By far the oldest bottle I've had of these superb value (£8?) Sekts via Wilson Logan. Initially, the nose feels quite evolved, but then - rather oddly - it gets younger, displaying fresher notes with greater minerality and a light appley citrus air. Quite a rounded palate. Fairly crisp in the mouth, but with just a touch of sweet apples. Not merely a good Sekt, but a good, enjoyable fizz by any standard.
AP Nr. 3525781-10-02, 7.5% Rich, smoky, oily nose. Smelling very slightly older than maybe it should. Gorgeous pure Riesling palate. Impeccable balance. Quite dry feeling, especially for an Auslese, on the the finish, seemingly not all from acidity.
11.5% A very minerally nose, followed by a real blast of peaches. Nice. Dry, but not aggressively so. Fairly full on the palate. Neat and clean, though ultimately a bit simple. Not noticeably better than many Finger Lakes, NY rieslings. I don't know the structure of Dönnhoff's range: is this at Gutsriesling level? That feels where it belongs. Good one though.
13.5% Oaked and BD, apparently. A heavy, very unusual nose - quite spirity. Smoky-oaky, with some quite green fruit behind. Served blind, I really think I'd be guessing at an oaked NZ sauvignon blanc. If you really struggle, there is a touch of riesling perfume to be found in the nose. Very big palate. This is completely barmy. Take all the essence of riesling, throw it in the skip, and come back with an oaked sauvignon. It's not riesling as we know it. But for all that, it's a wine that grows on me with time. I don't think I'd want a lot of it, but find the right food for it, and a glass would go down really well.
This has a big creamy nose with some alcohol evident - raisins and almost leafy blackberry on the nose, along with nice minerality. Very ripe palate. This is sweetish, rich riesling with more apparent alcoholic heat than the 13% on the label might suggest. Very rich, with maybe a slight tendency towards blowsiness? Not at all objectionable though.
12% There are fresh white flowers and petrol on the nose. Quite crowd pleasing on the palate. Some say, perhaps a little unfairly, Riesling by numbers. It's a nice, direct, off-dry riesling. Not especially challenging, but it could hold its head very high among many Mosel Gutsrieslings. It's a bit difficult to find much to say aobut it/describe it though.
the nose is very strange. It is Riesling, but odd, with fennel/anise notes and a very slight hint of raisined fruit. With exposure to air, it becomes increasingly sherrified. On the palate, its very, very dry, but not arising from any especially noticeable acidity. Very, very odd. As Damian says, you wouldn't want a full bottle. But it's quite drinkable. You might not kick it out of bed in the morning, but you'd not want it hanging around long after breakfast, and wouldn't be looking for a second date.
Oxidised nose, but with a real weirdness that doesn't come entirely from oxidation, I think. Definitely a touch of urine on the nose. Lilies nappies is one suggestion. After a while, the oddness blows off a bit, exposing some strong vanilla oak with just a bit of peach fruit. On the palate, it just feels dried out and dry, with a concentrated medicinal note on the finish. This has little to recommend it, at least in this condition. I'd be interested to know what it's meant to be like ...
Lovely bright red fruits on the nose, nothing especially interesting, but there's a real loveliness there. There's a vin joven feel to this, and none the worse for it. Plush ripe fruit on the palate with a real chocolatey and red fruit edge. This is lovely, easy drinking, and an absolutely perfect match with the venison.You scarcely notice the 14.5% alcohol.
14.5% Precise black fruits nose that also manages to be plush and opulent. Unfortunately, the palate nowhere lives up to the promise of the nose. Very disappointing and very ordinary on the palate. Pretty much simple plonk. Blind, you'd probably be in Chile.
A very nice nose: very good black fruit, with a slight touch of VA giving it a lovely gamey edge. Rather odd palate. Although it's already over 10 years old, the immediate impression is of significant tannins; then you get some sour cherries and more tannins. It doesn't seem to have to me the fruit to carry the tannins forward, although you do feel it needs 10+ years. Rather strange. By no means a straightforward wine.
A more concentrated, more international, more stable nose. But again, there's a slight lift. Nicely opeh palate with lots of almost funky tannins dominating a red fruit character.
This is, according to the back label, made with frozen grapes. It has a rich, raisiny, caramel nose. Much purer and more riesling-like on the palate than the nose. Very clean and fresh on the palate. A very worthy effort.
A praeternaturally dark colour. The nose is unusually caramelly. This really seems like a triumph of the grape over poor storage. Good balance on the palate. Improving in the glass with time.
2002 Weingut Hain Riesling Brut 89 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
By far the oldest bottle I've had of these superb value (£8?) Sekts via Wilson Logan. Initially, the nose feels quite evolved, but then - rather oddly - it gets younger, displaying fresher notes with greater minerality and a light appley citrus air. Quite a rounded palate. Fairly crisp in the mouth, but with just a touch of sweet apples. Not merely a good Sekt, but a good, enjoyable fizz by any standard.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Auslese 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
AP Nr. 3525781-10-02, 7.5%
Rich, smoky, oily nose. Smelling very slightly older than maybe it should. Gorgeous pure Riesling palate. Impeccable balance. Quite dry feeling, especially for an Auslese, on the the finish, seemingly not all from acidity.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Dönnhoff Grey Slate Riesling Kabinett trocken 87 Points
Germany, Nahe
11.5%
A very minerally nose, followed by a real blast of peaches. Nice. Dry, but not aggressively so. Fairly full on the palate. Neat and clean, though ultimately a bit simple. Not noticeably better than many Finger Lakes, NY rieslings. I don't know the structure of Dönnhoff's range: is this at Gutsriesling level? That feels where it belongs. Good one though.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Heissenberg 86 Points
France, Alsace
13.5%
Oaked and BD, apparently.
