TN: Four German Rieslings...(short/boring)

SteveCostigan’s tasting swan song was last night & we tasted four German Rieslings:

  1. J.J.Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese (8.5%) 2005: Pale gold color; slight pungent petrol/Mosel valve oil fairly strong mango/R bit complex still youthful nose; quite tart slightly sweet light Mosel valve oil/petrol fairly strong mango/R bit complex slight steely flavor; very long/lingering tart lithe strong R/mango/pineapple light petrol/Mosel valve oil finish; starting to show some secondary characteristics but still quite youthful and needs another 6-10 yrs, maybe longer; a classic JJPrum thoroughbred.

  1. Weingart Bopparder Hamm Feyuerlay Riesling Mittlerhein Spatlese (8%) 2009: Med.gold color; rather mineral/steely some R/mango slight flinty attractive nose; off-dry strong mango/R fairly tart bit simple flavor; very long rather R/mango/steely/flinty not very nunanced finish; still seems pretty primary/youthful and needs another 10 yrs.

  1. Dr.Loosen Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese (7.5%) Mosel 2004: Light gold color; some pineapple/R/mango no botrytis rather primary nose w/ little Mosel character; tart very strong R/pineapple/ripe/mango fairly sweet very slight Mosel valve oil very primary/undeveloped flavor; very long very strong fairly tart R/pineapple/mango slight Mosel finish; still seems pretty primary w/o much evolution nor Mosel character; still needs more age.

  1. Heinz Eifel Eiswein Rheinhessen (9.0%; Winesellers/Niles/IL) Winemaker: Anne Eifel-Spohr; S&B by Romerhof/Trittenheim 2009: Dee4p golden/burnished bronze/near PX color; strong passito/grapey/honeyed bit LateHrvst/R bit very sweet cedary some complex nose; quite tart/tangy quite rich/lush intense grapey/passito bit earthy/cedary fairly LH/R rather complex flavor w/ no oxidation; very long/lingering cedary/honeyed/orangey strong LH/R quite passito/grapey some complex finish; shows none of that funky character you sometimes get in Eisweins that have been left out in the elements for a long time; very intense passito/grapey Eiswein that should go out 20 yrs.

More biddlesproken from The BloodyPulpit:

  1. The Weingart was not a producer w/ whom I’d ever had any experience. Liked the wine quite a lot.
    Steve will be moving to WashState on the Strait at end of July. We will miss him at our tastings and especially sharing his passion for Sauternes.
    Tom