Very few wine tastings result me being unwell. However, this tasting was one of those.
And by “unwell” I mean like really, physically unwell. Despite the large number of the bottles we had in this tasting, relatively few people were particularly inebriated afterwards, as we also had quite many people to share the bottles; all the wines were very modest in alcohol; and the tasting took many hours.
However, the combination of high-to-ridiculously high levels of residual sugar and the searing acidities really started to take a toll on people about halfway through the tasting. I learned first-hand that keeping one’s blood sugar concentration at artificially high levels starts to feel pretty unpleasant after awhile, and I wouldn’t be surprised if those eyewateringly low levels of pH in these wines resulted in some sort of acidosis in people. This was really a tasting all your dentists have always warned you about, and also one that would definitely get any unwary diabetic killed.
This was Möselchen 2010 - an outstanding check-up of how this most atypical German vintage (mainly known for enamel-ripping levels of acidity) was holding up now, 13 years in.
Well, some people in the tasting complained that most of the wines were quite forbidding, or even nigh undrinkable, because they were so incisive, piercing and just aggressively tart. However, most of us attendees (me included) were self-proclaimed hardcore acid-heads and we knew what we had signed up for! Even if my general well-being started to slowly deteriorate towards the end of the evening, I still enjoyed all the wines we tasted - well, those that were good, that is. Admittedly not all the wines were good and some were (surprisingly!) already past their peaks. However, you might still see my preferences shine through in my tasting notes, because I: a) love Riesling; b) love Mosel wines; c) love ripping acidity. It was very easy for me to love these wines! However, if mouth-puckering acidity isn’t your cup of tea, you might need to take my ratings with a grain of salt.
Finally, I was glad to see that 2010 Gessinger Caldo Infernale - one of my favorite Mosel Rieslings ever - was not only included in this tasting, but in my books it more or less bested every other wine we tasted. As we didn’t taste these wines fully blind, I can’t say for certain how much I was influenced by that label, but dammit I love that wine!
(We also had a few extra blinds after the tasting proper, but I have to admit that these wines didn’t really taste like anything, having my taste buds just obliterated by the 2010 acids…)
- 2010 S.A. Prüm Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
11% alcohol, 43 g/l residual sugar and 9,5 g/l acidity. Bottled under a screwcap.
Slightly evolved golden-yellow color. The nose feels intense, characterful and slightly spicy with attractive, somewhat evolved aromas of honeyed richness, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light nuances of ginger, a hint of ripe orange and a touch of steely minerality. The wine feels crisp, racy and medium-sweet (or moderately sweet) with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe tangerine and orange, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of steely minerality, light evolved nutty tones, a hint of ginger juice and a touch of pithy grapefruit. The bracing acidity lends a great amount of structure and intensity to the wine, but also seems to accentuate the somewhat bitter elements as well. The finish is crisp, long and a bit thin with an intense, medium-dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of ginger, light stony mineral notes and a hint of honeyed richness.
A sophisticated and nicely evolved Kabinett Riesling that has a somewhat pronounced streak of pithy bitterness that feels maybe a tiny bit distracting at times. I was surprised how evolved the wine seemed despite being bottled under a screwcap - most other wines in our tasting that were bottled under screwcap felt conspicuously young, whereas this wine felt quite evolved, even among those bottled under a natural cork. Although many 2010 Rieslings are still mere babies, I'm not entirely sure how much longer this particular bottling will keep, or if it will evolve any further? A fun wine, but I think this would be a notch or two better without that bitterness.
(90 points) - 2010 Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
10% alcohol, 56 g/l residual sugar, 9,2 g/l acidity.
Quite intense and still relatively youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit restrained yet varietally correct with light, nuanced aromas of sweet lemony citrus fruits, light floral notes of apple blossom, a little bit of honeyed richness and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The wine feels silky and somewhat mellow yet still surprisingly firm and crisp on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of tart orange juice, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of crunchy green apple, light floral notes of apple blossom, a mineral hint of crushed slatey rocks and a touch of grapefruit. The moderately high sweetness brings in some wonderful sense of balancing richness while the high acidity lends good sense of intensity and structure to the mouthfeel. The finish is quite sweet, rather acid-driven and medium-to-moderately long with a vibrant aftertaste of sharp Granny Smith apple, some lemony citrus fruit, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of acacia honey, a hint of apricot and a touch of beeswax.
5½ years ago I had described this wine as a "super-Kabinett", over-performing for the style, coming across more as a Spätlese or even an Auslese than a Kabinett with its somewhat concentrated and rather sweet overall style. I had also assessed the wine to very ageworthy, being able to evolve and improve for years. Well, at least the wine has kept well - it is still surprisingly youthful, having developed very little in more than half a decade! However, I felt that the nose was somewhat more subdued now, making the wine maybe a bit less impressive than it was before. On the palate this wine was as lovely as before, showing surprisingly little evolution, but on the nose somewhat mute. Of course it is possible that the wine was now in a slump, or just closed - perhaps opening up with a wait of another 24 hours? While a lovely wine, I must admit that it wasn't as terrific as before - if only a tiny bit. Yet still, at just 8,50€ this has been a screaming bargain.
(91 points) - 2010 C. H. Berres Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol, 61 g/l residual sugar, 9,0 g/l acidity. Bottled under a screwcap.
