The East Bay Riesling Squad met tonight in Berkeley. Even though it was deep in the holiday season a few of us managed some time for this. We met at one of Berkeley’s innumerable excellent pizzerias, State Flour Pizza Company. Our lineup included an excellent California sparkler from Schramsberg and a super interesting Washington Riesling from Poet’s Leap. But they were not Tscherman. Tja. Luckily we had few tasty ones from Germany as well!
Koehler-Ruprecht 2015 Kallstadter Saumagen Auslese trocken
Rich, full body. Smoky. Works well with pizzas, including meat pizza. At 14% ABV it is the highest alcohol level I have probably experienced in a Riesling. It works, especially if you want to pair it with steak.
Günter Steinmetz 2017 Kestener Paulinsberg Auslese
A young traditional Auslese. Sweet fruit, more white peach, with backing acidity to offset. For me, it’s a good wine that is in the delicious primary stage. My suspicion is it will develop more complexity and interest in the next 10-15 years.
Villa Wolf Forster Pechstein 2012 "Dry"
Leaner than the K-R Auslese trocken, feels more traditionally styled, meaning there is a touch of sweetness regardless of the “dry” designation. I felt this did better with the white pizza, but still had enough body to work with the red sauce pizza as well.
Here is our lineup for a night of good pizza and tasting Riesling:
Houdini remains unimpressed. Thanks for these notes and pics, David. Will likely open something on the weekend. I have a 2011 Dreissacker that’s been giving me the arch looks
1998 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel is one of the two German wines 25 years old that I have (now had). I had planned to drink it in 2028, but this charity called, and I’m glad I opened it now (and wish I had opened it a few years ago). When I last had it in 2018, I was struck by the great acidity. It has calmed down into a state of mellowness, nice with mild Indian food I had last night, but not anything special. Attached is a picture of Keyvn, our Jack Russel blend (Kevyn’s a girl, for those of you who saw the movie “Up”), who is best photographed when she is sleeping
2003 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (12/19/2024)
Didn’t make it to five years past my last bottle, but at least I almost made four. It’s still nowhere near mature, but it’s more open than my prior two bottles. There’s a bit of petroleum distillate on the nose, as well as tropical fruit and cherry. Acid heads need not apply, but the wine isn’t flat, it’s gentle. I suspect it will always be that way.
Deus ex Machina (yes, that’s his full name) is not impressed.
Opened this a little early, but whatever. Elegant nose of white peach, white plum, dried herbs, and a touch of marzipan. Somewhat luscious texture likely from the ripeness of the vintage, yet crystalline and bright on the palate. Love the tension on this wine. There are some delicate white peach, honeydew melon, and white floral flavors supported by a fine dry slate minerality that gently lingers on the finish.
Not a bad showing for this wine which is still in its muted phase. Oreo seemed to like it.
got into Max Ferdinand Richter’s wines in the last few years, loving these. no pets at home for pics, though I did text Brian a picture of the bottle in front of my singing Frank Sinatra bobblehead.
2021 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (12/19/2024)
Terrific wine, everything I want youthful Mosel Spätlese to be. All about bright, lively citrus and apple fruit with higher toned herbal and lightly floral accents, and an underpinning of slate. Moderately sweet but there’s plenty of acidity that keeps the sweetness nicely balanced, and the whole package is far too easy to drink.
I started buying the Richter wines with the 2019 vintage, a big step up from the older bottles from the 1990s and 00’s I’ve tried. Really like what Konstantin is doing.
The 2021 MFR Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett is really exceptional. Have tried all the '22 and most of the '23 MFR Kabinetten, but none are as good as that one.
As I don’t have an animal at home, I had to borrow and bribe my friend’s dog with cheese for the photos. We had one of my latest additions to my portfolio, Weingut Dreissigacker. @Mike_Grammer after you mentioned Dreissigacker I thought I should open one too. Unfortunately not a 2011(which one do you have?). I opened the 2022 ORGANIC Dry Riesling. It paired so well with the toasted rye bread and Bleu d’Auvergne.
And I love seeing all the old vintage Riesling around here! Cheers everyone
Marcus Molitor 2018 Zeltinger Himmelrieich Kabinett Green Capsule:
An easy drinking Kabinett with pear, orange and grapefruit flavors. Has a modicum of length and a very salty core, which I enjoyed, but is somewhat lacking in complexity and acidity. Good, though a long way from exciting.
Can’t get to the wine store so digging in the Warden’s closet yielded this one. A TJ special.
This is my dog, well he identifies as a dog, but he’s a 25 yo desert tortoise named Eazy. He’s very loving and social, unusual for tortoise. He loves long walks on the beach, sunsets, and delicious cactus and hibiscus flowers.
This is picture from October because from Halloween until mid April Eazy lives in a cardboard box buried in the garage hibernating. He doesn’t like to be bothered. LOL
We had a Desert Tortoise for many years. He was also quite friendly. You’d be standing out back and suddenly there was Dandy at your feet, looking up at you.
2006 in Germany can often run to botrytis bomb. Not this wine. It’s pretty clean, with good peachy fruit, and decent, though not bright acidity. Surprising in the context of the vintage.
My friend Beth (who opened this wine) doesn’t have any pets, but she loves owls in any way, shape, or form.
We adopted Duchess (her original name…) at the end of October. She is 8 years young and a supermutt.
As you can tell, Duchess is not impressed and cannot believe that an aristocratic dog such as herself has to pose with a lowly $5.99 Trader Joe’s special. She was expecting 2024 Chateau Jus de Poulet .
2022 Emma Reichart Dry Riesling
Screw cap. 11.5% abv.
Smells like riesling, albeit a diluted one. On the palate, lemon, yellow grapefruit, unripe apricot. A lot of acid and thankfully I didn’t have time to chill it too much or it would have probably come across as just acid. Slight effervescence. One really can’t ask for more at this price point.
The 2021 vintage was a throwback, and thus ideal for light and bright wines, especially Kabinette and Spätlesen. The Elisenberg site, with a south exposure, is in an open side valley of the Mosel. Last year, a Swedish friend and I walked through the vineyard. It reminds me of Euchariusberg and other Saar vineyards, even the deep soil is similar, with mainly gray slate and quartzite.
On a visit to Max Ferd. Richter, I told Constantin that I really like the rebranding of his wines. The retro labels and regular bottles look good.
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