Brief tasting impressions.
I was the organizer and everyone from my group secretly nominated a set of wines by email from which I chose one or two to complement the line up based on the theme I had constructed. Idea was to compare the producers against each other in Brackets 1,2 and 4. And then to compare the vintages, keeping the producers constant, in Brackets 3, 6, and 7.
So I knew all the wines but each individual knew only their own wines. So it was more or less a completely blind tasting for rest of the group.
I don’t drink a lot of dry German Rieslings so the first two brackets were interesting. Unfortunately, the wine I was looking so forward to drinking – Keller - was corked. Damn. My most favourite of the line up was the Robert Weil. It had great mouth feel and balance. Whitmann was also interesting but it looked more austere and a bit ungenerous at the moment. May be with time it might flesh out. Catoir was nice but not very exciting.
If there was a theme that emerged from the tasting –it was – that the 2005 was a great vintage in Germany.
The 2005 Egon Muller was a classic. Shows why he is revered and also the potential of the Scharzhofberger vineyard. 2005 had amazing balance and finesse. There is tendency to overlook and down point a Kabinett compared to a Spatlese or Auslese and this tasting shows that is a folly. Based on that tasting (and previous experience with this wine) it would be go to Kabinett any day.
The 2007 Egon Muller in comparison looked a more flabby and less focused.
1996 Langwerth while interesting to drink but it looked more prematurely aged. It had a deep yellow colour and was losing its zip. 1999 Kunstler was ultra fresh and vibrant in comparison but it lacked complexity and depth, especially when you compared it to the JJ Prums that followed.
The 2007 and 2008 Reinhold Haart came from the fabled Piesport Goldtropfchen vineyard. But there could not be two wines from the same producer that looked so different. 2007 a rich wine and was ultra forward and a drink now proposition whereas 2008 looked as clear as water with much less overt fruit character and a tingling spine of acidity. Razor sharp. Depends on the style you favour and the the time you want to drink the wines in its trajectory.
The JJ Prums stole the show, especially the 2005s. Both the Auslese were from Wehlener Sonnenuhr. The 2005 Prums which were opened a day earlier, as per my instructions, to blow off the sulphur. 2005 Auslese was also double decanted. The intensity of fruit and the poise on both the 2005 Spatlese and Auslese was remarkable. The palate was super long and the finish is totally cleansing. Clearly, the Auslese did have a step up in intensity but the balance on both was equallu good. The 2007 while excellent was not in the same league. It was only opened 30 mins before the tasting and thus had sulphur still showing which detracted a bit. Also, the 2007 vintage effect showed.
1976 Lenz was fully developed. It had exotic nose and palate with lychee and cumquat and also a complex aged character thrown in the mix. Would have a bit more enjoyable if it had some more freshness and liveliness to the palate.
1976 Niederthaler … was even more developed than the Lenz and a bit tiring. Bit past its peak and on a gradual decline. Was interesting to taste it as a curiosity rather than simply on its merit.
1973 Richter BA Eiswein was procured as an aged release from MF Richters cellar where it had been impeccably stored until 2004. I purchased three bottles and this was my last. All have been nothing short of sensational. They have the intensity of a BA and the freshness of the Eiswein merged together in a seamless package. It’s still very pale yellow in colour. The purity of fruit and the complexity is beyond description.