Very youthful, deep neon yellow-green color. The wine starts to form tiny bubbles on the inside of the glass. The nose feels surprisingly dull and understated with subtle aromas of lemon marmalade, some ripe appley tones, a little bit of greengage and light mineral notes of crushed rocks. The wine feels pretty crisp on the palate at first, but then turns quite mellow after awhile - there must be some CO2 in the wine still, after 13 years of aging. The wine comes across as a bit mellow with a light-to-medium body and quite sweetish flavors of honey and cantaloupe, some fresh peachy tones, a little bit of cooked cream, light steely mineral notes and a hint of steely minerality. The acidity comes across as pretty high and incisive, yet somehow a bit soft - slightly inadequate to hold back the sweetness that feels somewhat overbearing for such a light wine. The finish is clean, round and rather sweetish with a medium-long aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some apple jam tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light developed nuances of cooked cream and a hint of greengage.
A pleasant, clean and quite balanced Riesling Kabinett that somehow feels a bit too friendly and mellow for a 2010 Mosel Riesling clocking in at 9 g/l of acidity. A pretty nice wine in its own right, but came across as slightly too soft and underwhelming in a lineup of two dozen 2010 Mosel Rieslings.
(89 points) - 2010 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8% alcohol. AP 020 11. Bottled under a screwcap.
Quite intense, luminous and moderately evolved golden-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat reticent and moderately evolved with light aromas of lemon curd, some developed notes of cooked cream, a little bit of nuttiness, light bruised apple nuances and a hint of dried exotic fruits. The wine feels firm, structured and slightly viscous on the palate with a medium body and intense, sweet flavor of lemon marmalade, some ripe Fuji apple tones, a little bit of acacia honey, light steely mineral notes, a developed hint of cooked cream and a touch of juicy pineapple. The brisk, focused acidity makes the wine feel very balanced, firm and structured. The finish is long, crisp and quite intense with a sweet, somewhat evolved aftertaste of ripe pineapple, some apple jam, a little bit of developed cooked cream character, light honeyed tones, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of lemon curd.
An excellent, tasty and harmonious Riesling Spätlese that is starting to show some evolved tertiary qualities without coming across as particularly old yet. I was surprised how evolved the wine was despite the screwcap closure - usually these bottles age ridiculously slow, but this wine had developed more or less at the pace I'd expect. Which is nice! All in all, this was in a beautiful spot: the wine is drinking wonderfully right now with its lovely, aged complexity, but the wine still retains good sense of depth, fruit, intensity and structure, so most likely the wine can continue to evolve and improve even further from here! I hope the somewhat understated nose starts to open up a bit more as the wine ages. All in all, a lovely effort. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2010 Studert-Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol. AP 7 11. Bottled under a screwcap.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit understated and slightly reductive with somewhat gaseous SO2 notes, a little bit of flatulent sponti character, light fresh appley notes and a hint of lemon marmalade. The wine feels sweet, youthful and airy on the palate with a quite light body and a bit reticent flavors of ripe citrus fruits and ginger, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of gaseous SO2, light peachy nuances, a hint of sweet Fuji apple and a subtly developed touch of creamy character. The wine is rather high in acidity. The finish is sweet, round and a bit mellow with a rich yet palate-cleansing aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some fresh peachy tones, a little bit of ripe red apple, light steely mineral tones, a hint of sponti funk and a touch of ginger.
A pleasant and tasty but ultimately somewhat ho-hum Spätlese that is lacking the verve and zip one expects from a 2010 Mosel Riesling. The overall feel is still super youthful and even quite reductive for a 13-yo Riesling and it feels the wine has evolved very little over these years - perhaps as a result of ample use of SO2 and a screwcap? All in all, this didn't leave a lasting impression in our tasting of two dozen 2010 Mosel Rieslings.
(85 points) - 2010 Christian Klein Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8% alcohol.
Intense golden-yellow color. The nose feels moderately evolved and beautifully complex with intermingling aromas of ripe pineapple, some caramel tones, light floral nuances, a little bit of juicy peachy fruit, a hint of bruised apple, a touch of exotic spices and a whiff of steely minerality. The wine feels firm, crisp and somewhat evolved on the palate with a medium body and intense semi-sweet flavors of pomelo and tart, barely ripe orange tones, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of mineral spice, light floral nuances, a hint of lemon soda and a touch of tangy salinity. The overall feel is very harmonious as the bracing acidity offsets most of the sweetness from the residual sugar without stripping any of its sense of richness. The finish is long, intense and very focused with a medium-dry aftertaste of fresh blood orange, some lemon soda, light spicy notes, a little bit of ripe red apple, a hint of pithy pomelo bitterness and a developed touch of cooked cream.
An excellent, beautifully developed Mosel Riesling that packs that bracing, nervous acidity so typical of 2010, balancing it out with a good dose of residual sugar sweetness. The wine definitely isn't young anymore, but despite its evolved qualities, the wine doesn't come across as old or tired one little bit and in all likelihood it will stay like this for years to come - although I wouldn't be surprised if this wine actually continued to improve for many years more. Simply superb stuff.
(94 points) - 2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol.
Youthful, quite colorless, slightly pale yellow appearance. The nose feels a bit restrained and subtly gaseous with light, sweet-toned aromas of lemon marmalade, some green-toned notes of basil and peppermint, a hint of peppermint and a touch of old linen cabinet. The wine feels youthful, clean and a bit thin on the palate with a sleek medium body and rather sweet flavors of ripe citrus fruits and white peach, some juicy Fuji apple tones, a little bit of salinity, light stony mineral tones and a hint of honeyed richness. The racy acidity feels quite high, but not particularly high in the context of 2010 Mosel Rieslings. The overall feel is balanced but quite low-key for a Prüm. The finish is juicy, sweetish and clean with a moderately long aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits, some white peach, a little bit of saline minerality, light nectarine nuances and an incisive hint of steely character.
