TN: 2007 Josef Leitz - Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling

WINE TALK
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2007 Josef Leitz - Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg - Riesling - Spätlese (Germany, Rheingau)

3/16/2009
– decanted immediately before first taste –
– tasted non-blind over two days –

NOSE: sweet bouquet seems very tight right now; a complex melange of petrol, smoke, lemon oil, and cinnamon are intermingled with medium botrytis spice; I could imagine this being otherworldly with some age on it.

BODY: a bit spritzy; golden yellow color of moderate depth; medium bodied.

TASTE: minerals; hint of clove; light-handed ripe pear/lychee flavor; hint of secondary butterscotch; lightly spicy; very fine balance – sweet, but appropriate amount of acidity brings it back to center – not fat; very very tight; short finish (15-20 sec.); super easy drinking; a “true” Spatlese; Drinks closer to a score of “88” today, but I give it a “91” on account of potential for massive improvement in the cellar. Hold.

B: 50, 4, 12, 16, 9 = 91

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NOSE: Day 1: candied florals and white sugar; tight to moderately expressive; hint of botrytis spice; honeysuckle. Day 2: opening a bit, sugar mellowing. Day 3: opening a lot, getting more into ripe tropical fruits with the botrytis coming out a bit more.

BODY: golden yellow color; medium-full bodied; spritzy on Days 1 & 2.

TASTE: Day 1: zingy; sandalwood; hints of botrytis and honey; hint of lime; not complex/hiding complexities right now; 7.5% alc.; short finish (20-25 sec.). Day 2: not as zingy as Day 1; opening a bit. Day 3: much smoother; opened-up a lot. In serious need of cellar time. Wait 10 years.

B: 50, 4, 12, 16, 8 = (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks for the note Brian.

I can’t wait 10 years & risk losing my Baby-Killer moniker, though. [wink.gif]

Love the Leitz wines. Have never been less than happy with any of their Pradikatswein juice.
They’re a go-to producer for me & a bottle of the Magdalenenkreuz Spatlese is almost always in the fridge just because. LOL

Cheers!
[drinks.gif]

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I’m a big fan of the Leitz rieslings I’ve had, although the young ones tend to show very very tight unless they’re kept open for a while. A Magda that I had recently also showed its best after being open for a few days (see note below).

NOSE: pretty straightforward tropical aromas, along with some minerals (hinting at petrol) in the background; an earthy element that I can only describe as sandy is there too.

BODY: pale golden yellow color; medium to medium-full bodied.

TASTE: not nearly as sugary on Day 4 as it was on Days 1 and 2: petrol coming into the picture now; pear; on Day 4 this comes across as a true Spat., whereas Days 1 and 2 were leaning more towards Auslese; very nice length; not terribly complex right now, but the fact that this improved over 4 days leads me to believe this will develop nuance with bottle age. 8% alc… A great wine for the price, if you’re willing to give it tons of air or cellar time.

B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Leitz is constantly under-rated for some reason. Could it be because they push their non-Pradikat bottlings like the Dragonstone a bit too hard?

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Could be. The Dragonstone is the only Leitz I’ve had that I was NOT impressed with. Lots of other people seem to like it though. [scratch.gif]

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Have to partially agree. Tried my first Dragonstone last week (the 2008). Took a while to open up, but was a nice wine little wine, but blurred by the sugar addition, as wines almost invariably are.
I’d put it above Loosen’s Dr. L., but for me a couple bucks more buys a Magdalenenkreuz. No contest.
[basic-smile.gif]

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around here the Dragonstone is around $16-$18; for that price I can find myself any number of quality Spatlesen

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2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Rheingau (4/12/2021)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 3.5 hours –
– AP #: … 019 08 –

NOSE: medium-strong petrol; stone fruit (white peach); hint of honey; typical moderately-aged Riesling aromas.

BODY: amber color; medium-full bodied.

TASTE: medium to medium+ acidity; moderately aged; very nice, but not stunning; proper Spatlese — perhaps even starting to dry out a bit; orange; a bit zippy; pleasant underlying mineral note. This always has been, and probably always will be, more understated than it is brash. Drink or Hold.

50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = (91 pts.)

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It’s certainly consistent.

I have a few 2007 Leitz bottles hanging around. Will dig some out, perhaps this fall.

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Doubt you’d regret that move, if you do, David. I’d guess this wine to be a bit more in your wheelhouse than it is mine.

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I don’t have the Schlossberg, but I do have the Roseneck Spatlese. Also have a few high end dry wines from Leitz in 2007.

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Has Josef Leitz stopped exporting to US? Used to get them at K&L amount other shops in the Bay Area but haven’t seen them in a few years.

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Importer is Schatzi. Distribution is miserable.

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Having a Leitz tonight with some age, so good…,

2002 Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Spätlese
Wow, this is good. Electric bouquet that reminds me of an 01 with all its intensity and minerality. This is just packed and stacked with fresh ginger, lemon zest, waves of citric brightness, and a mouthfeel that bristles with tongue-tingling energy. The sweetness and layered unctuousness this displays barely register behind all the brightness and dry extract. The finish is wonderful, lingering on and on like a ginger and honey tonic. 94 pts.

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Klosterlay! Still fondly recall the 2001 Klosterlay QbA that was $7.99 when it was released. Such good stuff.

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I didn’t get those quite so inexpensively, but even at the $10-$11 I recall paying, one of the all-time great values plays I’ve made.

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Bigger discounts when you buy 64 cases of 2001s from the same retailer. :rofl:

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Yes, whenever I felt like I bought too much 01 German wines (silly me, there was/is no such thing as too much of this vintage), your haul always made me feel like a punter.

The 02 was so overshadowed but I’ve always liked these a lot and they continue to be a bargain at auction on the rare occasions when they pop up.

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I love 2002. 2004 as well.