If you could go back in time and collect one German riesling consistently over the years...?

[Peter_Kleban]

. . .
WsOTY:
Felettig Morey St. Denis VV '14
Felettig Chamb-Mus VV '14
Pépière Muscadet Briords '09
Volpaia Chianti Class '18
Lignier Morey St Denis 1er Ormes '14
Collestefano Verdicchio di M '19
Pépière Muscadet Briords '19
Bêcheur PN '14
Virage '07
Ampeau Volnay 1er Santenots '99

I see that you liked the '19 Briords, Peter. Please tell us more . . . TN?

Nothing to do with Riesling, but sure, since you asked

• 2019 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Vieilles Vignes Briords - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (9/11/2020)

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Lemon and chalk, citrus and mineral, lots of other structure and flavors. Light and delicate, but somehow robust all the same. This is just wonderful. Impeccable balance and great length. Played beautifully with crab cakes and orzo salad. The next day a bit was left which I drank at room temperature, just to see how it would taste. The palate was even more pronounced, only downsize was that being warm it was less refreshing.
11/8/20
Consistent

Posted from CellarTracker

[Dav3_Dyr0ff]

“If you could go back in time and collect one German riesling consistently over the years…?”

Yes! Yes, I would. Way back.

[Alan_Rath]

So for the dry wines, if you’re excluding Keller, it has to be Breuer, right? Haven’t fallen in love with the Nonnenberg, but the Berg wines? Wow.
A

I used to drink Donnhoff’s Felsenberg Trocken whenever I saw it when traveling in Europe. It wasn’t easy to find here in the states, but a really nice wine. Of course, now it’s pretty available as the GG, at twice the price.

[maureen_nelson]

And I would make sure I never wasted a dollar on Cristoffel. Don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a bottle, at any sweetness level. Just not for me.

Really? The 2001s are so spectacular. I bought almost three cases, still have 14 and wish I had bought more.

[Jayson_Cohen]

For off-dry and sweet, I’m with David. I would have loaded up on Schwarz-era Muller-Catoir sweet and halbtrocken so that I wouldn’t have reached today’s state of affairs. I’m down to very few bottles. I would have focused on 1988-1990, 1993s to 1998s, and 2001. That’s a call that is really hindsight because I bought and drank so many in the moment and over the years until supply became scarce, and it’s not enough. (An aside, but this would have included buying more Scheurebe as well.) We could start listing vineyards but if forced to chose one, it’s probably Haardter Burgergarten.

Another obvious choice for me is J-J Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten from Hans Leo before his retirement after the 2001 vintage at all Pradikat levels.

For a grower family with continuity, I can’t say a Prum or Schaefer wine except to say I blew it on 2001 Prum and I started buying Schaefer consistently a little later than I would have liked. So I’d say Reinhold Haart Goldtropfchen Spatlese. After tasting the 2001 a couple years ago, the only vintage I ever bought on release, I wish I had bought a few of those every year.

One last thought on sweet wines. I would have more systematically tracked down numbered cask Auslesen from von Schubert.

On the dry side, I’m not sure. I’m still learning to appreciate dry German wines, especially those grown on slate. If you exclude Keller, I may have bought more Hermannshohle Trocken / GG from Donnhoff or Schafer-Frolich Felsenberg once Tim came on the scene. (I have plenty of Donnhoff sweet wines.) Back in the day, it was not easy to find dry German wines systematically at retail in the US.

This is something I’ll be focusing on in the future.

Crazy good, both Herrenberg and Abtsberg.

[maureen_nelson]

I wish I had bought more 1990 Merkelbach UW auslesen and spatlesen. I am down to my last auslesen.

[Kirk.Grant]

Yeah yeah, I know I’m ripping off the Bordeaux thread. Out of boredom and curiosity, thought I’d ask the veteran German wine geeks here the same question but with a twist.

If you could go back in time and collect one German riesling of each style (dry, off-dry, sweet), year after year, what would they be? Can answer for any or all three. Excluding wines that have gained a cult following and are highly allocated (Keller GGs, Egon Muller, etc).

Given that the Keller GG’s account for more than 50% of the German wine I own, I’m going to say that’s my answer. If I can’t have Keller then I’d choose Wittmann GG’s.