Although I'm not surprised a Prüm turned out to be way too young and closed, I was still expecting a wine firing on all cylinders when we opened a 2010 Prüm Spätlese. Well, it turned out to be surprisingly understated and low-key; the nose had relatively little going on and the wine lacked the verve, focus and intensity I expect from a 2010 Mosel Riesling. This wasn't a bad wine, just way less I had anticipated. I hope the wine is just in a shut phase and will open up in another 10-20 years. Based on how abnormally young the wine was at 13 years of age, I see no problems with this wine aging for several decades more.
(88 points) - 2010 Weingut Frank Brohl Pündericher Marienburg Riesling Spätlese ** - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol, 97 g/l residual sugar and 10 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep, slightly concentrated yellow-green color. Sweetish and quite open nose with aromas of acacia honey, some ripe apricot, light steely mineral tones, a little bit of ginger, a hint of beeswax and a touch of crunchy red apple. The wine feels clean, lively and slightly viscous on the palate with a moderately full body and intense, sweet flavors of steely minerality and ripe citrus fruits, some honeyed tones, a little bit of peach jam, light crunchy notes of red apple, a hint of pineapple and a touch of beeswax. The racy acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine, offsetting some of the sweetness from the residual sugar. The finish is long, crisp and lively with a sweet yet acid-driven aftertaste of fresh Fuji apple and ripe citrus fruits, some peachy tones, a little bit of pineapple, light sweet honeyed nuances, a hint of beeswax and a balancing touch of apple peel bitterness.
A still quite youthful, fresh and precise Mosel Riesling that shows wonderful interplay between that electric, precise acidity typical of 2010 Rieslings, borderline tropical fruit flavors and noticeable yet not excessive residual sugar sweetness. I find it funny how the previous tasting notes in cellar tracker were criticizing the wine for the lack of acidity, because the wine was anything but lackluster! And I don't know how a wine clocking in at 10 g/l acidity could be lacking in acidity! Anyways, this was an excellent, sophisticated and thoroughly delicious effort that shows great potential for future development (being so youthful at 13 years of age), but is already very enjoyable already now!
(93 points) - 2010 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
7% alcohol. AP 09 11.
Medium-deep golden-yellow color with a pale amber core. Tiny bubbles start to form on the inside of the glass. The nose feels a bit restrained but also very nuanced with complex aromas of tinned pineapple, some evolved creamy notes of panna cotta, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of dried fruits, a touch of turmeric and other, sweeter exotic spices and a whiff of candied ginger. The wine feels crisp, structured and almost electric on the palate with a sleek medium body and intense, sweet flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some ripe orange tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light sweeter nuances of apple jam and candied ginger, a hint of tangy salinity and a developed creamy touch of panna cotta. The bracing acidity lends tremendous sense of freshness and incisive structure to the wine, offsetting some of that residual sugar sweetness in the process. The finish is sweet yet crisp and racy with a long, intense aftertaste of honey and lemon marmalade, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light notes of juicy orange, a hint of freshly pressed apple jam and a developed touch of cooked cream and browned butter.
This wine continues to be one of the most stunning 2010 Mosel Rieslings I know. The rich, concentrated sweetness and that incisive, almost piercing acidity, so typical of the 2010 vintage, are locked with each other in a never-ending battle, making the wine feel quite dramatic and electric even if the overall feel here is more delicate and airy rather than concentrated and substantial. Compared to my previous experiences with this wine (some four years ago), the appearance has turned into a deeper, more evolved direction, but on the palate the wine remains pretty much unchanged - perhaps only the developed creamy buttery nuances have slightly increased in intensity. Most likely this wine will continue to evolve and improve - slowly - for many years, if not even decades, more. A real banger of a Riesling. Very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2010 Weingut Rainer Heil Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol, 101 g/l residual sugar and 9 g/l acidity. AP 15 11.
Pale-to-medium-deep yellow-green color with subtly evolved straw-yellow highlights. The nose feels open, sweet and quite seductive with attractive aromas of ripe citrus fruits and floral notes of apple blossom, some juicy grapey notes, a little bit of greengage, light honeydew melon tones, a mineral hint of gun metal and a touch of ripe nectarine. The wine feels clean, characterful and quite youthful on the palate with a moderately full body and rich, sweet flavors of ripe orange and lemon marmalade, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of sweet grapey fruit, light floral notes of apple blossom, a hint of greengage and a developed touch of beeswax. The acidity feels rather high - the high residual sugar of the wine does take some zip and incisive edge from the acidity, but the acidity is still sufficiently high to keep the wine fresh and balanced all the way through. The finish is long, juicy and quite firm with a clean, sweet aftertaste of lemon marmalade and greengage, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light floral nuances, a hint of ripe grapey fruit and a touch of freshly pressed apple juice.
A wonderfully vibrant, balanced and characterful Riesling Spätlese that doesn't feel young anymore - apart from the youthful grapey fruit flavors - yet isn't particularly aged or evolved yet. The overall feel is quite sweet and fruit-driven, but with lovely depth of flavor, great sense of freshness and fine mineral overtones. A lovely wine by any and all standards. It drinks really well right now, but most likely the wine will continue to develop and improve for many, many more years. Recommended.
(93 points) - 2010 Weingut Peter Stettler-Söhne Lieserer Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8% alcohol.
