This was a follow-up to the 2019 and 2020 versions of the same theme.
We tried our best to get the same GGs from the same producers as in the 2020 tasting, but that turned out quite difficult, because after our last shipment a year ago the shop we had used previously had made wine delivery to Finland a pretty difficult task. Since we had to resort to a different shop, the selection was somewhat different and we actually struggled to find ten different GGs! Since we didn’t want to give any producer any undue advantage with multiple bottlings, we decided to have an outsider challenger from Austria instead.
We also had some extra blinds before and after the tasting. So even though most of the wines you can see pictured here are Rieslings, not all of them were part of the tasting proper!
Before I move on to the TNs, I want to say that on average I found the 2020 GGs more impressive than these 2021 GGs. I’ve read from many sources that the slightly cooler 2021 was supposedly a great vintage in Germany, but from between the lines I’ve understood that the 2021 Rieslings with residual sugar have been very successful, while the 2020 vintage was instead a winning vintage for dry Rieslings.
Many of these 2021 GGs were pretty terrific, but compared to the intensity and concentration that the 2020’s showed, these wines felt a bit more subdued and often somewhat less interesting. After all, the 2020’s that we tasted were not some big and heavy monster Rieslings despite the warm vintage, but instead remarkably fresh, precise and wonderfully balanced wines, whereas these 2021’s seemed like they were slightly lacking in substance. Sure, many wines showed wonderful freshness and energy, but on average the fruit department seemed slightly toned down, making these wines lack the power and tightly-coiled energy one is looking for in GGs.
But most of all, these wines were super young. Tasting these was an exercise in academic curiosity - I really don’t understand people who prefer to drink these wines at this phase. Some wines were still so primary with their candied fermentation fruit flavors that they felt more like banal entry-level Gutswein Rieslings, whereas others were still very closed and reticent, only offering glimpses of their future potential. Just a precious few wines were already somewhat open for business now, but even they felt like wines that would benefit greatly from another 5-10 years of aging. IMO these wines just aren’t wines built for early consumption.
- 2021 Mercator Vineyards Tidal Bay - Canada, Nova Scotia, Annapolis Valley (27.6.2023)
A blend of l'Acadie Blanc, Petite Milo, New York Muscat, Seyval, Riesling and Chardonnay, some portions spontaneously fermented and aged in oak barrels. 11% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very pale and quite neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels fresh and crisp, even slightly vegetal, with aromas of green currants, some green asparagus, a little bit of green apples, light leafy tones, a hint of passion fruit, a touch of gooseberry and a whiff of lemon juice. The wine feels quite ripe and perhaps slightly off-dry on the palate with a light body and quite delicate flavors of lemony citrus fruits and gooseberries, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of leesy yeast, light passion fruit tones, a mineral hint of brackish mineral water and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The medium-to-moderately high acidity feels surprisingly low for a wine that feels so fresh and even somewhat vegetal. The finish is ripe, dry-ish and clean with a medium-long aftertaste of sweet red apples, some tart passion fruit tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light leesy nuances and a hint of apple peel bitterness.
A nice, balanced and refreshing little white, maybe a bit from the simple side. Nothing particularly memorable, but nothing to complain either. At first I thought this was a new world Sauvignon Blanc with a few grams of residual sugar, lending the wine a somewhat off-dry feel to the wine. However, the somewhat modest acidity was out of place for a SB, so I really didn't know where to go. Well, this turned out to be a Canadian blend of Vitifera and hybrid cultivars. I guess the wine might be higher in both acidity and residual sugar than it feels, the sweetness and the acidity effectively neutralizing each other. Maybe a tad expensive for the quality at 24 CAD (approx. 16,50€).
(87 points) - 2021 Carl Loewen Longuicher Maximin Herrenberg Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (27.6.2023)
Made with fruit sourced from ungrafted vines planted in 1902. Aged for 6 months on the lees in oak fuders. 12% alcohol.
