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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2022 and 2032 (based on 3 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 13 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Putnam Weekley on 1/24/2024 & rated 93 points: nine days, nine years in reverse; 1/19/2024-1/27/2024 (lake erie basin): 10% abv. AP 7. 62°F. NOSE: initially, sharp and hissing, with lemon oil and broken shale. After adjustment and air comes tender, humid, apple blossom petal confetti ankle-deep. Behind that, there is a surge of deep ocean saline, black cherry jam, cress/goosefoot/angelica, and milled oats. MOUTH: an electrified bony spine shrouded in sweet herbs, meyer lemon, green apple, mulling spice, and dashi. It pulses with determination, strewing organized action around the approximately linear path of the drinking event. Lithic, appetizing bitterness joins lemon-peel acid to impose a decisive, dry balance. SUMMARY: radiant clarity of flavor; muscular and restless. The last few drinks are crystaline laminar fluid folded over jagged stone—blimey. Peak bottle age won't come until after 2026. (565 views) | | | Tasted by Putnam Weekley on 5/8/2022 & rated 93 points: 10% abv. AP 7. Floral, delicate cloak. Determined spine. Finishes in shards of bone and salt that stain. Best at 57°F within 24 hours of opening. Very pale, low-density color with green highlights. Cream, green flowers, red apples, chipped chalk. A mouthful is a dry drink of green flavor. The texture is generous. Lots of surface tension and transparent mineral glazes. Deep into the first pour I notice a trace of dissolved gas. Eventually it brings out lemon and bing cherry notes. The acidity is salt-thick, penetrating, and fresh with zucchini, lime leaf and apple blossom perfumes. Held together with rewarding, juicy, glycerin texture—well within the *feinherb* convention. (579 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 5/7/2022 & rated 92 points: 2 and a half years later, this has really filled in, both in terms of volume, shape and overall chugging factor. This almost leans ‘dry’ now, with the sweetness coming in very late on a precise finish. Lemon lime soda, but I mean that in the best possible way, some floral aspects too, white flowers perhaps. I should have bought a case of this in 2020. Lovely. (374 views) | | | Tasted by capriowine on 2/20/2022 & rated 87 points: A little dry vs how I prefer my Rieslings, but had notes of lemon and herbs. Paired ok with Mexican, but would have been better with seafood. (208 views) | | | Tasted by aagrawal on 1/16/2021 & rated 90 points: AP#7. 10% alcohol. Coravin. Pale yellow-green; moderately aromatic, hints of lime, seashell, ocean breeze; palate is medium bodied but also in some ways mouthcoating, medium-plus acidic spritz, just barely off dry without seeming at all sweet, lime to peach fruit, pretty good persistence through the midpalate if not the most complex; finish is solidly medium length. A very interesting wine which has both textural presence and freshness. 90 (756 views) | | | Tasted by Pinot_Geek on 4/4/2020 & rated 91 points: Bright lemon, dryish, tart. Bit of fizz very nice. Went well with fish braised in tomatoes and white wine. (489 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 10/19/2019 & rated 92 points: Versatile and really enjoyed by my neighbors who have an admitted phobia to any wine with RS (571 views) | | | Tasted by liteagilis on 9/30/2019 flawed bottle: Corked (381 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 7/28/2019 & rated 92 points: Ditto again - Loving this! (550 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 5/28/2019 & rated 92 points: ditto prev note. (619 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 4/16/2019 & rated 92 points: "A prime example of what I call “hidden sweetness” – residual sugar playing a supportive and catalytic role while not engendering any overt sense of sweetness – this will perform brilliantly at table as well as in your cellar.” David Schildknecht - I pasted this last part of DS's review on this same wine that perfectly encapsulates the perception of how the sweetness translates to the drinking experience; not troken nor Kabinett, it was very unique and damn tasty. Almost clear in color, I loved the smoky peach notes with biting grip. My first Halbtroken, my first Merkelbach, they won’t be me last. Yowzers. (624 views) | | | Tasted by gotfunk on 4/12/2018 flawed bottle: Corked. (828 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 4/1/2018 & rated 90 points: This is another excellent wine from the Merkelbach brothers; quite forward initially with some green herbal notes as well as some exuberant white fruit. The palate has a hint of sweetness that seems to come from the fruit more than sugar, but there is brilliant racy acidity here throughout. This has none of the polish of the more modern MSR wines (I'm looking at you, Thomas Haag), but is just as refined and classy anyway. (1372 views) |