Quite deep and rather evolved burnished golden color. The nose feels evolved, brooding and maybe a bit closed with complex and quite attractive aromas of bruised apple, some dried stone fruits, a little bit of caramel, light oxidative nutty nuances, a hint of pineapple and a touch of dried flowers. The wine feels balanced, moderately evolved and a bit understated on the palate with a medium body and nuanced, sweet flavors of bruised apple and oxidative nutty tones, some bruised apple notes, a little bit of honeyed richness, light spicy overtones, a hint of caramel and a touch of tangy salinity. The rather high acidity is more or less in balance with the body and the sweetness. The finish is juicy, evolved and quite sweet with a long aftertaste of honey and oxidative nutty tones, some bruised apple notes, a little bit of dried pineapple, light saline nuances, a hint of mineral spice and a touch of caramel.
A pleasant and tasty Riesling that feels like it is already slightly past its peak. In a tasting of 2010 Mosel Rieslings, where almost all the other wines were still super youthful, or showing a little bit of evolution, the nutty oxidative notes and bruised apple fruit flavors of this wine stuck out like a sore thumb. In itself this wine wasn't bad in any way; on the contrary, the wine was pretty tasty - albeit a bit tired - mature Riesling. However, I'd expect a 13-yo Riesling Auslese from Mosel to be a bit less evolved.
(87 points) - 2010 Staffelter Hof Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol, 116,2 g/l residual sugar and 12 g/l acidity.
Evolved, deep and moderately oxidative coppery color. The nose feels pungent, tired and oxidative with sweet yet sharp aromas of caramel, some bruised apple, a little bit of nutty rancio and a hint of aldehydic tang. The wine feels sweet, dull and racy on the palate with a medium body and oxidative flavors of nutty rancio, some caramel tones, a little bit of aldehydic green apple, light steely mineral tones and a hint of salinity. The bracing acidity makes the wine feel very brisk and high-strung. The finish is dull, sharp and tired with a sweet, acid-driven aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of oxidative nutty character, light caramel nuances and a hint of bruised apple.
A few years ago this was a fantastic Auslese with a little bit of developed character, yet still years and years of aging potential. Now this wine was dead, dull and almost completely oxidized? What happened? Most likely this wasn't a representative bottle, but instead one that had suffered from poor provenance, a faulty cork or any other case of bottle variation.
(NR/flawed) - 2010 Vollenweider Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
Slightly hazy golden yellow color with a somewhat evolved orange-amber hue. The nose feels a bit restrained and slightly funky but also immensely complex with layered aromas of wizened apricots, some bruised apple, light lifted notes of sweet nail polish VA, a little bit of orange marmalade, a nutty hint of slivered almonds and a touch of exotic spices. The wine feels crisp, very focused and simply ridiculously intense on the palate with a medium body and sweet yet so very racy flavors of lemony citrus fruits and saline minerality, some honeyed richness, a little bit of apple jam, light pomelo tones, a hint of dried peach and a touch of bruised apple. The high residual sugar makes the wine not only sweet but also slightly viscous - yet not sticky - but the piercing, electric acidity offsets so much of the sweetness and lends tremendous sense of structure and focus to the wine. The finish is crisp, sweet and very intense with a remarkably long aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some apple jam, light peachy tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, a hint of dried exotic fruits and a touch of steely minerality.
This was an absolute monster of a Riesling Auslese. Even in our tasting of two dozen 2010 Mosel Rieslings, this wine woke me up like an electric jolt with its tremendous acidity that was beautifully balanced with a huge yet not excessive amount of residual sugar and concentrated fruit flavors. There's also a subtle yet noticeable wild, funky, subtly volatile note - but this quality only adds to the complexity of the wine, not really overwhelming anything. I guess there must be a non-insignificant fraction of botrytized grapes that give the wine those orange marmalade tones and slightly volatile elements, but as a whole, the wine is about acidity and almost crackling electric energy, not about botrytis or concentrated fruit. A fantastic Riesling by any standards. It's hard to assess whether this wine will fall apart relatively soon or keep for decades, but it is really a fantastic wine to drink now. Very highly recommended.
(96 points) - 2010 Vereinigte Hospitien Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
7% alcohol, 95 g/l residual sugar and 9,7 g/l acidity.
Quite youthful and somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. The nose feels sweet and quite expressive with aromas of ripe apricots and acacia honey, some fresh appley tones, a little bit of juicy nectarine and a floral hint of orange blossom. The wine feels juicy, sweet and a bit mellow on the palate with a medium body and vibrant, fruit-forward flavors of ripe peach, some sharp Granny Smith apple notes, a little bit of fresh nectarine, light zesty citrus fruit tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of floral spice. Despite clocking in at almost 10 g/l, the acidity feels still a bit modest - the wine stays really well in balance, but the overall feel is a bit on the round side, lacking the verve and zip a sweet wine like this calls for. The finish is ripe, sweet and quite fruity with a moderately long aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light tart notes of Granny Smith apple, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of juicy apricot.
A vibrant, youthful and a bit predictable Riesling Auslese. The overall feel is maybe a bit on the soft and gentle side, but otherwise the wine is balanced and tasty, showing lots of potential for future development. At the moment the wine feels still a bit too young and linear, but I'm sure it will develop some additional complexity as it ages. Pleasant stuff, even if it doesn't blow your socks off (like a proper 2010 Mosel Riesling should!).