[Kris_Patten]

I wish I had cases of Prum WS Spatlese and Donnhoff OL Kabinett as far back as vintages can go.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

And I would make sure I never wasted a dollar on Cristoffel. Don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a bottle, at any sweetness level. Just not for me.

Really? The 2001s are so spectacular. I bought almost three cases, still have 14 and wish I had bought more.

Yes, really. I can’t remember if I’ve had any '01s, but know for sure I’ve been left completely cold by every bottle I’ve bought and every taste I’ve been given at dinners, including aged examples. Jonathan doesn’t like them either.

[Greg_K]

Schaefer-Frohlich GGs, particularly the Felseneck.

[Howard_Cooper]

I wish I had bought more 1990 Merkelbach UW auslesen and spatlesen. I am down to my last auslesen.

You have great patience. Mine are long gone.

[Howard_Cooper]

I wish I had cases of Prum WS Spatlese and Donnhoff OL Kabinett as far back as vintages can go.

My oldest Donnhoff left is one bottle of 1990 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese and my oldest Prum is one bottle of 1993 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, I do have a bunch of Prums that are 15 years old or more.

[David_Bu3ker]

And I would make sure I never wasted a dollar on Cristoffel. Don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a bottle, at any sweetness level. Just not for me.

Really? The 2001s are so spectacular. I bought almost three cases, still have 14 and wish I had bought more.

The last year I really loved the wines. After that there were a few good bottlings here and there. Now the estate is just trash. So sad. Just under 2 cases left, and going fast!

[Pat_Martin]

I would have stockpiled Riesling made by Hans Gunter Schwarz at Muller-Catoir.

Me too, love those pre-2002 Muller-Catoir.

And in general more bottles form 1990 and 1996 (and 1971 and 1976 and 1983!).

But overall, I haven’t found German Riesling hard to backfill — I was still reloading on 2001s in 2012 or later even at release pricing. But maybe this is starting to change, that prices are escalating?

[Pat_Martin]

And I would make sure I never wasted a dollar on Cristoffel. Don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a bottle, at any sweetness level. Just not for me.

Really? The 2001s are so spectacular. I bought almost three cases, still have 14 and wish I had bought more.

The last year I really loved the wines. After that there were a few good bottlings here and there. Now the estate is just trash. So sad. Just under 2 cases left, and going fast!

I liked the 02 Christoffels as well. They’re no 2001 but still quite delicious. And at least through the 2008 vintage (I stopped paying attention pretty much thereafter), I didn’t notice the good critics like Schildknecht bombing on Christoffel or anything.

[Todd_Tucker]

In Berserker fashion, I will abandon the OP’s rule of one:

Willi Schaefer Domprobst Kabinett
JJP W-Sonnenuhr Kabinett

Higher Pradikat:

JJP W-S GKA
I also very much like David’s HGS era Muller Catoir idea

The one I did not collect enough of and wish I did: Tim Frohlich’s Felseneck from Kabinett up to GKA. Truly privileged earth and terrific winemaking.

[David_Bu3ker]

Really? The 2001s are so spectacular. I bought almost three cases, still have 14 and wish I had bought more.

The last year I really loved the wines. After that there were a few good bottlings here and there. Now the estate is just trash. So sad. Just under 2 cases left, and going fast!

I liked the 02 Christoffels as well. They’re no 2001 but still quite delicious. And at least through the 2008 vintage (I stopped paying attention pretty much thereafter), I didn’t notice the good critics like Schildknecht bombing on Christoffel or anything.

Through about 2012 was applicable to my “here and there” assessment. Since then the wines are just lifeless.

[J_Rock]

Back in the day, it was not easy to find dry German wines systematically at retail in the US.

Where do you find this now? Which retailer?

Thanks!

I love Sonora, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a huge wine shop there I think Wine House, KL Wines, JJ Buckley all have great Riesling selections, and Woodland Hills Wine Company often has some great stuff too.

[Nate_M]

Back in the day, it was not easy to find dry German wines systematically at retail in the US.

Where do you find this now? Which retailer?

Thanks!

I love Sonora, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a huge wine shop there I think Wine House, KL Wines, JJ Buckley all have great Riesling selections, and Woodland Hills Wine Company often has some great stuff too.

J Rock! Reach out if you ever visit up here!

[Blake_Brown]

Weingut Max Ferd Richter Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Mosel