Wine Cellar Mosel & Alsace

A look at Germany and Alsace, primarily from 2006 (for Germany). The focus producers will be Dr Loosen & Willi Schaefer for Mosel, Domaines Schlumberger, and Trimbach for Alsace.

Introduction: 2006 was a classic auslese year, with a very hot July, cool August and then rain at the end of September. Some wineires picked BA and kanbinett on the same day! The wines are full-bodied and poiwerful and there was a lot of bbotrytis around. 2005 had more spectrum of fruit whilst 2003 had less acidity.

• 2006 Willi Schaefer Riesling 86 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): Pale lemon green with a gentle nose of wet slate, some SO2, and apple notes. Pretty.
  The palate is dry and fresh, elegant, with prominent minerals and apples. It's a pleasant wine, although the back palate finish is slightly short.

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• 2006 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): Pale lemon with green flashes. The aromas show earthy undertones of wet slate, wool, pear flesh and blossom notes.
  A racy entry with more toward chamomile tea infused and white flowers, off-dry showing RS but balanced by mineral/slate textures. A medium finish showing a bit more substance made for pleasant wine.

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• 2006 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): A medium lemon-green colour that shows richer and more intense on the nose with wet cardboard, burnt match and slate, all suggesting some initial reduction and a higher SO2.
  The palate is more pronounced in slate notes, a nervous yet racy acidity filled with plenty of fruit: ripe apple, pear and creme fraiche. Fairly long.

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• 2006 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 92 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): light to mid-yellow wine with some SO2. It exhibits an intensely fragrant nose showing ripe and rich fruit typical of the spotless style, particularly honey, blossom, wet slate, lime and white flowers. The palate is delicate and nervous, with a beautiful acidity that provides a cut and bite. The wine is off-dry yet intense, finishing with lime peel, green apple and a wet forest. Highly enjoyable!

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• 2006 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese 92 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): An off-dry classic Spatlese, the wine has a racy and intense profile. Flavours of confectionary and boiled sweets are balanced by the tangy acidity, helping contribute more fruit to the mid-palate. Compared to the previous wine, it is fuller-bodied, offering better depth with classic apple, lime/lemon with the slate and mineral in the background, giving some delineation to the wine. The wine becomes a little more petrol as it opens, and it was noted that despite the long gold capsule, there is no botrytis here.

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• 2006 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): An off-dry Auslese style beautifully balanced by a racy and driving acidity. Notes of boiled sweet join lemon verbena, lime and some tropical notes, giving plenty of fruit. Full-bodied with a reasonable depth of fruit and no botrytis, this long and rewarding wine closes with more mineral and slate than expected.

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• 2006 Dr. Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): A medium to light yellow wine. A touch of wet cardboard on the first nose, then richer elements of botrytised grapes, lime, tropical notes and ginger. A rich entry, the wine is sweet (150 g/L) and intense wine. It is balanced nicely between the botrytis ginger, apricot/meebos, and tropical pineapple notes and a mineral/slate texture. This is complex with the spices and finishes long.

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• 1981 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 87 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Tasted Blind): A medium to light green colour exhibiting noted boiled sweet, crayon, soft cheese rind and a touch of mint humbug. I also felt there was an SO2 note, which is odd given the age!
  The entry is racy and nervy style with a gentle, sweet 90g/L) RS that gives some fullness and fatness to the mid-palate. Some notes make their way onto the palate, which may be off-putting for some. However, it was fun to taste.

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• 2006 Trimbach Muscat Reserve 88 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): Pale to lemon green in colour with pungent aromas of apple blossom, white plum or greengage, button mushroom and peach pip. There is a musty element to the nose, too.
  A robust and full-bodied wine, delivering intense, rich flavours, particularly peach flesh, tangerine and apple.
  Closes with more peach, fairly long yet drier than expected, given the mid-palate flesh. I warmed to it.

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• 2004 Domaines Schlumberger Gewurztraminer 87 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): A light yellow-green wine with steely aromas joined by grapefruit, strawberry, freshly-picked soft herbs and with gunflint undertones. Off-dry (17g/L), rich and fat in texture, there is breadth here, and its gentle sweetness offsets a slight bitterness in the mid-palate.
  13% alcohol.

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• 2005 Domaines Schlumberger Pinot Gris Les Princes Abbés 87 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): A light to medium green that is intense with apple, honey and white peach. A rich profile, I found this more resembled a Chenin Blanc style than a traditional Pinot Gris. The wine is notably rich and intense with plenty of fleshy stone fruit and offers a good length on the palate.

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• 2001 Domaines Schlumberger Pinot Gris Les Princes Abbés 88 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): A pale yellow wine with pronounced notes of dried fruits, leaves, biscuits, and apples. It is an intense and complex wine with integrated alcohol in a firm style yet offset with a decent finish with a honey and beeswax texture.

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• 2005 Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes Abbés 86 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): A pale lemon green wine with a somewhat closed nose. The entry is crisp with apple slices, lime and mineral, medium in length but fairly simple. Nice delicate style.

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• 2005 Trimbach Riesling Reserve 89 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): A steely, mineral-driven nose with yellow fruits, nuts, honey, and spice. In the background are subtle notes of wafer biscuits. The palate displays a fresh acidity, is wonderfully intense, and finishes long with an abundance of vibrant green Granny Smith apples. Good potential might benefit from additional ageing.

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• 2001 Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Kitterlé 89 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  (Tasted Blind): A pale yellow to gold colour that is intense and powerful on the nose, showing ripe grapy notes that join kerosene, lime, lemon zest, grapefruit, and plenty of blossom. Dry on entry with a steely fresh acid backbone, the midpalate has richness and power, leading to a more viscous texture. It is an engaging experience; there is some tension here despite the richness and an understated power.

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• 2002 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 94 Points

  France, Alsace

  (Tasted Blind): A pale yellow-gold colour; the nose offers a multitude of aromas that include crushed stone and minerals, ripe orange peel, tropical fruit and light alpine flowers. The entry displays tense, edgy acidity with an extracted and powerful mid-palate, all infused with crushed rocks, minerals, salted orange and abundant fruits. A long and lingering finish, 2002, compares to 2001 as having a more nervous acidity, which is about right. Fairly mouth cleansing!

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