Abtsberg Spatlese and the Molitor Auslese. These 3 wines were really wide open and just singing. The Prum and Schaeffer were a bit closed and may do better if we do this tasting again in 5-10 years (as excellent idea). The Keller was also excellent and maybe would have shown better if paired with other wines from the Rheinhessen than with a bunch of MSR wines.

When I first started buying German wines, Grunhaus was considered a really top producer. Over time, they became less seen, possibly because of poorer distribution in the US but also I heard from others that they had slipped a bit (I did not really see this in the wines I had). But, their wines in the latest two “great” vintages (2015 and 2019) are really outstanding. If you like German wines and are not buying these wines, rectify that.

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Good stuff, Howard. Thanks.

Nice notes and information, Howard. Thanks for posting them.

Ed

[quote=“Howard Cooper” post_id=3307142 time=1627644939 user_id=2567

When I first started buying German wines, Grunhaus was considered a really top producer. Over time, they became less seen, possibly because of poorer distribution in the US but also I heard from others that they had slipped a bit (I did not really see this in the wines I had). But, their wines in the latest two “great” vintages (2015 and 2019) are really outstanding. If you like German wines and are not buying these wines, rectify that.
[/quote]

Howard, FWIW - my own experience with VSMG started with the 15’s (or an 06 Herrenberg Auslese Nr. 49) and I was instantly hooked - and have been buying something from every vintage ever since. Also, the 17 Abtsberg GG is one the better dry Rieslings that I have had from the Mosel.

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Thanks for the notes Howard. 2015 was my wedding anniversary but I’ve been reluctant to open some of mine due to concern they may have a more prolonged muted phase than other vintages (I think Egon Muller compared to 1990). Glad to see these were showing well. I have a good stash of 2015s from Von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser, JJ Prum, and Willi Schaefer, among others, but may continue to add more (especially the numbered cask auslesen from Von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser, if I could find them).

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Nice lineup! I love Lieser’s BJ Kabs

Brian,

Why am I not surprised that you were married in 2015. [dance-clap.gif] Did you have a child in 2019? Would not be shocked if you told me you were born in 1990. champagne.gif

Just a fabulous wine. Really impressive.

No kids. Born in 1987 :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Interesting. My kids were born in 1986 and 1988.

Better vintages for sure


We were married in 1982!!!

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Excellent tasting, thanks for the notes Howard. I too have been hesitant to pull my '15s out of storage, but perhaps I shouldn’t be so afraid. My general experience with these type of wines is that they have the potential to be excellent at nearly any stage of their lives.

Agreed. I brought the Grunhaus to our monthly wine group tastings and others brought the other wines (we also had a bunch of very good Volnays - I brought a 2006 Lafon Volnay Santenots). So, for the “cost” of one bottle, I got a very good update on where the vintage is at. Frankly, the Grunhaus, Schloss Lieser, Molitor and Keller can be drunk really nicely right now. They don’t have the complexity they will have but have gone through the initial “grapey” phase and taste like real wines.

The Prum and Schaeffer just beg to be held, which is not at all unusual for these two producers. Very concentrated wines, just not currently as friendly as the others, although I am sure either of them would have been really good drunk on their own.

Schaefer also begs lose an “f” please.

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Reading between the lines of David Schildknecht’s long producer essays and Joel Payne’s earlier summaries, Grunhaus suffered through a long transition period after its long-time cellarmaster retired sometime in the late 1990s. David also suggests that Grunhaus has been adjusting the style to better suit the warmer weather. From his 2016 producer introduction (for the 2014 vintage), David writes, “Whether or not the sort of delicate, sharply etched wines that typified Grünhaus Kabinett or Spätlese (irrespective of sweetness or its absence) two and more decades ago is even possible under today’s climatic conditions, the fact is that Grünhaus Rieslings are becoming not only riper but texturally richer and plusher, reflecting increased lees contact. And a move away from the pressure tanks that long remained an unusual feature of this cellar and toward smaller stainless steel or occasionally wooden fermentation vessels has diminished the influence of CO2 and the persistence of fermentative aromas as well as the degree of reductive tension that characterized wines under Heinrich’s [the prior cellarmaster] regime.” It may also be relevant that the son took over from his father in 2015 or so.

In any event, quality seems to be improving, although the style may be different than the wines Howard referred to in the OP.

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"Interesting. My kids were born in 1986 and 1988. "
Mine 1987 and 1989… Second wine sorry child was wine luckier than my daughter

My wife was 1989 as well.

1989 is wedding year here.

It is great to see a new generation of wine lovers on this board. I certainly don’t know the ages of everyone here, but between you, Michael Chang and William Kelley (and others) there is some really top end talent in your generation. [cheers.gif]