Some strange off tastes on opening, though it calmed down about 20 minutes later. Agree that is has a bit of a grassy thing going on, and this vintage seems like a combination of slightly bitter apples and tropical fruits/bananas. Relatively full mouthfeel, could use some more acidity to balance out in the finish (imagine, a Lauer that needs more acidity!). Weirdly get the slightest hint of alcohol - the label says 12.5 though I think it's higher. Barely off-dry. Definitely has been improving the longer it's open. I'll probably save my last bottle for another 5 years for science.
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Despite some folks describing this as a dry wine, I feel this is clearly in the feinherb category. It is a beautiful, balanced wine. I just wish I could find more Lauer wines in the Chicagoland marketplace. It is becoming increasingly frustrating to find quality wines, especially Riesling in Chicago.
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Outstanding. Who would have thought a dry wine from the Saar could be this good. Light as a feather yet impressive concentration. Excellent complex mineral nose. Light mid palate, but still gives the impression of loads of dry extract. Finish is long and dry, with plenty of refreshing acidity (strikes me as lots of malic and some citric with less of a tarteric impression than I'm used to with Mosel wines - I'm trying to get better at identifying acids).
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Very dry with lots of lemon. Intriguing wine that I don't think is in its best place now, probably should wait at least another couple years before checking in again.
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No formal note. Better than the last time I had this, still a bit green and grassy, but the slight sweetness is more noticeable and the fruit is more promienent. Decent but still my least favorite vintage of this wine out of the last 4.
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I think it was Levenberg who once wrote that buying Lauer is like paying a utility bill. I agree. Each vintage is wonderful and, better yet, each vintage is totally unique. This is a sleeker, more piercing version of the Senior. The acids and minerals are dialed up, but this still has the ripe-fruit stuffing to make this super enjoyable. Gulpable. A lovely food wine -- heck, a lovely anything wine.
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Very tempting, pure nose of ripe and (at the same time) tart apple, pear, lychee and citrusy minerality. That's a lot of fruit, but still the nose displays nice restraint. On the palate ripe and fleshy, almost oily, with a distinctively dry and sour finish. Feels off-dry and a bit soft at first, but gets quite dry and acidic in the end. Early on I thought that this would be one of those unbalanced, harsh trockens but quickly it really fleshened up and turned out to be quite an enjoyable, lipsmackingly refreshing drink. While I prefer the fruity styled Rieslings of the Mosel, this must be one of the most drinkable trockens/feinherbs from the region that I have come across. Really all about texture and sharp, palate cleansing acidity.
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In contrast to seemingly everyone else, I really liked this. White peach, green apple, lemongrass, honeysuckle, minerally nose. Ripe and fruity, yet dry, on the palate. Spritzy acids and nice concentration. Really nice for the price.
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Quite intense nose, with florals, stonefruit and orange peel. Off dry palate, say around 10 g/l. Well balanced with medium fruit weight. Should age decently.
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Very interesting. Smokey lychee nose, sweet and savory white and yellow fruit on the palate. Comes across as having less acid and RS compared to the 2010. I like it. Not as flashy as the 2010 but has a lot going on, somewhat atypical. Tasted over three evenings.
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With its grassy flavors, medium to light body and taut, powerful acid, this tastes exactly like a decent sauvignon blanc, a grape I have never liked. This vintage lacks both the juicy drinkability that made the 09 so much fun and the concentration of fruit extract that made the 2010 so impressive. The first Lauer wine I've had that I've not liked. Massively disappointing.
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3/13/2017 - GTFreek wrote:
Blind tasted, showing bruised apple, bruised pear, yellow flowers. I said Savennieres, others said Riesling.
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2/12/2017 - Tubulus wrote: 89 Points
Some strange off tastes on opening, though it calmed down about 20 minutes later. Agree that is has a bit of a grassy thing going on, and this vintage seems like a combination of slightly bitter apples and tropical fruits/bananas. Relatively full mouthfeel, could use some more acidity to balance out in the finish (imagine, a Lauer that needs more acidity!). Weirdly get the slightest hint of alcohol - the label says 12.5 though I think it's higher. Barely off-dry. Definitely has been improving the longer it's open. I'll probably save my last bottle for another 5 years for science.
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1/29/2017 - Saxman1984 wrote:
Despite some folks describing this as a dry wine, I feel this is clearly in the feinherb category. It is a beautiful, balanced wine. I just wish I could find more Lauer wines in the Chicagoland marketplace. It is becoming increasingly frustrating to find quality wines, especially Riesling in Chicago.
