2020 Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (5/25/2024)
– popped and poured on Day 1 –
– tasted non-blind over approx. 2 hrs. on Day 1; revisited on Day 2 –
– AP #: … 1 21 –
NOSE: light, honeyed gooseberries; leans Sauv. Blanc.
BODY: light gold color; light spritz; {forgot to note weight}
TASTE: DAY 1: high acidity; delicious; confected edge; not bone dry, but it’s dry; a touch salty; gooseberries; tart grapes. DAY 2: artificial red grape flavor; little bit of mid-palate smoky mineral, but have no doubt – this wine is mostly about the high acidity and tart fruit. 12.5% alc. is hidden. Overall, I liked this, but it seems to be lacking an extra pizzaz — maybe it’s the vintage? I’ll likely try this bottling again, but the jury’s out on how far I’ll press it.
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Solid note, as always, Brian, ty.
That said, I have a 20+ year history with that producer and that vineyard. In addition, the GG almost always needs more time (ime). Take a look again in 5-7 years, it may have a more definitive voice.
To your point, prolly not the best vintage.
grazie ancora
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Hi Tim! Nice to hear from ya’, and hope you’re doing well. 
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Thanks for chiming-in on this one, especially given your experience with it; you’ve inspired me to make a pint of trying it again, either with more age or another vintage. Or both. This wine in many ways felt like one that should be right in my wheelhouse, but ultimately it persistently felt just outta reach.
Of the “von” winery trio (von Bassermann-Jordan, von Buhl and von Winning), Bassermann-Jordan has been the one I actively avoid. To me, the wines feel very much like wines “made in the winery” (not in the vineyard) with those confected commercial yeast aromas (the aromas you describe as Sauvignon Blanc-like) and a very clean (= uninteresting) fruit profile.
These wines feel like they are simple commercial wines made for the big market, whereas von Buhl and von Winning come across as more complex, serious and interesting: the von Buhl wines made in a more “traditional” style and von Winning wines made in a more “postmodern” style compared to the more “commercial” style of von Bassermann-Jordan.
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I agree with you, Otto. The only exception to this has been Jesuitgarten GG bottling, i my experience. That said, I have not tried one in > 5 years, so perhaps things have changed and not for the better. WRT to Von Winning wines, I’ll take those hands down over anything from von Basserman-Jordan.
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All three under same ownership! I never found vB-J appealing either. vB used to be good, more recent vintages after the major shakeout were met with mixed reactions.
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Indeed! That’s why I wanted to compare the three.
What is this major shakeout you mentioned?
Haven’t had the most recent vintages of von Buhl, probably the most recent vintage I’ve had is 2017 so I’ve no idea if something has happened since.
I was just at all three wineries, and you are right Otto - the Basserman Jordan wines are a glimmer of what they were in the 70s/80s - I did like the '22 GG’s - but they were no where near as extracted as their competitors -
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In the last few years the management and the winemaking team were replaced, twice. vB has a big successful sparkling wine operation and the sentiment has been that the wine line has been slipping out of focus.
But I wouldn’t know myself as I have stopped following years ago. Still have some 2015 Pechsteins somewhere, most likely over the hill now (they don’t age well).
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