This "Charta" Riesling is a solid effort, also taking into account that this one should retail at around 7 Euros. It is pretty much textbook, with a good emphasis on "voltage" that steers it away from boredom.

From the exclusive Nonnberg comes an intriguing wine. Intriguing mostly because it makes me wonder what time will do to this one, vegetal elements lingering after an initial harsh bitter entry chord drowning any sense of freshness. The transfer to the mid-p is disjointed. Someone at the tasting was pointing out that this one is too young. Even if it were so, it did sound like an excuse. I don't see it becoming more harmonious and could hardly detect any fruits or other "wine-structure" enhancing elements.
Overall: Not for me.

Interesting to see how this Flick wine's attack resembles that of their Nonnberg Erstes Gewächs. They attack you unbashfully with bitter almond skin and grass. Too direct for my liking. The mid-p stays hollow, primarily because of a rather low acidity level. Fruits might have been hidden since the wines were very cold. Not helpful for a tasting.
Overall: I don't really see myself drinking this one on my own, but at the price of ca. 9 Euros good to bring along to a party

Compared to the Flick's Nonnberg 1G this one shows off a much more developed mid-p and epilogue, which I find important with these wines because of their direct approach. The initial bitterness begins to kick-in gradually and developing a very elegant mouthfeel, which I enjoyed tremendously. While the almond component starts to deteriorate, the residuals enter the stage, nice. However the sweetness becomes a little artificial, which left me a tad disappointed.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
A very exciting structure, with pretty vibrant mineral accentuations. Limeskin like bitterness, which fails to focus further.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
Very tense and dense, but fresh, wine. Reluctanctly shows off a great vibrancy, this inner struggle might become more obvious with further storage

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
Nose peach-pie-like, but not too complex. Very juicy and mouth-watering initially, the mid-palate could be more gripping, then fades rather unspectacularly. A good effort, but not exciting.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
A little bit too many "in-your-face" hard and accentuated green and bitter tannins for my palate. However, after breathing for ca. 1h, the "barky" aspects started to tone down and I began appreciating the spices and initially hidden fruits.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
Rüdesheimer Berg Zollhaus - Spectacular nose, a whirlwind of different impressions racing through your head, I found it very hard to concentrate on just one of the many impressions, but the wine wasn't all over the place or being unfocused (if that makes sense). I picked up some camomile, hay, but also bits of of pomegranate and gooseberry on the nose.
I didn't know what to expect and the taste was certainly quite surprising. Rather bitter, not hollow, then with increasing almond skin. The finish was tart like, and developed into a moss-like flavour. A very humbling experience to taste this wine after having been produced 80 years ago.
Rating it doesn't do it justice, and included some major points for having survived 2 world wars.

Not going too much into detail here, this one lacks the D-factor...deliciousness & drinkability, which I look for on the entry level. However its characteristic is interesting enough to enjoy on a non-party-level, mainly because of the interplay of bitterness, acidity (made me think of rhubarb).

This one packs a punch and has soul. When the green and good vibrations turn on their afterburner there isn't much else that you could or would want to think about: Slightly caramellised green apples with sprinkled black pepper develop a major snap. A whiskey-like peppery epilogue rounds off this characteristic experience. Did I mention the lovely viscosity? And I am pretty sure that giving it time, the overall complexitiy will shine even more when the slightly harsh corners are rounded off a tiny bit more.
I can see that this wine might not necessarily be a crowd-pleaser when flaunting its characteristic traits of that vintage. I'm neither making any excuses for it nor taking anything away from it, I simply adore the brutal confidence of it. Like the Strokes sang "Take it or leave it" and I would regularly, if it weren't that darn expensive retailing at ca. 60 Euros.

This one screams: Drink me, drink me, drink me. The carrot-like fruitiness becomes really juicy, reminding me of pomegranate seeds without its skin. It's not complex nor does it do a lot when the credits are rolling. But who cares when you just saw a blockbuster with a giant bucket of popcorn?

The Magdalenenkreuz, which is ranked below the Schlossberg by the winemakers, didn't excite my palate so far that it made me think more about what it lacks and not what it offers. It appeared rather flabby and out-of-shape, lacking focus and texture. The biggest "minus" is the lack of acidity, which could have added some excitement. The artificial sweetener impression at the end makes it look cheap.

