I pulled this because the cork was leaking, but the wine turned out to be undamaged: Moderate acidity, with an array of fruit and nut flavors -- apricot above all. Because of the relatively low acidity, this is more forwardly sweet -- we drank it with dessert, so it was fine, but it might be challenging with savory dishes. Drink now.
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Prior bottle was only 6 months ago, so my notes were quite consistent. White apple and pear along with mineral notes on the nose. Medium bodied with white apple and pear upfront that show good acidity when the wine is cooler. As it warms, the mid-body white peach becomes more prominent. Very good density of round as well as roundness. Backside acidity and tart citrus qualities provide the contrast and structure with soft lemon and mineral qualities lingering through the finish. Even on the warmer side, this has the acidity to remain interesting, but it's probably at its best and most complex chilled, but not cold. Drinking well now and show continue to positively evolve for several more years.
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Prior bottle was 11 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot. Nose shows white apple, white pear and just a touch of green melon along with crunchy slate/mineral qualities. Medium bodied with white apple and pear upfront with the apple starting to show some roundness and the pear retaining the acidity derived edge. Gains density through the middle and brings in white peach. The acidity through the mid-body and into the backside is excellent, providing structure and youthful vibrancy. Mineral notes and floral qualities on the finish. Yes, this wine is quite young to most people, but given the where the fruit and acidity are and how well they complement each other, I find it quite hard to resist, even though I know it will continue to improve. I'll plan to save my last bottle for Q1/Q2 2022.
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AP#9. Yellow-golden; aromatic, slate, stone fruits, slight herbal; palate is medium bodied, medium acidity, low alcohol (8%), off dry, also a slightly green herbal component, fades a bit towards the finish; medium-minus finish. Not as deep as the best examples of Merkelbach, but always enjoyable and with the trademark Merkelbach herbal component. 89
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Straw. Vaseline, green melon, white flowers, a little toasted coconut on the palate. Decent body, easy going and smooth with a long finish. Acidity holds the balance between the sweet and savory mineral notes. Not flashy but a wine with everything in place and extremely well done
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Prior bottle was nearly a year ago and this wine continues to show impressively, especially for a young wine. Apple, melon and pear on the nose (all whitefruit) along with a floral quality. Medium bodied with apple, pear and melon upfront, moving to white peach through the middle. The acidity seems a touch more balanced today such that it adds definition to and almost jackets the fruit, rather than concealing it. Good structural acidity on the backside, leading into the mineral and floral finish. The mix of fruit and acidity is really starting to bring out positive nuances through the middle. Should continue to evolve along these lines and I'll open my next bottle in late Q1/early Q2 2021.
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Previous bottle was just over a year ago and this wine continues to show quite well. Floral notes along with apple, melon and pear on the nose (more whitefruit now, retaining a nice touch of green when the wine was cooler). Medium bodied with apple, pear and melon upfront and through the middle. Also brings in peach notes through the middle that work as a bridge between the evolving upfront notes and the tart backside. It's mostly whitefruit overall, but with a nice spark of greenfruit/acidity still showing through. Backside shows tartness and moderate acidity, but not the electric quality that you see in the best years. Light spices and mineral notes lingering on the finish. Should continue to show well for many years and I'll try my next bottle in Q2 2020.
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Burgundy Night at Bahrenfeld, Hamburg (Mövenpick winestore, Hamburg, Germany): AND, to get your palate cleaned at the finish what can be more recommended than a classic Mosel Spätlese? pineapple, dancing on the palate, mineralic lightness, 8% ABV, long+ finish, great stuff, will improve by further cellarring, **(*-****), 90- 92 potential
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Mlermontov's note is spot on. Opened at 46F, warming to 51F and while it certainly shows well throughout, I preferred it on the cooler side. Floral qualities and greenfruit notes (apple and melon) on the nose. Medium bodied (8% ABV) with green apple, pear and lots of green melon upfront. Middle has that wonderfully oily richness and starts to bring in hints of peach. Backside has nice acidity based tartness, contributing structure and contrast. Finish has light spices, mineral qualities and pleasantly lingering fruit. The acidity here isn't overpowering and in fact, this wine is quite accessible at present. The contrast between green melon and peach was quite enjoyable. Seemed a bit more harmonious than some of the other 2016's I have tried. Should continue to improve for the next several years. I will almost certainly be picking up some more; the QPR here is extremely high.
The German Crush Tour; 10/8/2017-10/16/2017: (64g of RS and 7 g acid) If you have ever walked into an old cathedral, lit by an oil lamp, and smelled the history and the power - this wine is it. Flowers, spice, textbook Urzig notes, big juicy peaches in the mid, exotic and herbal notes toward the back. elegant for all its power, savory herbs on the long finish. LOVE.
9/10/2023 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I pulled this because the cork was leaking, but the wine turned out to be undamaged: Moderate acidity, with an array of fruit and nut flavors -- apricot above all. Because of the relatively low acidity, this is more forwardly sweet -- we drank it with dessert, so it was fine, but it might be challenging with savory dishes. Drink now.