Pale-to-medium-deep yellow-green color. Ripe, fruit-driven nose with aromas of juicy citrus fruits and fresh yellow fruits, some candied ginger tones, a little bit of sweet white peach, light rubbery notes of reduction, a perfumed hint of apple blossom and a touch of green apple. The wine feels crisp, linear and steely yet still somewhat round on the palate with a sleek medium body and youthful flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light stony nuances and a rubbery hint of reduction. The wine feels balanced and quite structured with its moderately high acidity, but as a whole the wine feels both a bit underwhelming and surprisingly approachable for a 2021 GG less than two years old. The finish is dry, ripe and lively with a quite long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of sweet white peach and a hint of salinity.
A nice, pleasant and approachable Riesling that feels more like a regular everyday Riesling than a serious GG Riesling. Although the wine shows good sense of balance and harmony, the depth or intensity of fruit or sense of structure are not something I'd expect from a 2021 GG and would not be out of place in a normal Gutswein-level Riesling. In our tasting of ten 2021 GG Rieslings, this was among the least impressive efforts and didn't leave a particularly lasting impression. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 28€.
(88 points) - 2021 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (27.6.2023)
100% Riesling from the Juffer Sonnenuhr vinyard. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale, youthful lime-green color. The nose feels clean but also rather closed with reticent aromas of fresh white fruits and light floral notes of apple blossom. The wine feels crisp, rather linear and still quite primary on the palate with a rather light body and focused but also somewhat neutral flavors of sour apple candies, some lemony citrus fruits, light floral notes of apple blossom and other white flowers, a little bit of steely minerality, primary hints of gummi bear candies and a touch of pear drops. The brisk high acidity lends good sense of structure and precision to the wine. The finish is crisp, dry and lively with a rather long but also somewhat neutral aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some crunchy Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light primary notes of gummi bear and sour apple candies and a mineral hint of wet rocks.
A serious and focused GG Riesling that leaves a surprisingly neutral and underwhelming impression. The focus here seems to be on mineral tones and brisk, focused acidity, but the fruit department seems surprisingly light and understated, making the wine lack depth and impact. Of course it's possible that the wine is still super young and closed at this point and it calls for further aging to fully unfurl and express its full spectrum of fruit flavors, but compared to many other 2021 GG:s we tasted in our tasting of 2021 GG:s, the other wines just seemed to show more depth and vibrancy - even if some seemed similarly too young for their own good at the moment. In my opinion this wine was the least impressive of the bunch, but it's certainly possible that the wine just calls for additional aging and will be much better in +5 years. At the moment the wine just feels way too expensive for its quality at 39€.
(87 points) - 2021 Gunderloch Niersteiner Pettenthal Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (27.6.2023)
100% organically farmed Riesling from the Pettenthal vineyard in the famed Roter Hang of Rheinhessen. Aged in old, neutral 600-liter oak barrels. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, limpid pale lime-green color. The nose feels rather reductive and flatulent at first with a heavy hit of skunky, sulfurous reduction, slowly blowing off to reveal aromas of fragrant citrus zest notes, some spicy mineral tones, a little bit of sweeter white fruit and a smoky hint of struck flint. The wine is moderately reductive, somewhat closed and a bit mellow on the palate with a medium body and slightly restrained flavors of lemony citrus fruits and salty mineral water, some fresh apple tones, a little bit of rubbery reduction, light smoky notes of struck match and a hint of incisive steely minerality. The high-ish acidity keeps the wine in balance and lends it sense of structure, but comes across as lacking a bit in verve and zip - at least for a young GG Riesling. The finish is quite mineral and moderately long with a dry aftertaste of steely minerality, some crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a smoky reductive hint of struck match or flint.
A quite balanced but still way too reductive wine that is very hard to assess now - unlike all the other 2021 GG Rieslings we tasted in this tasting, this wine probably should've been opened more than half a day earlier! At first the nose was just smelly and rather disagreeable with very skunky, sulfurous aromas, but fortunately the stinky part blew off quickly. However, the wine was quite heavily dominated by smoky aromas of reduction throughout the evening and any amount of aeration didn't seem to help the wine. I guess this could be a lovely wine, but it needs time - and tons of it - to get past all that reduction. Furthermore, I'm thinking that having the wine sealed with a screw cap isn't helping the wine develop fast enough. Can't say I was particularly thrilled about the wine because it was just so closed at the moment. Feels rather pricey for the quality at approx. 40€.