I was looking forward to this wine, and maybe I was expecting too much. Like watching a preview of a movie, which makes the movie look amazing and goes to see. And even though if the movie is good, one tends to be a little disappointed because of the great expectations. I found this wine to be all over the place, unfocussed and really caught me off-guard, which is why I have a hard time placing it. I hardly made any notes about it when drinking it and four days later I can't recall what else I could say. If I had to rate it, I would give it a 86.

Isn't it all about the "basic" qualities of a winemaker? It certainly is an interesting indicator (and depending on the winemaker sometimes the only one left available). This one is right up my alley with its instant appeal without artificially trying hard to please the critics. Seductive acidic vibrancy with a simple but gripping mid-p, nice...

Compared to their standard Riesling trocken, I found some similar components in the 1G, but looked at through a magnifying glass. Nice smooth light-citrussy entry that is offset a little bit by gooseberry-sweetness, then started pumping and pumping until my palate was completely surrounded - to me this one tastes like a loaded gun...in a good way

Although being very crisp and clean I didn't embrace this wine wholeheartedly, the bitter overtones of almond skin were a little too dominant for me. The mid-p didn't do much for me either, because it had a stagnant profile and a lack of acidity. It's like a person you know and respect for their opinion at your work place, but wouldn't want to hang out with.

Quite taken aback when tasting this wine. Iimmediately a notion of a light sponge cake with mango and papaya come to my mind, mixed with the sweetness of burnt red pepper. It's not so much about major evolution on the mid-p with this one, but it's viscous from the start and leaves you yearning for me. I can see a major headache developing (and that's a plus?)

This does not take prisoners. It will not try and please all palates, but shows off the rather intriguing styles of the Geisenheim-Johannisberg. There had been some talk about this winemaker, not surprisingly after having received the "Collection of 2009 by Gault Millau Germany". The Rotlack impressed me with its vegetal, even bitter, notion, which fought it out with the fruity elements, which I felt were suppressed. The mid-p was like sucking on an hazelnut. Not starstruck by this one.

What a restless wine, it won't give you time to breathe. There is so much tension in the air, sparks flying all over the place like samurai swords clashing. The lemonic (lemon+demonic) structure is incredibly defined, beaming and definite. Totally taken aback and baffled by this effort and I decided to take a short break after the Silberlack.

Smelling I had visions of a monastery hall filled with smoke, which made total sense to me. There is definite fat on the wine, but the corset is there to guide it. Especially the mid-p was formidable and developed a major oaky silkiness with lard-like density. So good it hurts.

Quite excited about this two-stop vertical, 2007 and 1959, of the Johannisberger Auslese. Stunning super-strong nose on the '59, which is all about the fumes mixed with some rotten tropical fruit action. The nose should be captured and offered as a perfume. The fruit-mix (mango, avocado) arches in a baroque and elegant style. The mid-p is like licking an avocado seed and also develops a sherry-heaviness that melts in your mouth super-nicely (Not "nice" in an ordinary fashion, but NICE). I don't really want to talk about freshness, but let's put it this way: This 50 year old wine is not dull. Again, like most old rarities, judging it can't do it justice.

What an introduction to the wines offered by Schloss Reinhartshausen. This "basic" quality struck a chord with me, the dancing black peppers exploded one by one creating a tense web around the tongue. If you like a stiff breeze from the ocean this is it! And just when I thought the walk at the ocean was finished, the spiced peppers lingered on. For a mere 8 Euros a clear case of "grab and go".

It shoots, it scores! A slow and carefully orchestrated entry of well-balanced elements of pure minerality grows into a superb crescendo and explodes like New Year fireworks. It's stunning to experience this versatile yet focussed personality speaking volumes about the locale, vintage and winemaker. The 1G really swings for the fences and has the shape to take it to the last round, meaning it lasts!

Near copper shimmer lights up the room, and the Spätlese is shockingly different to their 1G from the same vineyard. Whereas the 1G throws its full weight into the ring, the Spätlese works in more subtle ways. It hesitantly shows off its skills, meaning the vibrancy feels a little distant and is lightweight. Just before the mid-p turns hot, it manages to get a grip on itself. The finish with light streaks of grapefruit and lemon zest are just the needed power-up to take this to the next level.