(90 points) - 2010 Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier Kanzemer Altenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
9,5% alcohol, 117,1 g/l residual sugar, 10,9 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep golden yellow color. The nose feels very sweet, concentrated and still surprisingly youthful with very intense, layered aromas of apple jam, some sweet herby nuances, a little bit of honeyed richness, light stony mineral nuances, developed hints of dried pineapples and peaches and a touch of saffron. The wine feels broad, slightly oily and still remarkably balanced with a moderately full body and intense, relatively youthful and rather concentrated flavors of nectarine and dried peach, some apple jam, light saffron tones, a little bit of stony minerality, an evolved hint of caramel and a touch of clover honey. Although the wine is noticeably sweet and slightly viscous on the palate, the overall feel is still remarkably brisk, structured and refreshing, thanks to the bracing acidity that lends an impressive, incisive cut to the wine. The sweet finish is long, crisp and quite acid-driven with an intense and focused aftertaste of lemony citrus fruit, some dried peach, a little bit of saline minerality, light caramel tones, a hint of honeyed richness and a touch of saffron.
This was a stunningly beautiful Riesling Auslese some five years ago, and it is still very much so. The wine has evolved a little bit, now showing some developed nuances of caramel, dried fruits and saffron. Yet the overall flavor profile is still very youthful and full of life. With this much concentration, fruit and intensity, this wine will continue to keep and improve for decades more. As I said in my previous tasting note: this is an outstanding Auslese and simply ridiculous value at 21€.
(95 points) - 2010 Weingut von Othegraven Kanzemer Altenberg Riesling Spätlese Alte Reben - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8% alcohol.
Surprisingly deep amber to light coppery color. The nose feels very evolved and tertiary with rich aromas of bruised apple and nutty oxidation, some burnt sugar tones, a little bit of smoke, light honeyed nuances, a hint of fried mushroom and a touch of orange marmalade. The wine feels evolved, sweet and somewhat viscous on the palate with a full body and rich, slightly botrytized flavors of caramel and oxidative nuttiness, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of caramel, light bitter nuances of burnt sugar, a saline hint of rancio and a touch of orange marmalade. The high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine, despite the rather viscous overall mouthfeel. The finish is evolved, medium-sweet and a bit sticky with a rather long aftertaste of nutty rancio, some sharp green apple tones, a little bit of caramel and burnt sugar, light orange marmalade nuances, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of mushroomy funk.
A rich, sweet and balanced Riesling Spätlese that seems to be a bit over the hill - although the wine is otherwise thoroughly enjoyable, the fruit department seems to have gotten pretty tired and have given way to nutty, oxidative notes. I have no idea whether this is a representative bottle or if we just got a bad draw. While still perfectly enjoyable, this wine obviously wasn't what it should've been.
(87 points) - 2010 Andreas Roth Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese ”Jungfernwein” - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol, 136 g/l residual sugar and 11,1 g/l acidity.
Rather deep burnished golden yellow color. The nose feels rich, sweetish and quite complex with attractive aromas of honey and beeswax, some candied ginger tones, a little bit of apple jam, light dried pineapple nuances, a hint of lemon marmalade and a touch of slatey minerality. The wine feels concentrated, quite noticeably sweet and a bit viscous on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of lemon marmalade and honeyed tones, some apple jam, a little bit of saline minerality, light apple jam tones, a hint of pomelo and a touch of orange marmalade. The crisp, almost bracing acidity lends tremendous, almost electric energy to the wine, offsetting some of that sweetness - while the wine is sweet, it tasted much less sweet than one would expect from a wine with 136 g/l residual sugar. The finish is long, concentrated and slightly sticky with an intense, sweet aftertaste of lemon marmalade and honey, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of freshly pressed apple juice, light pineapple nuances, a hint of crushed rocks and a touch of dried nectarine.
An impressive, slightly evolved and quite concentrated Riesling Auslese with tons of both residual sugar and acidity. There's no denying the wine is sweet, but at this level of acidity, the wine manages to retain remarkable sense of freshness and almost airy elegance despite all the residual sugar. Although the wine is showing some sense of evolution, the overall feel isn't that developed and most likely the wine is going to be on an upward trajectory for many more years. Absolutely amazing stuff with some upside. Highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2010 Peter Neu Erben Wiltinger Klosterberg Riesling Auslese Auction - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
11% alcohol.
Moderately deep, luminous golden-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat restrained and relatively non-sweet for an Auslese with slightly evolved aromas of savory spices, some beeswax, light dried-fruit tones, a little bit of bruised apple, a hint of roasted almonds and a touch of crushed rocks. The wine feels harmonious, silky and somewhat evolved on the palate with a moderately full body and layered, quite sweet flavors of bruised apple, some honeyed tones, a little bit of dried nectarine and canned pineapple, light nutty notes of roasted almonds, a hint of dried flowers and a touch of beeswax. The overall feel is firm, precise and structured, thanks to the racy acidity. The finish is long, slightly evolved and quite intense with a medium-sweet aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some dried pineapple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light honeyed nuances, a hint of floral spice and a touch of tangy salinity.
A sleek, sophisticated and somewhat evolved Riesling Auslese that feels even a bit dried than I expected - this feels more like a concentrated super-Spätlese than an Auction Auslese. Yet still, for such a style, this is a lovely wine with great sense of depth, complexity and harmony. The combination of very high acidity - typical of 2010 Rieslings - and a slightly lower lever of residual sugar makes this wine feel very precise and quite lean for an Auslese, but not too lean or aggressive. There is still some room for further evolution, but seeing how the wine feels moderately evolved already now, at 13 years of age, I think this wine is not capable of aging as long as some of its peers, which seem to be aging as if in a time capsule.