(89 points) - 2021 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe (27.6.2023)
100% Riesling, aged in old oak casks ranging from 1600 to 3000 liters in size. 12% alcohol, 4,4 g/l residual sugar and 7,6 g/l acidity.
Quite neutral and almost colorless whitish-green color. The nose feels ripe, fruity and fragrant with quite expressive aromas of sweet yellow fruits, some spicy mineral notes, a little bit of fresh red apple, light primary notes of juicy pear, a hint of lemon marmalade and a floral touch of apple blossom. The wine feels clean, steely and a bit linear on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of tart green apple and lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of grapefruit, light floral overtones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of lemon zest. The racy acidity lends good sense of structure, precision and energy to the wine. The palate-cleansing finish is crisp and racy with a long, intense aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple and a primary hint of pear drops.
A wonderfully crisp and acid-driven GG that feels still quite linear, primary and one-dimensional - mostly due to its all too youthful age. However, the wine shows much greater precision and intensity than many other wines we had in our 2021 GG Riesling tasting. Although not particularly memorable a wine right now, this wine nevertheless seems to hold good promise for the future. This will be good stuff, but based on the still somewhat awkward and nervous character of the wine, it will take another 5-10 years. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 45€, but not forbiddingly so.
(90 points) - 2021 Dönnhoff Felsenberg Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe (27.6.2023)
100% Riesling. Fermented spontaneously and aged in stainless steel tanks and old 1000-liter stück casks made from German oak. 13% alcohol, 3,7 g/l residual sugar and 7,9 g/l acidity.
Pale and rather neutral whitish-green color. Very expressive and youthful nose with rather primary aromas of sweet grapey fruit, some pineapple tones, a little bit of herby spice, light juicy notes of nectarines, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of stony minerality. The wine feels ripe, firm and structured on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, very youthful flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some peachy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light primary notes of fruit jellies, a hint of pineapple and a touch of incisive steely minerality. The high acidity lends great sense of structure, focus and energy to the wine. The intense finish is crisp and lively with a long, dry aftertaste of ripe lemony notes, some sweeter nuances of white peach, a little bit of stony minerality, light floral nuances, a primary hint of jelly candies and grapey fruit and a touch of herby spices.
A wonderfully fresh, focused and structured GG Riesling with tons of potential. The overall feel is still way too youthful and primary, but the wine shows lots of upside. At the moment the wine is still dominated by the candied fermentation esters and other primary fruit flavors, but based on the sense of fruit concentration, flavor intensity, mineral overtones and bracing acidity, this wine is going to make beautiful old bones. This wasn't the most impressive wine we had in our tasting of 2021 GG Rieslings, as some other wines were much more open for business at the moment, but I have no doubts this wine will catch them in due time. Maybe a tad expensive for the quality at 47€, but hopefully things will change with further aging.
(91 points) - 2021 Philipp Kuhn Laumersheimer Mandelberg Steinbuckel Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (27.6.2023)
100% Riesling, cold-soaked with the skins for 12 hours. Fermented spontaneously, aged in stainless steel. 12,5% alcohol, 3,6 g/l residual sugar and 8,2 g/l acidity.
Youthful, medium-deep and quite concentrated yellow-green color. The nose feels surprisingly subdued with light aromas of sweet yellow fruits, light zesty citrus notes, a little bit of stony minerality and a flatulent hint of stinky reduction. The wine feels juicy, ripe and quite mineral on the palate with a rather full body and a bit closed flavors of saline and stony mineral notes, some juicy white fruit flavors, a little bit of ripe citrus fruits, light peachy nuances, a hint of skunky reduction and a touch of chalk dust. The high acidity lends great sense of verve and structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, ripe and lively with a rather long but a bit understated aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of crunchy green apple, light sweeter nuances of stone fruits and a hint of chalk dust.
As seems to be often quite typical of young Kuhn GGs, this was a quite powerful and structured yet still somewhat closed and subdued effort that offers rather little at this point. I have no doubts this wine will open up wonderfully as it ages, but at the moment it is a bit hard to get a good feel where this wine is going to go. Even with some aeration the wine didn't open much, so it's quite safe to say the wine is just too young at the moment. Let the wine wait for another 4-5 years, minimum - preferably a lot more. With this much intensity and acidity, I can expect the wine to age effortlessly for a long time. Maybe a bit pricey now at 34€, but probably this will change as the wine evolves and opens up.
(89 points) - 2021 Wittmann Westhofener Aulerde Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (27.6.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Riesling from the Aulerde Grosse Lage. 12,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar, 8,5 g/l acidity according to one source; 7,2 g/l acidity according to another.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. Open, expressive and fine-tuned nose with quite intense aromas of ripe Golden Delicious apples, some perfumed floral tones, a little bit of mineral spice, light exotic nuances of pineapple, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of honeycomb. The wine feels clean, quite concentrated and somewhat powerful with a moderately full body and quite intense, dry flavors of juicy Fuji apples, some stony mineral tones, light perfumed floral nuances, a little bit of fresh pineapple, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of honeyed richness. The high acidity lends a great amount of energy, focus and structure to the wine. The finish is dry, ripe and juicy with a long, intense aftertaste of tart green apples and crunchy lemony tones, some saline mineral nuances, a little bit of cantaloupe, light floral notes, a hint of pineapple and a touch of honeycomb.
A very focused yet remarkably harmonious powerhouse of a Riesling. At first the wine feels just a super focused beam of Riesling energy all about power and intensity, not finesse, but as the wine opens up, you gotta admit - there's some finesse there, too. It's just a bit hidden now - the wine is still super youthful, bursting with energy, but maybe in a bit awkward way. Although this was similarly too young as the 2020 vintage of Aulerde was a year ago, coming across as somewhat same-y in character as well, I think this 2021 lacks the depth and oomph the 2020 had. The nose here was right on point, but on the palate maybe not as much. However, seeing how super young the wine is now, I think it is fully possible this wine will catch the 2020 vintage up with enough time. This is still a fantastic GG Riesling with tons of upside. One of the best wines in our tasting of ten 2021 GG Rieslings. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 45€.
(92 points) - 2021 von Winning Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (27.6.2023)
100% Riesling from the esteemed Forester Ungeheuer vineyard. Fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-liter oak barrels. 13% alcohol, 7 g/l residual sugar and 9,0 g/l acidity.
Pale-to-medium-deep yellow-green color. Youthful, expressive and quite sweet-toned nose with somewhat primary aromas of pineapple, some salty liquorice powder, a little bit of creamy oak, light spicy red apple tones, a hint of sweet oak spice, a touch of key lime and a whiff of butter. The wine feels steely and precise yet slightly viscous on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and very intense and somewhat concentrated dry-to-dry-ish flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple and ripe lemony tones, some salty liquorice nuances, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of cantaloupe. The brisk, racy acidity lends impressive sense of structure and almost electric energy to the wine. The finish is long, crisp and very complex with an intense, dry aftertaste of steely minerality and tart Granny Smith apple, some lemony notes of zesty citrus fruits, a little bit of honeyed richness, light creamy oak tones, a perfumed hint of floral lift and a touch of sweet oak spice.
A very impressive, complex and quite idiosyncratic GG Riesling that really stood apart from the other 2021 GG Rieslings we tasted at the same time. Normally the Von Winning Rieslings do stick out from other Rieslings due to their oak impact, but this time it was not just the oak that made this wine stand out - it was the combination of oak, tight acidity and impressive, concentrated fruit department all together that made the wine so impactful. The wine does feel quite a bit too young, but not really due to the oak - actually the oak influence sits quite nicely here with the fruit, although the overall impression is more Burgundian rather than that of a typical German Riesling - but due to the somewhat nervous, primary and slightly disjointed overall feel of the wine. However, the wine still manages to come across as quite outstanding - even though the residual sugar is creeping towards off-dry, the huge whack of acidity here manages to keep the sweetness well at bay and the sugar mainly contributes to the fruit intensity and slightly viscous mouthfeel that only accentuates the remarkable natural concentration of the wine. Excellent stuff - it just needs at least a handful of years more to settle down a bit. Good value at 39€.
