2007 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese

• By Joel B. Payne
  January/February 2009, IWC Issue #142, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese) Login and sign up and see review text.

JancisRobinson.com

• By Jancis Robinson, MW
  7/8/2008, (See more on JancisRobinson.com...)

  (Karthäuserhof, Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese Ruwer White) Subscribe to see review text.

Winedoctor

• By Chris Kissack
  June 2008, (See more on Winedoctor...)

  (Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese) Login and sign up and see review text.

View From the Cellar

• By John Gilman
  Mar/Apr 2008, Issue #14, The 2007 Vintage in Germany: A Great Classic In the Making

  (Weingut Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese) Login and sign up and see review text.

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  7/24/2009, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (KARTHAUSERHOF Eitels. SPATLESE) 2007 Karthauserhof Dear Friends, We've had a number of requests for this 2007 Spatlese since last summer (on our Forum board and elsewhere) but I wanted to wait until I was sure it would emerge from the pent-up shell that had concealed it since bottling. Now that the wine has blossomed, I'm firmly behind it. This wine is a perfect example of why I try not to make a wholesale proclamation about a wine before I am convinced of its proclivity. If I went on my initial impression of this Spatlese in Spring 2008 we would not be offering it (or listened to some of the critical reviews, that, curiously, have now been been revised - see WS below). I always try to go back and retaste a wine or portfolio that perplexed me on release, usually 6-9 months after my initial encounter, and I did this with Karthauserhof's entire 2007 stable a few weeks ago - I'm glad I did. While many of the dry wines Karthauserhof produced in 2007 shimmered from day one, his sweet wines were somewhat closed and not giving themselves away. Christoph Tyrell told me to be patient with his 2007s - that pedigree and history was on their side - he was right. We've been avid supporters of this Ruwer legend over the years but the prices have become tough to stomach. What was once $15-20 now commands more than $40 and I have a hard time convincing myself that it's just the way the wine trade works. At this price, I don't need convincing. The 2007 Eitelsbacher Spètlese has taken nearly a year and a half in bottle to come around but (as of June/July 2009) it literally teems with cracked shards of rock, white skinned fruit and unctuous but still transparent beauty - its best days are yet ahead. What was once a difficult wine to evaluate now combines the best of 2007 with a layered, ample presence dripping with liquid citrus notes that float off into the night sky. It is a lovely wine that should age for another 10-15 years with ease and (dare I say) a bargain at $23+. Two more opinions (but I urge you to look up those of the community as well, especially those that have tried this recently and not in 2008 or early 2009): HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - ONE SHIPMENT ONLY at this price directly from the source with perfect provenance: 2007 Karthèuserhof Riesling Spètlese Eitelsbacher Karthèuserhofberg Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Germ7699