(92 points) - 2010 Geller-Steffen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
10% alcohol, 72 g/l residual sugar, 13,2 g/l acidity.
Luminous, still surprisingly youthful pale lemon yellow color. The nose feels a bit reticent with quite sweet and somewhat restrained aromas of beeswax and honeycomb, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of ripe pineapple, light dried nectarine nuances, a hint of freshly pressed apple juice and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The wine feels relatively sweet yet surprisingly lean and incisive - almost austere - on the palate with a medium body and very intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and chalky minerality, some apple peel bitterness, light honeyed tones, a little bit of incisive steely character, a hint of key lime and a touch of ripe pineapple. The bracing - almost brutal - acidity lends tremendous sense of intensity and structure to the wine, offsetting most of the sweetness from the residual sugar, making the wine feel noticeably drier than how it technically is. The finish is crisp, lean and acid-driven with a very long, off-dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and saline minerality, some pithy grapefruit bitterness, a little bit of key lime, light sweet honeyed nuances, a hint of ripe peachy fruit and a touch of beeswax.
This wine was a bit hard to appreciate in the middle of a tasting of two dozen 2010 Mosel Rieslings - even though the wine is technically sweet, in reality it is anything but! When we tasted it between a bunch of quite noticeably sweet Auslesen, the piercing, barely medium-sweet and aggressively mineral - at times even slightly bitter - style of this wine made it feel very tough, austere and hard to appreciate. The brutal acidity offsets so much of the sweetness here that the wine doesn't really feel sweet at all, even though it is in dessert wine territory with its +70 g/l residual sugar! However, after neutralizing and then acclimatizing one's palate to this wine, it really shows its exceptional balance between the residual sugar and the acidity. This is by no means an easily-approachable wine, but it is nevertheless a fantastic Riesling Auslese in its own right - truly an acid head's sweet wine. The intensity, focus, energy and structure are simply through the roof here. Although I feel the wine has lost its subtly reductive qualities since I last tasted it (4 years ago), I feel the overall feel - especially in the nose - was slightly less expressive now. Otherwise the wine shows very little sense of evolution and it drinks like a wine less than half its age. Most likely this wine will keep easily for decades. An exceptional monster of a wine.
(95 points) - 2010 Weingut Hermann Ludes Thörnicher Ritsch Riesling Auslese Alte Reben - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol and 95 g/l residual sugar. Bottled under a screwcap.
Relatively pale lemon yellow color that shows relatively little evolution. The nose feels youthful and a bit understated with aromas of stone dust, some gaseous notes of SO2, a little bit of honeyed richness, light apple jam tones and a hint of fresh peachy fruit. The wine feels quite noticeably sweet but also bracingly sharp, concentrated and nervous on the palate with a medium body and ridiculously intense flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits and tart key lime notes, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light gaseous nuances of SO2, a sweeter hint of honey and a touch of fruit cocktail. There's a bit of viscosity in the mouthfeel, but the piercing, racy acidity keeps the wine from coming across as sticky, heavy or too sweet. The finish is brisk, electric and palate-cleansing with a long, medium-sweet aftertaste of lemony citrus fruit and sharp Granny Smith apple, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light honeyed nuances, a hint of key lime and a touch of something vaguely gaseous.
A wonderful, balanced and impressively structured Riesling Auslese full of everything, yet having nothing in excess. Well, apart from any aged qualities - the wine is still super youthful and even slightly closed with a somewhat odd, gaseous overall character. I have a hunch the wine would've performed a bit better had it been bottled under a natural cork; now the wine is super brisk and youthful, but the wine has really gone nowhere and it feels like the wine was a recent vintage bottled only yesterday. All in all, this is an absolutely gorgeous Auslese that was opened probably a few decades too soon. With its screwcap closure, I guess the wine might be drinking well by 2050. If opened now, I heartily recommend letting the wine breathe and open up in a decanter for some while.
(93 points) - 2010 Martin Müllen Kröver Letterlay Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8% alcohol, supposedly around 13 g/l acidity.
Rather pale to medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The open nose feels fragrant and surprisingly youthful with quite exuberant aromas of ripe grapey fruit, some apple candy tones, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light sweet acacia honey notes, a hint of steely minerality, a touch of wet rocks and a faint touch of flint smoke. The wine feels clean, very crisp and ridiculously intense on the palate with a medium body and quite sweet, immensely focused flavors of ripe lemons, key limes and some lemon curd, a little bit of freshly pressed apple juice, light steely and stony mineral tones, a youthful hint of grapey fruit and a touch of quinine bitterness, which seems quite typical of some Müllen wines. The outrageously high acidity lends tremendous sense of freshness, structure and nervous energy to the wine. The finish is lively, crisp and very youthful with a long, palate-cleansing aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and tart key lime, some sweet honeyed tones, a little bit of ripe grapey fruit, light steely mineral tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of fresh peachy fruit.
As seems to be the case almost always with Müllen wines - these wines call for tons of aging. At 13 years of age, this wine is still unbelievably youthful - and based on those faint smoky nuances in the nose, I guess this wine might've been quite closed and reductive upon release! The wine is definitely sweet, but you really don't notice it as that electric jolt of acidity simply takes your taste buds hostage and doesn't let go. The wine is so very youthful and quite dominated by the piercing acidity that it is almost painful to drink the wine - but a pleasure, too. While an exceptional wine, I'd say it is still decades away from its peak. Now it is still a slightly awkward, tightly-knit ball of sugar, acidity and minerality that needs years and years to unresolve. As is typical of Müllen wines, this wine is going to be pure gold in another 20 to 30 years. At the moment, I'd recommend it only for the most extreme acid heads. This is a gorgeous wine, but you really need to love acidity to appreciate this wine.