(94 points) - 2021 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl Riesling - Germany, Pfalz (27.6.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Riesling, sourced from the Gaisböhl vineyard, a monopole of Dr. Bürklin-Wolf and considered to be Grand Cru-level ("GC") by the winery. 12,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar and 8,1 g/l acidity.
Pale lime-green color. The nose feels clean, fragrant and nuanced with attractive aromas of ripe Golden Delicious apple and yellow stone fruits, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of beeswax, light spicy nuances, a perfumed hint of floral character and a touch of fresh pineapple. The wine feels focused, quite powerful and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a relatively full body and very intense, dry flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits and fresh Golden Delicious apples, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of beeswax, light saline nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of yellow stone fruits. The tight, bracing acidity lends tons of structure, intensity and almost nervous energy to the wine, but thanks to the ripeness and sense of concentration, the wine doesn't feel too lean or high-strung at any point. The finish is very long, quite concentrated and rather incisive with a ripe yet acid-driven aftertaste of saline minerality and ripe lemony citrus fruits, some juicy golden apple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of cantaloupe and a sweeter touch of greengage.
An impressive, ripe and concentrated yet at the same time remarkably acid-driven Riesling. In our tasting of ten 2021 GG Rieslings, this was easily among the best and most impressive wines - for me, only behind the impactful 2021 Von Winning GG Ungeheuer. Contrasting this 2021 with the 2020 vintage we tasted a year before, I feel the 2020 was more impressive and while also youthful, maybe a bit more open for business. This 2021 felt a bit leaner and less expressive - despite being a bold and intense wine to boot - but that might be just because of the huge acidity here! In all likelihood, this wine is just way too young for its own good and it will just take more time before this wine is as open as the 2020. However, I'd say both the vintages seem to have tons of potential for future development and might end up being equally great with enough age. I'd let this wine age for another 10-ish years, because it really feels like it is built for the long haul. If there is something I want to nag about, it's the price - at 70€ this is starting to get too expensive for my preference.
(93 points) - 2021 Franz Hirtzberger Riesling Smaragd Steinporz - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (27.6.2023)
100% Riesling harvested on October 19th, 2021. 13,5% alcohol, 6 g/l residual sugar and 6,5 g/l acidity.
Pale-to-medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels clean, cool and fresh with slightly sweet-toned aromas of crunchy white fruits, some waxy tones, a little bit of ripe Golden Delicious apple, light pineapple notes, a hint of honeyed richness and perhaps a reductive touch of something vaguely plastic. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and juicy on the palate with a full body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of honeydew melon and ripe Golden Delicious apple, some pineapple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light spicy mineral notes, a hint of sweet greengage and a touch of lemon marmalade. The wine is quite high in acidity, lending the wine nice sense of balance, but the overall is a bit on the weighty side and it feels there's a tiny bit of residual sugar contributing to the sweeter fruit notes and the sense of viscosity in the texture of the wine. The finish is rich, broad and juicy with a long, sweet-toned aftertaste of Golden Delicious apple, some pineapple, light honeyed tones, a little bit of mineral spice, a hint of lemon marmalade and a touch of peach.
A balanced and tasty Riesling, but also quite big and ripe at that. Even though we had a few big and ripe wines in our tasting of 2021 GG Riesling, this Austrian take on the style was still noticeably different to its German peers - no other wine showed similar sense of ripeness or weight, and the even though some wines were higher in residual sugar, this wine felt slightly sweeter than any of the German wines. This is a great and impressive wine in its own right, but feels a bit clumsy and cumbersome after the German GGs (some of which that weren't particularly delicate wines in themselves). However, unlike most of the German wines, which seemed a bit too young at the moment, being more about aging potential than immediate drinkability, it feels this Hirtzberger was much more open for business right now. I have no doubts this wine will continue to evolve and improve greatly as it ages, but there's no harm in opening a bottle already now. Feels quite expensive for the quality at 55€.
(91 points) - 2012 Philipp Kuhn Laumersheimer Kirschgarten Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (27.6.2023)
Cold-soaked with the skins for 12 hours. Fermented spontaneously, aged in stainless steel. 13% alcohol, 4,3 g/l residual sugar and 6,8 g/l acidity.