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9/4/2021 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was only 6 months ago, so my notes were quite consistent. White apple and pear along with mineral notes on the nose. Medium bodied with white apple and pear upfront that show good acidity when the wine is cooler. As it warms, the mid-body white peach becomes more prominent. Very good density of round as well as roundness. Backside acidity and tart citrus qualities provide the contrast and structure with soft lemon and mineral qualities lingering through the finish. Even on the warmer side, this has the acidity to remain interesting, but it's probably at its best and most complex chilled, but not cold. Drinking well now and show continue to positively evolve for several more years.
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3/7/2021 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was 11 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot. Nose shows white apple, white pear and just a touch of green melon along with crunchy slate/mineral qualities. Medium bodied with white apple and pear upfront with the apple starting to show some roundness and the pear retaining the acidity derived edge. Gains density through the middle and brings in white peach. The acidity through the mid-body and into the backside is excellent, providing structure and youthful vibrancy. Mineral notes and floral qualities on the finish. Yes, this wine is quite young to most people, but given the where the fruit and acidity are and how well they complement each other, I find it quite hard to resist, even though I know it will continue to improve. I'll plan to save my last bottle for Q1/Q2 2022.
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2/13/2021 - aagrawal wrote: 89 Points
AP#9. Yellow-golden; aromatic, slate, stone fruits, slight herbal; palate is medium bodied, medium acidity, low alcohol (8%), off dry, also a slightly green herbal component, fades a bit towards the finish; medium-minus finish. Not as deep as the best examples of Merkelbach, but always enjoyable and with the trademark Merkelbach herbal component. 89
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8/29/2020 - Eugenedinapoli Likes this wine:
Straw. Vaseline, green melon, white flowers, a little toasted coconut on the palate. Decent body, easy going and smooth with a long finish. Acidity holds the balance between the sweet and savory mineral notes. Not flashy but a wine with everything in place and extremely well done
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4/10/2020 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was nearly a year ago and this wine continues to show impressively, especially for a young wine. Apple, melon and pear on the nose (all whitefruit) along with a floral quality. Medium bodied with apple, pear and melon upfront, moving to white peach through the middle. The acidity seems a touch more balanced today such that it adds definition to and almost jackets the fruit, rather than concealing it. Good structural acidity on the backside, leading into the mineral and floral finish. The mix of fruit and acidity is really starting to bring out positive nuances through the middle. Should continue to evolve along these lines and I'll open my next bottle in late Q1/early Q2 2021.
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4/28/2019 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Previous bottle was just over a year ago and this wine continues to show quite well. Floral notes along with apple, melon and pear on the nose (more whitefruit now, retaining a nice touch of green when the wine was cooler). Medium bodied with apple, pear and melon upfront and through the middle. Also brings in peach notes through the middle that work as a bridge between the evolving upfront notes and the tart backside. It's mostly whitefruit overall, but with a nice spark of greenfruit/acidity still showing through. Backside shows tartness and moderate acidity, but not the electric quality that you see in the best years. Light spices and mineral notes lingering on the finish. Should continue to show well for many years and I'll try my next bottle in Q2 2020.
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4/4/2019 - fc1910 Likes this wine:
Burgundy Night at Bahrenfeld, Hamburg (Mövenpick winestore, Hamburg, Germany): AND, to get your palate cleaned at the finish what can be more recommended than a classic Mosel Spätlese?
pineapple, dancing on the palate, mineralic lightness, 8% ABV, long+ finish, great stuff, will improve by further cellarring, **(*-****), 90- 92 potential
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5/28/2018 - drwine2001 wrote:
Languorous Memorial Day Barbecue Lunch (San Francisco): Opened last night. Almost as limpid as water. Herbal nose. Light, relatively dry, not much fruit or flavor impression.
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4/14/2018 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mlermontov's note is spot on. Opened at 46F, warming to 51F and while it certainly shows well throughout, I preferred it on the cooler side. Floral qualities and greenfruit notes (apple and melon) on the nose. Medium bodied (8% ABV) with green apple, pear and lots of green melon upfront. Middle has that wonderfully oily richness and starts to bring in hints of peach. Backside has nice acidity based tartness, contributing structure and contrast. Finish has light spices, mineral qualities and pleasantly lingering fruit. The acidity here isn't overpowering and in fact, this wine is quite accessible at present. The contrast between green melon and peach was quite enjoyable. Seemed a bit more harmonious than some of the other 2016's I have tried. Should continue to improve for the next several years. I will almost certainly be picking up some more; the QPR here is extremely high.
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3/2/2018 - pren wrote: 89 Points
peep smell on day 1, good
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10/14/2017 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
The German Crush Tour; 10/8/2017-10/16/2017: (64g of RS and 7 g acid) If you have ever walked into an old cathedral, lit by an oil lamp, and smelled the history and the power - this wine is it. Flowers, spice, textbook Urzig notes, big juicy peaches in the mid, exotic and herbal notes toward the back. elegant for all its power, savory herbs on the long finish. LOVE.
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