(94 points) - 2010 Albert Gessinger Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** Alte Reben Caldo Infernale - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
A biodynamically farmed Riesling from a particularly hot plot in the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr vineyard known as "Kalk". The wine is aged for 2 years in old 1000-liter Fuders. 8,5% alcohol, 128 g/l residual sugar, 13,6 g/l acidity.
Rather concentrated and intense neon yellow color with faint greenish highlights. Tons of wine crystals in the bottle - decanting is heartily recommended. The nose feels expressive and ridiculously intense with concentrated aromas of acacia honey and lemon marmalade, some canned pineapple, light caramel tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, hints of grape jelly, a mineral touch of wet rocks and an evolved, creamy whiff of panna cotta. As always, the wine is a ridiculous fireworks of fruit, sweetness, acidity and minerality on the palate. First the acidity hits like an electric jolt, followed by piercing, ridiculously intense, medium-sweet flavors of lemony citrus fruits and honeyed richness, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of candied ginger, light grapey notes, a hint of fresh pineapple and a fine, subtle touch of caraway seeds. The mouthfeel is quite rich and slightly viscous and the wine comes across as medium-to-moderately full bodied, yet the overall feel is that of a barely medium-sweet wine - the tremendous acidity offsets so much of that sweetness that the wine comes across as noticeably less sweet than it should with this much sugar. The finish is firm, long and quite incisive with an intense, medium-dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and fresh red apples, some pineapple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light notes of candied ginger, evolved hints of caramel and concentrated creaminess and a touch of tangy salinity.
This is an outrageous wine. Every single time I taste this wine, its bracing acidity, immense concentration, complex fruit flavors and cool, incisive minerality simply blow my socks off. Every single time. Even in a tasting of two dozen 2010 Mosel Rieslings, where so many wines were exceptionally good, this frickin' wine manages to stand out from the crowd. Simply crazy stuff. Although some have said that this 2010 Caldo Infernale is starting to reach its apogee, I feel that there is only some bottle variation - the previous bottle I tasted seemed a bit darker and more evolved in character than this one. I remain assured that this wine is going to keep just fine for many years - even decades - more. At 24€ this has been crazy value.
(98 points) - 2010 Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch (Müller-Burggraef) Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
8,5% alcohol, 110,6 g/l residual sugar and 14,5 g/l acidity.
Luminous and moderately evolved pale bronze color. The nose feels expressive, rich and somewhat developed with attractive aromas of orange marmalade and dried peach, some pineapple tones, a little bit of caramel, light notes of beeswax, a perfumed hint of sweet exotic flowers, a touch of nuttiness and a whiff of leathery funk. The wine feels crisp, lively and electric on the palate with a medium body and intense, medium-sweet flavors of key lime and some grapefruit, light crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of dried stone fruits. You sorta feel that the wine is technically quite sweet, but that bracing, incisive acidity masks most of the sweetness away, making the wine feel just very concentrated, rich and very powerful. The finish is crisp, firm and lively with a very long and ridiculously intense aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of key lime, light bitter notes of pithy grapefruit, a candied hint of Sour Apple candies and a touch of orange marmalade.
An outrageously intense, concentrated and thoroughly impressive monster of an Auslese. This wine had the misfortune to be tasted right after the exceptional 2010 Gessinger Caldo Infernale - known by us as the "tasting killer" as almost no wine can really match its otherworldly intensity - but even if the wine didn't quite match the intensity in Caldo, this wine didn't really suffer much from its position in our tasting lineup! I guess it's just down to the fact that this is almost as sweet and even higher in acidity than 2010 Caldo - a lesser wine would've been just decimated! While this didn't beat 2010 Caldo Infernale (or the wine that followed, 2010 Kees-Kieren Auslese), this was still an extraordinary wine in its own right and easily one of the most impressive wines we tasted. An absolute banger. So very highly recommended.
(96 points) - 2010 Kees-Kieren Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese *** - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
7,5% alcohol, 195 g/l residual sugar and 14,9 g/l acidity.
Deep, very slightly hazy and rather evolved amber color. Contrasting the relatively dark appearance, the nose feels surprisingly fresh and precise with aromas of green apples and white fruits along with honeyed richness, some dried exotic fruits, a little bit of waxy funk, light beeswax tones, a hint of peach marmalade and a touch of wizened nectarine. The wine feels quite rich, somewhat oily and rather sweet at first with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, wonderfully complex flavors of peach jam and acacia honey, some overripe pineapple, a little bit of incisive steely minerality, light candied notes of Sour Apple sweets, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of beeswax. However, the bracing lemony acidity hits the palate with a delay, growing into very piercing, brisk and almost electric in intensity. For a few short moments the wine felt like a rich, slightly viscous dessert wine, then it turns into remarkably crisp, lean and structured Auslese that shows laser-like focus and is medium-sweet rather than fully sweet. The finish is crisp, complex and extremely long with a somewhat sweet and palate-cleansing aftertaste of beeswax, ripe peach and salinity, some overripe pineapple tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light honeyed tones, hints of fresh apricots and crunchy red apples and a touch of stony minerality.
An extremely impressive, rich and so complex Riesling Auslese that almost feels like two different wines at one sip. At first it feels like a dessert wine - more like a Beerenauslese than a "mere" Auslese - but after a short while, the wine takes a complete U turn and tightens up considerably as the racy acidity manages to cut through the sweetness, turning the wine into a sleek, zippy Auslese Riesling that feels less than half as sweet as it should be with this much residual sugar. When you add the remarkable depth and complexity of the fruit that carries through all this, you've got a phenomenal Riesling at hand. A magical Riesling by any standards. Very highly recommended.
