Yup - that’s one of them.
Well, it is the time of the year for snowflakes.
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loved that wine so much on release. it was a monster in terms of sweetness but also had such great balance, was stupidly cheap (perfect for my grad school budget), and went SO well with biryani.
This is how you charity!
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2021 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (12/21/2024)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind in a restaurant setting over approx. 2 hrs. –
– AP #: … 16 22 –
Pretty light petrol on the Nose. Medium-light bodied on the palate. This is high in acidity, and seemed to have a lighter presentation as far as GGs go. Lots of saline/minerals; high-pitched fruits, to the extent they’re there. 13% alc. not noticeable. Drink or Hold.
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- 2002 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheingau (12/24/2024)
From my late father’s cellar, this was stuffed to the back of a rack. I only found it because I was hunting for something else. Medium gold color, aromas of roasted peaches and golden raisins. Still on the sweet side for Kabinett, but that was the fashion at the time. Finish is a bit clipped, but that could be either a $10 bottle aging past its best time, or maybe even a touch of stealth TCA. Either way it’s good to have it out of the crypt!
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I like the creamy fruit profile, but this is far too sweet for my liking. Lowish acidity and a paucity of complexity. Might just be in an awkward spot, but I am glad this was my only bottle.
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2006 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Nahe (12/24/2024)
AP #17-07, from half bottle. This is flat out amazing Riesling. Such an incredible array of flavour - rich tropical and citrus fruit, plenty of botrytised honey/spice/orange peel notes, more mature burnished and smoky elements, and a saline mineral undertone on the palate all come together into a seamless whole. The ripeness is probably well into (or beyond) Beerenauslese levels, but there’s remarkable acidity and a lightness of touch that makes this incredibly easy to drink. Amazing intensity of flavour with barely any sense of weight, and perfect balance. Helmut Dönnhoff is a genius.
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2018 Martin Müllen Kröver Letterlay …
I’m going to stop here for a moment, and in honor of the beneficiary of this thread recall that just over 100 years ago, as the USA made the controversial (at least here at home) decision to enter the Great War, some of our most ridiculous “anti-sedition” laws ever were passed, restricting the rights of the people to exercise their Constitutionally guaranteed rights to express their feelings about the war. Loyalty tests grew so extreme that even the German language was suspect. Here, just a few blocks from my office in one direction and the OP’s prior home in the other, Berlin Avenue became Pershing Avenue, and many other street names were similarly changed.
In remembrance of those who were afraid even to speak German then, and the principle that silencing protected speech cannot be excused simply by labeling those who are silenced as being on the real or perceived “wrong” side of an issue, I will write the rest of the name of this wine in what I can only imagine would be the substitute:
… Speed Laser Find Herb. (AP 24)
As for the wine, I have to say, this is a lean, mean, riesling machine. Others at our table said “light and delightful” and “a good palate cleanser,” but to me it was a bit too lean with “palate cleanser” being apt due to the abrupt finish. Has it entered a dumb phase? Not sure, but a touch more sweetness and a touch more fruit would have served it well, at least on this night.
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Still young and primary. Explosive nose with a hint of petrol that slightly increased with each subsequent glass. Rich with zippy acid, white stone fruit, lime, honey, and a hint of mint and slate. Long finish.
With dumplings and noodles, this was consumed quickly. Would have been great to see how this evolved, if at all, on night 2, but twas not to be. Noci (our terrier/dachsund/chihuahua mix) has the perfect expression for this wine.
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2015 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Kabinett-Photos taken before opening. This is all under ripe peach with a hint of diesel, a bit of cheese rind, and some lime blossom. On the palate the peach is fully ripe, some orange peel, and rainier cherry. The acids are modest, but the RS is in balance. Wonderfully textural, this shows the house style but is a little simpler than the more high end offerings.
2016 Műller-Catoir Mussbach Riesling Kabinett-orange oil, gooseberry, spent fireworks. Very intriguing nose, expressive and nuanced. Melon, ripe stone fruits, gravelly stones, and again not overly complex but this has lovely length, some fine tannins in the finish amd is really enjoyable at the moment.
Cork had seeped at some point and this was toast. Flawed, not rated. Such a bummer…
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Wonderful post! Love me some speed laser find herb!
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My last bottle of this earlier in the year was still quite closed down, but I did open a 2015 Graacher Himmelreich Kabi last week that was showing quite well in its post-hibernation youthful phase. Right in my sweet spot for kabinett with age (no pun intended). Maybe the 2015s are starting to emerge.
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I had missed the dig pic request and thought it was just organic. My dogs rarely sit still long enough to pose for a photo unless there is food involved.
Here are Taz (English Pointer) and Kona (Shepherd) with their favorite pose!