A heavy, very unusual nose - quite spirity. Smoky-oaky, with some quite green fruit behind. Served blind, I really think I'd be guessing at an oaked NZ sauvignon blanc. If you really struggle, there is a touch of riesling perfume to be found in the nose. Very big palate. This is completely barmy. Take all the essence of riesling, throw it in the skip, and come back with an oaked sauvignon. It's not riesling as we know it. But for all that, it's a wine that grows on me with time. I don't think I'd want a lot of it, but find the right food for it, and a glass would go down really well.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2003 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Häuserer 87 Points
France, Alsace
This has a big creamy nose with some alcohol evident - raisins and almost leafy blackberry on the nose, along with nice minerality. Very ripe palate. This is sweetish, rich riesling with more apparent alcoholic heat than the 13% on the label might suggest. Very rich, with maybe a slight tendency towards blowsiness? Not at all objectionable though.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 White Springs Riesling 87 Points
USA, New York, Finger Lakes
12%
There are fresh white flowers and petrol on the nose. Quite crowd pleasing on the palate. Some say, perhaps a little unfairly, Riesling by numbers. It's a nice, direct, off-dry riesling. Not especially challenging, but it could hold its head very high among many Mosel Gutsrieslings. It's a bit difficult to find much to say aobut it/describe it though.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2000 Quinta da Pacheca Riesling Vinho Regional Trás-os-Montes 83 Points
Portugal, Trás-os-Montes, Vinho Regional Trás-os-Montes
the nose is very strange. It is Riesling, but odd, with fennel/anise notes and a very slight hint of raisined fruit. With exposure to air, it becomes increasingly sherrified. On the palate, its very, very dry, but not arising from any especially noticeable acidity. Very, very odd. As Damian says, you wouldn't want a full bottle. But it's quite drinkable. You might not kick it out of bed in the morning, but you'd not want it hanging around long after breakfast, and wouldn't be looking for a second date.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Celler Cal Pla Priorat Blanco Flawed
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Oxidised nose, but with a real weirdness that doesn't come entirely from oxidation, I think. Definitely a touch of urine on the nose. Lilies nappies is one suggestion. After a while, the oddness blows off a bit, exposing some strong vanilla oak with just a bit of peach fruit. On the palate, it just feels dried out and dry, with a concentrated medicinal note on the finish. This has little to recommend it, at least in this condition. I'd be interested to know what it's meant to be like ...
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2003 Mas d'en Gil Priorat Coma Vella 90 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Lovely bright red fruits on the nose, nothing especially interesting, but there's a real loveliness there. There's a vin joven feel to this, and none the worse for it. Plush ripe fruit on the palate with a real chocolatey and red fruit edge. This is lovely, easy drinking, and an absolutely perfect match with the venison.You scarcely notice the 14.5% alcohol.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses 84 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
14.5%
Precise black fruits nose that also manages to be plush and opulent. Unfortunately, the palate nowhere lives up to the promise of the nose. Very disappointing and very ordinary on the palate. Pretty much simple plonk. Blind, you'd probably be in Chile.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1999 Alvaro Palacios Priorat L'Ermita 92 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Excellent nose - very elegant black fruits with a bit of tobacco. Lovely palate, with great restraint. A very noble feel.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Viticultors del Priorat (Mas de Subira) Priorat Prior Terrae 86 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
A very nice nose: very good black fruit, with a slight touch of VA giving it a lovely gamey edge. Rather odd palate. Although it's already over 10 years old, the immediate impression is of significant tannins; then you get some sour cherries and more tannins. It doesn't seem to have to me the fruit to carry the tannins forward, although you do feel it needs 10+ years. Rather strange. By no means a straightforward wine.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1997 Costers del Siurana Priorat Clos de L'Obac 89 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
A more concentrated, more international, more stable nose. But again, there's a slight lift. Nicely opeh palate with lots of almost funky tannins dominating a red fruit character.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1996 Gran Clos Priorat Gran Clos 89 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
A good black and red fruits nose, with a raspberry lift. Hefty tannins, but in terms of the fruit, it's à point. Needs time?
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Masia Barril Priorat Clásico Flawed
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Badly corked.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1996 Elk Cove Vineyards Riesling Ultima 89 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
This is, according to the back label, made with frozen grapes. It has a rich, raisiny, caramel nose. Much purer and more riesling-like on the palate than the nose. Very clean and fresh on the palate. A very worthy effort.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1983 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein 86 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
A praeternaturally dark colour. The nose is unusually caramelly. This really seems like a triumph of the grape over poor storage. Good balance on the palate. Improving in the glass with time.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1983 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein Flawed
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Corked
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue