Riesling rendezvous

What could be better than a large assemblage of different styles of Riesling? How about stopping in the middle for a great bunch of Veal Schnitzel?

We started with numerous dry examples before moving to three flights of increasing pradikat. In those off-dry flights we compared the same three producers each time with very clear stylistic differences.

SWITZERLAND & ALSACE

We started with a couple of Swiss Rieslings and an Alsacian.

• 2007 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
  I am having a hard time finding the nose. Faint aromatics with a hint of white peach. Mmm, steel and citrus on the palate. A hint of honey. Textbook dry Alsatian. Really lovely, and it opened up well across two days.
• 2005 Gantenbein Riesling Auslese - Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Fläsch
  Apple cider with an overripe note (sort of like the apple mash an hour after the cider is pressed). Some smokiness. Paul notes "Mirabelle honey." Mmm, this is quite full and sweet on palate entry but very dry and acid on the finish. It is interesting but not well integrated -- the acid and sugar are very distinct.
• 2009 Defayes & Crettenand Riesling - Switzerland, Valais, Leytron
  Heavy flint nose, very reduced. Lemon and stone on a clean and very wound up palate. I didn't notice the alcohol at first, but once others (Gilberto) pointed it out, it was noticeable and detracted from the wine a bit.

GERMAN TROCKEN GG

And now a GG flight to get us rolling.

• 2012 von Winning Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz
  Mmm, spicy with subtle smoke and gentle tangerine, lemon and citric notes. Wow, this has great acid and minerality, really majestic and clean. Loaded with lemon curd. This is painfully young however.
• 2011 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe
  Woof, this screams of massive sulphur to the point of rotten eggs. I tried to get underneath that, and there was some tangerine and nice acid. However, for me this bottle was just flawed. (I did try to follow it for a few days, and the sulphur dissipated a little bit but remained very prominent.) (FLAWED)
• 2012 Weingut Keller Hubacker Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen
  Some subtle sulphur and a little honey. Wow this is a huge wine, packed and stacked. Very citrusy with a sort of tropical "Juicy Fruit" gum aspect. Quite salty on the finish.

MORE GERMAN TROCKEN

• 2011 Siener Birkweiler Kastanienbusch Schiefer S Riesling Trocken - Germany, Pfalz
  Some CO2 prickle, salty. This is the purely savory side of Riesling, and I quite like it.
• 2009 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe
  A big, explosive, fruity nose. Very savory, salty and mineral with a tangerine finish.

EVEN MORE TROCKEN

• 2008 Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe
  Wow, this is stunning. Really gorgeous with tangerine, perfect salt, mineral and savory interplay.Quite peppery and just dances with incredible citrus.
• 2008 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Superior - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Those nose is weird, yeasty with a whiff of caramel, and seems a little off. However the palate is a whole different story, juicy, silky and creamy with a touch of residual sugar.
• 2008 Koehler-Ruprecht Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Spätlese trocken - Germany, Pfalz
  Extremely dry and savory.

KABINETT

• 2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #7 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Wow, just perfect! Delicate, feminine, precise, sweet and sour.
• 2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Lots of sulphur and spritz. Really mineral and aggressively youthful. A true Kabinett now that all of the baby fat is gone. It comes across as austere and masculine next to the much more delicate Willi Schaefer.
• 2007 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Nahe
  Much heavier than the other wines, a difficult comparison. An alluring body. Hmm, is there a touch of TCA holding this back? (Conclusion after a couple of days was NO.)

SPÄTLESE

• 2005 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #7 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Mmm, silky, easygoing, feminine, juicy, and beautifully balanced. Saftig.
• 2002 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Heavy sulphur, but despite that this is lovely, salty and powerful.
• 2004 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe
  Brutally corked. (FLAWED)

AUSLESE

• 2006 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #11 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Honey and clove, a somewhat "heavy" nose. Just a hint of diesel. Delightful green apple palate.
• 1998 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Woof, really heavy sulphur. Some diesel and petrol are followed by mint. The palate, WOW the palate. Screaming with mouthwatering green apple, smoky, salty and mineral. This is still a baby, but it is BRILLIANT, vibrant, wow!!!
• 2003 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Nahe
  Ahh, spicy with some evergreeen, A revelation on the palate, delicate and mineral, noble and poised, utterly mouthwatering.

DESSERT

• 1959 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Eltviller Taubenberg Riesling Cabinet - Germany, Rheingau
  My notes here are nearly non-existent. Mushroom and funk on the nose, still some life on the palate.