- 2024 Wittmann Westhofener Riesling - Germany, Rheinhessen (04/10/2026)
Uncorking: Unctuous; green pear and citrus oil on the nose with some lees-induced caramel and cream; extracted acids on the palate with some immature fruit, a little reduction.
Left to chill for 3 hours: Airy, dense nose of starfruit, ripe pineapple, spiced citrus peel buttressed with Schweppes Cream Soda. Primaries manifest as Swizzels Fizzers, candied lotus root occasionally; a somewhat austere and centred, astringent palate of pomelo owing to the vintage that is permanent throughout; there is still an emerging but phenolically stunted citrus; no detectable minerality compared with the July tasting, rather the primary aromatics are the focus here. (90 points)
3 Likes
A few members of the Bay Area Riesling Squad got together for delicious Hunan food at Wojia in Albany, CA. Our Riesling consisted of Auslesen, a Spätlese and a Kabi Feinherb.It was very fascinating for the ‘03 Vollrads Spätlese to be almost as unctuous the Selbach-Oster Schlossberg Auslese** from 2010! Also surprised by my first 2019 Steinmetz Geierslay Auslese - how lithe! How Steinmetz-y! Quite a wine. And of course the Meyer Nepal was also quite fine. Just about Outstanding.
8 Likes
2007 J. J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Auslese
Opened to pair with a spicy Thai lentil curry. Slightly spongy cork soaked about 75% of the way through, but no worries, wine is showing beautifully. Prüm is often described as a watercolor. The first thing that strikes you is that it is perfectly balanced - acidity, fruit (apricot, white peach), sweetness (barley sugar, a hint of golden raisin), minerality, a hint of petrol, limpid middle-bodied (and rather fleetfooted for auslese level). Very old school in that way, it’s not like all the modern darlings with their enamel stripping acidity, in your face reduction or hyper-chiseled minerality. Sometimes I crave that (especially the acidity), but there’s something really refined and lovely about such a well crafted wine. Glad I have a couple bottles left.
6 Likes
2005 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (8/2/2026)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 2.5 hrs. on Day 1; revisited on Day 4 –
– AP #: … 02 07 –
NOSE: moderately aged; candied kumquat; medium to medium+ petrol; absolutely gorgeous! Some mandarin concentrate, along with a fresh cool cucumber element. DAY 4: lychee/kumquat/concentrated mandarin; mango jellies.
BODY: golden yellow color; medium-full bodied; proper Spatlese; no spritz.
TASTE: perhaps a hint of botrytis; medium+ acidity; impressive, and in a great spot right now. Kumquat; 8% alc. not noticeable; some perfumey florals on the mid palate. DAY 4: a little powdery; still delicious. This is an impressive 2005. For my preferences, this is in its prime window, but it’s certainly not yet tired. Drink or Hold. again, for my preferences it’s a Drink Now.
.
5 Likes
Love this wine.
Prum really did well in 2005, a challenging vintage and one I have not loved from most producers. But the WS spat and auslese are both successful and drinking very well.
3 Likes
Me too. That note I just posted is from a couple months ago. I had another bottle last night, and it, too, was singing. 
Hmmmm, this is intriguing to hear, as it pertains to the Auslese. Although I have a few of the Spatlese, I have only one bottle of the Auslese, so I’ve been holding it with the aim of opening it when it’s clearly in its prime window. Thank you for chiming-in!
Oops - don’t thank me just yet. I made a mistake. The 2005 Prum auslese that we have is not the WS, it is the Graacher Himmelreich. But since I have found the WS to be accessible earlier than the GH most of the time, I would still find the datapoints relevant. I have been through 6 of them so far, and they have all been great to excellent. Last note is in CT from last June, if you are interested.
2 Likes
hmmmmm … maybe this is my historical problem with GH — it has never spoken to me the way WS does. I’ve always found it relatively boring and/or light. Maybe I’ve just never given it adequate time. (?) Or, perhaps, it really is just not my thing. … as it is, I do have a lone bottle of the '05 GH Auslese, as well as a lone bottle of the '04 GH Auslese. Between those two, I assume the '04 is further along its aging curve than the '05, but I really don’t know — do you have an opinion on that comparison?
I don’t have any direct comparisons, but 2004 is a great vintage in general, so my instinct would be it will age even better, though I bet it is drinking well now.
I love both. The GH tends to have racier acidity to me, which I appreciate either very young or with extra age. The WH has more depth.
3 Likes
Just picked up an 04 WS Auslese on retail. Very excited to open it and it will be my first JJ Prum as well. Good to hear it should be rockin!
1 Like
Two beauties this weekend, so different! The 2002 Hirtzberger was explosively aromatic, showing only a slight lack of acid spine for me. The 2015 Emrich-Schönleber is still in a somewhat shutdown phase, but still very delicious, with much more to come.
10 Likes
I wanted to buy a bunch of Hofgut Falkenstein Rieslings last year and the retailer had bundled the Mia and Gisela bottlings together with four Kabinett Rieslings from other producers. This came as part of that package and boy am I happy they ”forced” me to take it. Very high quality and textbook stuff, drinking so easily that 75cl is barely enough for one person.
- 2023 Schloss Saarstein Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10.10.2026)
A very minerally and slatey nose with crisp green fruit, spearmint and smoky reduction. Very pure and classic, a real delight. On the palate strikes that magical balance between obvious not insignificant amount of residual sugar, little to no weight and terrific, nervy acidity. A very minerally and green apple-y profile, cool and collected. Seems to pair effortlessly with everything and drinks like water. An energizing wine that puts a smile on my face.
Posted from CellarTracker
5 Likes
I’m glad the package deal worked out for you. Saarstein also has Bockstein now. It’s pretty telling that the retailer I know asks buyers to purchase other Saar wines, especially from various VDP estates, for Falkenstein.
1 Like
Have never seen this producer in the states or at least my usual haunts. Very curious.
Very telling indeed. I think Mosel is full of producers making very good wines and yet Hofgut Falkenstein is in a sort of rarefied air in terms of their following and hype around the various cuvées. Well done!
1 Like
I had bought 18 bottles of the 07 JJP GH Auslese for $20 years ago. The few that I have opened have all been very good.
1 Like
We finished off the 2020 Fruehmesse last night. Very nice, not as chiseled as the ‘21, but very much a drink me now bottle.
2 Likes
A local Reno distributor closed up shop in about 2012 or so. I bought cases of 2004 JJ Prum at silly prices. I love this vintage for its clarity of aroma and flavors with guiding acidty.
Sadly, a bottle of GH Spatlese last week smelled funny and was clearly corked!