Somebody call the cops, Schloss Reinhartshausen is on the loose...the Auslese Goldkapsel's profile is very broad, but fits like a perfectly fitted suit. Underneath I tasted layers of star fruit, fresh pineapple and the aftertaste's sweetness of gooseberry with a whiff of fumes. The epilogue discreetly lingers on the tongue, and continues to leave a lasting footprint in the sand. The roundness and viscosity is plainly overwhelming, but doesn't seem artificially constructed. A great lean powerhouse that can run a marathon.

The problem is that the better I like the wine, the less I tend to write...I have to change this bad habit. My notes don't say much more than: Staring at a gold medal...Super fresh, fruity acidity...for eternity. Maybe even longer. Then I stopped writing, closed my eyes and had another sip.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
This one is not for the faint of heart, ripping acidity, mineral and focussed structure. The control is impressive, steering you through a maze of land mines. In the distance you can hear them go off and the vibrancy translates onto your tongue. The finish is dry and greatly "orchestrated". Thank you to the winemakers for this jewel.

Sink your nose and teeth into a leather saddle, this is how it tastes like. Fascinating how this Kabinett shows off its terroir and I am grateful that the winemakers were not afraid to let it do so. After the leather attack I wasn't expecting this: The mid-p has a gripping deliciousness-factor and shows off pure enjoyment, soft texture...a kind of wine which should be standing on every dinner table.

In contrast to the Erbacher Marcobrunn terroir this one exhibits a much stronger vibrant characteristic. The glittering minerals and the sweet parts of orange peel complement it each other superbly. Two football strikers scoring a goal after a well-rehearsed "Doppelpass" (give-and-go).
Enjoyable and at the same time not "wine-intellectually" underwhelming. Such a great effort...a lot of hard work put into it by the makers to make winemaking look easy.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
This one came out of a Magnum bottle. Colour of Golden flakes. The firmness makes a great impact, as well as the freshness. What I would have liked is more acidity, but I am not complaining either. Run into a web of exotic fruits, especially Papaya, and enjoy the experience while you try to untangle yourself.

It's time to recognize! Five wines from Schloss Schönborn at this tasting, each and every one delivering, staring down the non-believers of the terroir philosophy.
The nose reminds me of a plastic figurine, freshly opened and taken out of the factory box. A LOT happening on the tongue, party-time for pineapple, both fresh and rotten, and other usual suspects. Yes, you will find your usual suspects here, But this party isn't boring. Maybe because the bouncer couldn't hold off Cape Gooseberry to also gate-crash this party. The smoothness is ridiculous and cranks up the party volume....all night long!

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
Rather underwhelming, solid wine. Especially when you take into account that this one sells for ca. 12 Euros and there is a huge stackload of other, more affordable "basic" efforts, which are more exciting. What this one lacks is focus and orientation.

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
A very subdued nose with hints of stone and sparkle. Pure black pepper vibrancy, increasing on the mid-p vigourously, strong tension takes over the tip of the tongue - this one's electric and fresh making you think "Please pass the wine".

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
A little bit of petrol on the nose, smells like passing by a gas station. The fruit took some time to come out, but that said the wine was pretty cold. The acidity is only hinted at - I would have needed more of that - stable mid-p, but not evolving and then breaks off rather abruptly. Overall: Not a great fan of, there could have been so much more of the "deliciousness factor".

@ Great Rheingau Riesling Review 2009, London:
Nice, I am carrying a bag of "superfood-fruits" and standing in a traffic jam with the fumes going right through me. In other words, a great nose. Broad attack that takes over the tongue, reminding me of fowl red apples. The mid-p tastes as if one took a handful of Haribo Tropical Fruit minus the "chew-factor". Very good finish.

Wilhelm Weil himself poured me this super-powered-dirty-gold coloured exclamation mark, which has strings of the wine hanging on to the glass after a swirl. Take a bunch of tropical fruits, marinate them in petrol and finish off with some cinammon. Something like that. Silky texture with sparks of honey comb, super substantial and controlled "heat", insanely lasting until the evening. Regrettably I did have to brush my teeth at some stage.
Overall: Someone melted down a medicine cabinet from a different planet and put it in this bottle. So supernatural that it should be prohibited. This one has "Must have died and gone to heaven" written all over it. If you get your hands on this one (they will be auctioned off 2010 at the centennial of VDP), make sure you live to see this one opened.