Deep and quite intense lemon-yellow color with subtle lime-green highlights. The nose feels clean, fresh and well-delineated with classically styled and quite intense Riesling aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some candied ginger, a little bit of perfumed floral lift, light honeyed tones, a hint of sweet cloudberries and a touch of exotic fruits. The wine feels firm and structured on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of lemon marmalade, some candied ginger tones, a little bit of beeswax, light saline mineral nuances, a hint of floral complexity and a touch of juicy apricot. The age has concentrated the wine a little bit and there's a sense of viscosity in the mouthfeel, yet the wine feels very focused and quite light on its feet, thanks to the bright, zippy acidity. The finish is juicy, ripe and somewhat waxy with a long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of spicy red apple, light beeswax notes, a hint of candied ginger and a balancing touch of apple peel bitterness.
A fine, complex and enjoyably evolved Riesling that is developing in the right direction. Tasting this after ten 2021 Rieslings, you could notice the sense of age and development here, but the overall feel is still quite youthful and I feel there's much upside to this wine. It is a lovely and quite rewarding wine already now at 10 years of age, but I feel this will be even better with further aging. Expect the score to get even higher as the wine ages further. Fine stuff.
(92 points) - 2005 Van Volxem Volz Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (27.6.2023)
12,5% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and quite concentrated golden yellow color. The nose feels expressive, sweet-toned and beautifully evolved with complex, layered aromas of bruised apple and caramel, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of dried apricot, light bergamot nuances of Earl Grey tea, an evolved hint of cooked cream, a touch of pineapple and a whiff of saffron. The wine feels broad, concentrated and quite tactile on the palate with a full body and ripe, complex flavors of honeyed richness, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light toasty notes of nuttiness, hints of ripe apricots and pineapple and a faint touch of diesel. Although the wine feels quite substantial with a little bit of oily viscosity, the rather high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully in balance. The finish is juicy, complex and concentrated with a remarkably lengthy aftertaste of honeyed richness, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light apricot nuances, a hint of tangy salinity and an evolved touch of cooked cream.
A fantastic, complex and quite substantial yet not at all too heavy or clumsy Riesling with tons of ripe fruit, power, evolved complexity and great freshness. It's hard to assess how sweet the wine is - it doesn't feel fully dry, nor particularly sweet, either - but since the balance is really on point here, it doesn't really matter how dry or sweet the wine is. I can imagine the wine might be a bit too big, bold or perhaps too evolved for people who like their Rieslings light, brisk and zippy, but I don't mind. The wine is in an excellent spot right now, but it still seems to hold a little bit of potential for future development, so I wouldn't be surprised if this wine turns out to be even more fantastic with further age. However, as the wine is so stunning right now, further cellaring isn't really necessary. At 26€ this has been a screaming bargain.
(95 points) - 2011 von Winning Sauvignon Blanc I - Germany, Pfalz (27.6.2023)
Most of the fruit for this wine is sourced from the Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten vineyard. Fermented in oak, aged on its lees in oak barrels for a year. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale, still remarkably youthful lime-green color. The nose feels herby, fresh and somewhat green-toned with aromas of white currants, some lemony citrus fruit tones, a little bit of sweeter white peach, light white pepper tones, a hint of grassy herbs and a touch of wool. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite mineral with a moderately full body and quite youthful flavors of juicy Golden Delicious apple, some white peach, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of ripe and zesty citrus fruit tones, a vegetal hint of currant leaves and a touch of tangy salinity. The high acidity lends good sense of structure and energy to the wine. The finish is fresh, ripe and balanced with a lively aftertaste of ripe yellow apples and juicy white peaches, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of green currants, light saline nuances, a hint of herbs - with a faint medicinal overtones of herbal liqueur - and a touch of cantaloupe.