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7/28/2016 - Tubulus wrote: 88 Points
A bit shrill when cold (not surprising), really rounds out nicely with some air and warmth but still missing some balance. Good, not great.
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8/30/2015 - juffer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar experience as previous bottle. Outstanding value. Intensely mineral nose. Light weight mid palate, yet loads of dry extract. Good long finish.
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9/3/2014 - juffer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding. Who would have thought a dry wine from the Saar could be this good. Light as a feather yet impressive concentration. Excellent complex mineral nose. Light mid palate, but still gives the impression of loads of dry extract. Finish is long and dry, with plenty of refreshing acidity (strikes me as lots of malic and some citric with less of a tarteric impression than I'm used to with Mosel wines - I'm trying to get better at identifying acids).
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9/2/2014 - rc@ughey wrote: 87 Points
Still tasty and balanced, but lacking the electricity and minerality of other bottles. Merely good but not exciting. Don't know what was off here.
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4/13/2014 - KingSlacker999 wrote:
Very dry with lots of lemon. Intriguing wine that I don't think is in its best place now, probably should wait at least another couple years before checking in again.
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9/1/2013 - coremill wrote:
No formal note. Better than the last time I had this, still a bit green and grassy, but the slight sweetness is more noticeable and the fruit is more promienent. Decent but still my least favorite vintage of this wine out of the last 4.
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7/9/2013 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
Lime, slate, silica, flower in a lofty soaring light bodied package. I am loving 2011, they have been especially delicious at this young age.
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6/23/2013 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with my previous note.
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6/13/2013 - Charlie Carnes wrote:
Put this in the freezer for a quick chill. Left it too long and it pushed the cork and spilled into freezer. GREAT!
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6/6/2013 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 91 Points
I think it was Levenberg who once wrote that buying Lauer is like paying a utility bill. I agree. Each vintage is wonderful and, better yet, each vintage is totally unique. This is a sleeker, more piercing version of the Senior. The acids and minerals are dialed up, but this still has the ripe-fruit stuffing to make this super enjoyable. Gulpable. A lovely food wine -- heck, a lovely anything wine.
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5/11/2013 - kuumies wrote:
Very tempting, pure nose of ripe and (at the same time) tart apple, pear, lychee and citrusy minerality. That's a lot of fruit, but still the nose displays nice restraint. On the palate ripe and fleshy, almost oily, with a distinctively dry and sour finish. Feels off-dry and a bit soft at first, but gets quite dry and acidic in the end. Early on I thought that this would be one of those unbalanced, harsh trockens but quickly it really fleshened up and turned out to be quite an enjoyable, lipsmackingly refreshing drink. While I prefer the fruity styled Rieslings of the Mosel, this must be one of the most drinkable trockens/feinherbs from the region that I have come across. Really all about texture and sharp, palate cleansing acidity.
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3/23/2013 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 92 Points
Powerful minerality - will be wonderful with age
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3/4/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:
Really good bottle, lime aid, minerals galore. Great with mussels cooked with ginger, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves.
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2/25/2013 - ekallio wrote:
Spritzy, tasty, good. Not as terrific as the '11 Keller von der Fels, but a really nice basic trocken.
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2/25/2013 - cartime Likes this wine: 91 Points
In contrast to seemingly everyone else, I really liked this. White peach, green apple, lemongrass, honeysuckle, minerally nose. Ripe and fruity, yet dry, on the palate. Spritzy acids and nice concentration. Really nice for the price.
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2/16/2013 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Tighter; More tart; Still nice
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2/13/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 89 Points
Quite intense nose, with florals, stonefruit and orange peel. Off dry palate, say around 10 g/l. Well balanced with medium fruit weight. Should age decently.
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11/30/2012 - BurgAndy wrote:
Very interesting. Smokey lychee nose, sweet and savory white and yellow fruit on the palate. Comes across as having less acid and RS compared to the 2010. I like it. Not as flashy as the 2010 but has a lot going on, somewhat atypical. Tasted over three evenings.
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11/5/2012 - Tubulus wrote: 88 Points
While certainly a good wine this does not ascent to the heights of the 2010. Oh well.
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11/1/2012 - coremill wrote: 85 Points
With its grassy flavors, medium to light body and taut, powerful acid, this tastes exactly like a decent sauvignon blanc, a grape I have never liked. This vintage lacks both the juicy drinkability that made the 09 so much fun and the concentration of fruit extract that made the 2010 so impressive. The first Lauer wine I've had that I've not liked. Massively disappointing.
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