Plus I donated $100 to the ALCU of Missouri. Some members need to stop being such whiny 🫏🕳️s.
Merry Christmas!
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Thank you Brian! Even if steak is involved, they look so well behaved!
Yes, they are masters of deception! 
This bottle was open for business! I won’t hesitate other 2015s soon.
The 2020:
Lime, lemon, zippy acidity, salinity, herbal, acidic structure and a long finish. The slightly grainy acidic structure is transformed from day two into complete harmony, truly shines and a lovely wine! Regret not getting more of this.
2013 Prager Riesling Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein (12/24/2024)
Carried into restaurant (Ris in DC - excellent) but had warmed up a bit while we were at the movies (“Wicked” - not a great movie but very entertaining, with constant visual delights that made it speed by, despite its length) and so the initial pours were a bit too warm and it seemed a bit tart. But 20 minutes in an ice water bath and some air did wonders for this bottle. Quite focused and pure, deep and dry with wonderful fruit that complemented the pepita crusted salmon and even stood up to the perhaps overly dressed kale salad that preceded it. Prager’s Bodenstein remains my favorite Austrian riesling. Only wish I owned more.
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#KABINETTSTUDY - Portland, Oregon (12/18/2024)
2022 Müller-Ruprecht Riesling Kabinett trocken - Germany, Pfalz
The nose is fresh and fragrant with balanced tones of sweet lemons, peaches, green apples, stone fruits, fresh picked citrus, white fruits, and white flowers. There is good complexity and freshness, but it lacks depth and definition. The Medium/Light bodied feel is fresh and vibrant with tart, high acidity that makes your mouth water. This is a fun Kabinett for about $20ish. It hits the citrus notes well and is deft on the palate, though it lacks much of a finish. (87 pts.)
2020 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheingau
The nose is fresh and vibrant with deft tones of stone fruits, peaches, green apples, white fruits, acacia flowers, and some mineral notes. The nose is lifted and balanced that is attractive, though with a lack of depth. The Medium/light bodied feel is fresh and balanced like the nose with racy, high acidity. There is good balance and freshness that is crisp and vibrant. This is a lovely wine, though it lacks depth and intrigue that would make it decidedly better. (88 pts.)
2022 Stein Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett feinherb - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
The nose is perfumed and vibrant with fresh and balanced tones of green apples, green tea, white flowers, lemon zest, herbs, pears, saline, and crushed rocks. There is a lovely and attractive tension to the nose while showing off some excellent upper register aromatics. The Medium/light bodied feel is fresh and vibrant with racy, high acidity that persists. This is lovely and with a real sense of style that is quite appealing. I would love to see where this goes with some age as it absolutely feels like there is room for improvement. (91 pts.)
2017 Weingut Hermann Ludes Thörnicher Ritsch Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
There is noticeable reduction that strikes right off the bat before giving way to tones of flint, smoke, red apples, pears, lemon peels, yellow flowers, and saline notes. There is decent depth with an open-knit style that is fresh, but slightly dominated by reduction. The Light bodied feel is fresh and crisp with sharp, high acidity that has serious cut. The acidity is a bit too sharp and has some real sting that still needs time to integrate. (90 pts.)
2011 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Nahe
This poured more of a gold color. There is a clear mature side to this with balanced tones of honey, nectarines, cheese rind, melon notes, pears, vanilla beans, red apples, nectarines, and yellow flowers. The Light bodied feel is textured and mature with integrated, high acidity that still has some crispness. This is fully mature and it shows really well for those that like this level of maturity. It does lack some freshness and depth, but it is seamless right now in a lovely, mature way. (88 pts.)
2012 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Nahe
Where the 11 was under cork, this was under Stelvin. That difference in closure leads to drastically different results. This shows a rounded style to the fruit, but with a freshness that still exists behind the tones of nectarines, pears, apples, quince, creamed peaches, mineral notes, and some yellow flowers. There is good depth with an open-knit style that is lifted and balanced. The Light bodied feel is balanced and deft with a melded style that is attractive and deft while possessing crisp, high acidity that persists. This is really elegant and a lot of fun to drink. This shows very differently than the 11 and I’m rather enjoying it more. This is at the perfect intersection of maturity and freshness. (91 pts.)
2023 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Nahe
This is clearly the lightest of the 3 Donnhoff Kabinetts. The nose is fresh and vibrant with aromatic tones of limes, white peaches, green apples, white fruits, pears, crushed rocks, and saline. There is a lovely, pristine quality to the nose that is vibrant and fresh. The Light bodied feel shows off that vibrancy and freshness along with racy, high acidity that has a lot of cut and mouthwatering qualities. This is gorgeous in its youth while the 2012 does a great job of showing where it can likely go with age. (91 pts.)
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