A couple of reliable wines this week. The 2016 Aurum, I’m convinced, is the best dry Mosel riesling. I picked up a case of 12 on an auction a ways back at $28/bottle and felt a little silly for committing to so much, but every bottle has been lights out. The second one I opened as a gut check in a blind lineup where the group preferred it over 2016 Keller Morstein. @Robert_Dentice if you were wondering, it continues to be a knockout.
The 2013 Stromberg was a relief as the last bottle from the same purchase showed a bit of pox. This was pristine, though while SF remains my go-to fave producer, I think 1) Stromberg’s volcanic soil presents it much more like Felsenberg than like Felseneck (which is in the same village of Bockenau but mostly slate/quartzite) and 2) 2013 doesn’t have the depth of 2015 nor the acid of 2010, marking it as a good (better than 11 or 14) but not top-tier vintage for top dry German rieslings.
Two great wine, but I preferred the Aurum this week.
What 2007s have been problematic? I’ve been pretty happy with what I have from MSR although it’s not a shy sugar vintage — Prum, MG, Selbach, and surprisingly TBH even Zilliken. Only Donnhoff has been on the high side of the sugar-to-acid ratio I prefer.
I’m drinking the 2015 Stromberg this week. The depth and precision of the gunflint minerality with some interwoven dried orchard fruit, yellow citrus, and tarragon is stunning.
Hell yeah, the 15 Stromberg is one of the best vintages of it. 15 SF Felsenberg also sensational - maybe even better - though haven’t had Donnhoff’s version to compare.
Prager 2013 Bodenstein Smaragd Riesling and 2023 Lauer Stirn. The former is a point and delicious, showing the perfect balance of the 2013 vintage in the Wachau IME. The latter is another great example of my favorite Lauer wine. That the balance locked in and the wine was singing on day 3 lets me know this is a keeper.
I rarely buy/open trocken because of the higher ABV, but decided to make an exception tonight and cracked a 2023 Stein Blauschiefer. So ridiculously delicious, now. Wow. It’s basically perfect. If 2024 comes in under 10%, I’m backing up the truck…
Edit: After one small glass of the Blauschiefer, I switched to 2023 Steinmetz Brauneberger Kabi. So. Effing. Delicious.
Two mind-blowers in one night. I wish every night could be like this…
I love Alsatian and Austrian rieslings for their acidity and dryness. It’s unfortunate that so many assume all rieslings are sweet. I have some 2004 rieslings that are beautiful, proving the best are age-worthy as well. Some of my favorites are FX Pichler, Hirtzberger, Prager, Trimbach, Schloss Gobelsburg, among others.
This was fan-f’ing-tastic last night. As much as I love Riesling, it’s usually a happy wine for me, rather than a blow me away wine. With a few exceptions, the highs aren’t as high for me as they are with champagne or burgundy or Piedmont. But every now and again, a rather modest bottle can just rock my world, and that’s exactly what this Weltner GG did last night. It was helped by the fact that it paired phenomenally well with our house style curry/mustard/sherry vinegar pork chops.
A pair of Rieslings for the weekend. The Kilburg Vertigo is a wine I never heard of. I’ve only had their Pradikat wines. Saw it at a tiny shop at the beach. Quite delicious off dry and simple. An easy quaffer. The Mullen Auslese was just the opposite. Quite sweet. Pear and peaches. Lots of depth to it. Extremely long finish. Very nice. I have three more bottles and will keep for several years
I’ve got that Kilburg bottle in the wine fridge right now, he is one of my favorite new discoveries and haven’t had a bad wine from him yet. Ohglisburg trocken was absolutely electric when I had it a few months ago and just opened his Pinot on Friday and after some air it was really fantastic. I expect the feinherb will be a lot less complex but it’s also half the price of his other bottlings