This was my third time tasting this vintage. I tasted the wine for the first time three years after its vintage and back then the wine was just super reductive, smoky and still a bit too oaky. The second time was a year ago, when the wine had lost all its reduction and oak, but also quite a bit of its fruit and energy, coming across as a bit flat, dull and pedestrian. Well, third time's the charm! This time the wine was vibrant and full of freshness and energy, showing flavors that were very true to the variety and not really any dullness from age. However, I wouldn't go as far as saying this was a great wine, either. It's admirable how remarkably well this wine (or at least this bottle) has held up, coming across way younger than its almost 12 years of age would suggest - but it really hasn't evolved into something particularly interesting, either. This is a good and balanced Sauvignon Blanc, but I'm not entirely convinced that the wine would turn into nectar of gods with enough age. This is a fine little white and probably that is as good as this wine can be. Perchance. At 20€ this has been priced somewhat according to its quality.
(88 points) - 2000 Karl Haidle Stettener Pulvermächer Riesling S - Germany, Württemberg (27.6.2023)
11,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep golden yellow color. The nose feels sweetish, a bit restrained and pleasantly evolved with nuanced aromas of tinned apricots, some ripe pineapple tones, a little bit of acacia honey, light developed waxy nuances, a hint of petrol or diesel, an oxidative touch of nuttiness and a whiff of caramel. The wine feels ripe, juicy and concentrated on the palate with a medium body and evolved, dry-ish or medium-dry and slightly restrained flavors of beeswax, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light developed notes of bruised apples and dried peaches, a hint of caramel and a touch of petrol. The wine isn't super firm or precise, due to the combination of somewhat concentrated texture, slightly viscous mouthfeel and a bit soft, moderately high acidity - but the wine isn't flabby or listless in any way, either. It just lacks that zip and cut you can find in lighter, more acid-driven Rieslings. The finish is ripe, juicy and moderately evolved with a complex and tasty aftertaste of beeswax and ripe Golden Delicious apple, some honeyed tones, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light perfumed floral nuances, a hint of dried stone fruits and a touch of overripe pineapple.
Normally I consider Württemberg a region that is best for other varieties than Riesling. Sure, they can make decent Riesling - but normally the other, more northerly regions of Germany just tend to make better stuff. However, this was a darn fine example of Württemberg Riesling - and a testament to how the best Württemberg Rieslings can really age! Sure, this is a bit softer and viscous effort, showing more ripeness and less acidity than your typical Mosel or Rheingau Rieslings - but nevertheless a fine wine. Although showing good sense of ripeness and concentration, this is not really a big and impactful wine, but a more fine-tuned effort that is holding up a little, revealing its nuances little by little. All in all, an enjoyable and harmonious example of aged Württemberg Riesling. Recommended.
(93 points) - 2021 Vinihold Dão Florbela Reserva - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (27.6.2023)
A blend of Alfrocheiro, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional, sourced from Quinta da Mariposa in Dão. About 20% of the wine is aged in 500-liter French oak casks. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, quite translucent cherry red color. The nose feels youthful, somewhat spicy and a bit primary yet not sweet or candied with clean, bright aromas of black raspberries, some dark plums, a little bit of peppery spice, light smoky notes of reduction, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of fresh red berries. The wine is clean and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright, dry flavors of ripe lingonberries, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of tart red plum, light stony mineral notes, a hint of peppery spice and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine is enjoyably high in acidity with medium-to-moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a moderately long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and brambly raspberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of fresh red plum, light savory notes of meaty umami, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of peppery spice.
When I saw this wine in a Swedish monopoly shop, I thought it was just a generic Portuguese wine made for the Swedish / Nordic market, bottled in a snappy, non-labeled bottle with a "handmade feel" with its name and details in a white scribble. But out of academic curiosity, I bought a bottle anyway - after all, it was cheap enough that I wouldn't mind if the wine was boring and anonymous. However, to my surprise, the wine turned out to be pretty darn fresh, crunchy and quite delicious. When I poured it blind to fellow wine geeks, their guesses were mainly from Jura and Beaujolais, some people going for Loire reds and a few brave guesses venturing outside France to Etna and Hungarian reds. Well, to their surprise as well, this turned out to be a cheapo from Portugal! I guess if anything, this shows that Dão can produce some pretty lovely wines at very competitive price points! Although the wine is probably made to be a simple everyday red, to be drunk in its youth, I still felt this wine could really benefit from another year or two of extra aging. At 119 SEK (10,42€) this was a great purchase!
(89 points)
Posted from CellarTracker