(97 points)
The blinds extras:
- 2008 Molitor-Rosenkreuz Riesling Molitor Brut Sekt - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
12,5% alcohol.
Youthful lime-green color. The nose feels evolved and quite characterful with aromas of bready autolysis, some ripe citrus fruit tones, a little bit of fresh yellow apple, light toasty notes of brioche and roasted almonds and a hint of juicy stone fruits. Contrasting the nose, the wine feels somewhat dull and understated on the palate with a medium body and somewhat bland flavors of leesy yeast, some dried stale bread, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light nutty notes of chopped almonds and a tiny hint of dosage sweetness. Somehow the nuanced, vibrant nose doesn't translate into fruit or complexity on the palate. The acidity feels high and the mousse comes across as silky and quite persistent. The finish is dull, short and slightly bitter with an understated aftertaste of leesy yeast, some toasty notes of bread and dry rusk, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, a hint of lemony citrus fruit and a touch of tangy salinity.
The nose here felt quite nuanced and attractive, but on the palate the wine was markedly understated, dull and lacking vibrancy. Almost all the fruit notes in the nose were completely absent on the palate, so what remained were just some evolved, slightly toasty notes of autolysis and a streak of apple peel bitterness that felt somewhat pronounced due to the lack of balancing fruit. A rather disappointing effort, despite the promising start.
(78 points) - 2019 Olivier Merlin Beaujolais-Villages - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages (20.10.2023)
100% Gamay from a plot in the commune of Leynes. Vinified in whole bunches. Pressed after 10-12 days. Aged for a year in oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent cherry red with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels dark-toned and a bit linear with aromas of fresh dark berries, some brambly black raspberries, a little bit of earthy spice, light cherry tones and a hint of stony minerality. The wine feels dry, juicy and somewhat ripe yet very balanced on the palate with a medium body and quite crunchy flavors of dark forest fruits, some sweet red cherries, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of savory spice and a bitter touch of fresh chokeberry. The structure relies mostly on the quite high acidity; not that much on the gentle, supple tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and gently grippy with a moderately long but a bit linear aftertaste of dark forest fruits, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of earth, light fresh cherry nuances and a hint of spice.
A nice, tasty and balanced Beaujolais. No thrills or frills - just fresh and crunchy Gamay fruit with good sense of purity and no overt bubblegum tones. Most likely the wine will keep just fine for many more years, but I doubt a linear, somewhat simple wine like this will evolve much from here. Drink or keep.
(88 points) - 1975 Karp-Schreiber Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20.10.2023)
Quite deep and very slightly hazy golden yellow color. The nose feels rather old and tertiary and the fruit department comes across as pretty underwhelming. There are aromas of wizened white fruits, some candle wax, light caramel tones, a little bit of leathery funk, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of honeycomb. The wine feels quite restrained and subtle on the palate with a medium body and medium-sweet flavors of beeswax and honeyed richness, some candle wax, a little bit of ripe citrus fruit, light evolved notes of cooked cream, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of chalk dust. The mouthfeel is quite rich and textural and the rather high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is light, medium-sweet and moderately evolved with a medium-long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and saline minerality, some candle wax tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light creamy notes of panna cotta, a hint of apple jam and a sharp touch of key lime.
A pleasant and enjoyably complex but also a bit tired Riesling Auslese that feels like it has lost its fruit and energy over the years. There's still some fruit and the bright acidity lends nice freshness to the wine, but as a whole, the wine is already getting pretty senescent. It is still thoroughly drinkable, but I feel it must've peaked some 15-20 years ago. Time to drink up.
(89 points) - 2010 Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (20.10.2023)
100% organically farmed Sangiovese from vineyards located at the altitude of 450 meters above sea level. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in old 1800-liter oak casks for 1-2 years. Bottled unfiltered. Total production 40,000 bottles. 13% alcohol.
Dense, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved, dried-blood red hue towards the rim. The nose feels surprisingly a bit reduced upon opening with a faint flatulent nuance of H2S. However, the reduction clears off quite quickly, revealing aromas of barnyardy brett and phenolic spice, some ripe black cherries, a little bit of licorice root, light sweet notes of ripe dark berries, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of loose pouch tobacco. The wine feels dry, firm and slightly austere on the palate with flavors of sour cherry bitterness and licorice root, some bretty notes of saddle leather and a little bit of barnyard, light crunchy notes of dark forest fruits, a hint of salty liquorice powder and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is pretty tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and still rather stern and grippy tannins. The finish is dry, grippy and moderately funky with a long, savory aftertaste of dark berries and sour cherry bitterness, some leathery funk, a little bit of barnyardy brett, light crunchy notes of sour red plums, a hint of tobacco and a touch of chokeberry.
A wonderfully rustic, stern and tasty Chianti Classico with a very funky, old-school flavor profile and quite tightly-knit overall structure. This is definitely not a crowdpleaser - on the contrary, this is as rough and unpolished as Chianti Classicos come! I guess this might be unbearably tough and funky for people who love clean and fruity wines, but I loved the wine for what it is - an honest, rustic and very classically styled Chianti Classico. I was surprised how very youthful the wine was at 13 years of age, making me think that this wine will continue to age just fine for many more years - perhaps even decades. Absolutely superb stuff with lots of upside.
(92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