| By David Schildknecht
Vinous, Mosel Riesling 2016 Part 1: From Extremes, Equilibrium (Jan 2018) (1/18/2018)
(Alfred Merkelbach Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese Halbtrocken White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jean Fisch and David Rayer
Mosel Fine Wines, Vintage Report 2016, Review by Estate - Part I, Issue #35 (6/1/2017)
(Alfred Merkelbach Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese Halbtrocken) Login and sign up and see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (5/14/2017)
(Alfred Merkelbach Riesling Mosel Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese Halbtrocken, White, Germany) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Mosel Fine Wines and JamesSuckling.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Alfred Merkelbach Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
•Vineyard area: 1.9 hectares
•Annual production: 1,500 cases
•Top sites: Ürziger Würzgarten, Erdener Treppchen, Kinheimer Rosenberg
•Soil types: Slate
•Grape varieties: 100% Riesling Riesling Varietal character (Appellation America) | A short history of Riesling (Uncork) | Riesling (wikipedia)Ürziger Würzgarten On weinlagen-infoGermany Wines of Germany | The Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP) | How to read a German wine label | Geographical Information Down to Single Vineyards
#2014 Vintage Notes:
2014 Vintage Report by Terry Theise
2014 Vintage Report by Wine Spectator
"My gut still tells me the Saar (and to some extent) the Ruwer are better overall in 2014 than the more storied areas of the Mosel proper, but those that spent the requisite time living in their middle-Mosel vineyards made some of the most electric and "feathery" Riesling in a long time (maybe the finest in 20 years - yes, it's true!)" - Jon Rimmerman (Of course only a very short historical memory would call the Saar and Ruwer less 'storied' than the middle Mosel - jht)Mosel Saar RuwerStarting in 2007 the German wine authorities have changed labeling laws to rename all of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wines to just "Mosel." This puts this and other database driven sites in a difficult spot, as millions of old wine label reflect the former labeling. As described here, CellarTracker has elected to remain with the old labeling for a number of years to avoid confusion. At some point we will switch over to just "Mosel" but not for a few years at least.
Mosel WeinKulturland (Moselwein e.V.)
Detailed geographical information at weinlagen.info
#2018 Vintage Notes:
"Acid levels are relatively low throughout Riesling-growing Europe (acidification will once again be permitted in Germany – no surprise, as that’s been the case in eight of the last 10 vintages); but because malic acid was baked off or degraded by relentlessly balmy weather means, what acid remains is overwhelmingly of the efficacious tartaric sort. Extract levels are low, as one would anticipate from a growing season during which relatively little moisture was coursing through the vine’s roots and shoots. [...] Everyone is astonished how there could have been so much juice despite the drought." - David Schildknecht
"2018 is a homogenous vintage with a very high general level, below which it seldom falls [...] It leads with blossom. It is perhaps 80% delicious and 20% fascinating." - Terry Theise
#2017 Vintage Notes:
"not so friendly towards light wines" - Milkmansteve
#2016 Vintage Notes: "Overall, 2016 is a charmer of a vintage with much immediate ripe and fruity appeal, not unlike 2011 (in fresher) or 2007 (in lighter). However, 2016 is far from being homogeneous, in fact it is composed of a mosaic of vintages, a result of the freakish growing conditions. Hidden inside the vintage, there are true gems with the balance of 1997, one of the best vintages ever, 2002 or even 2008. The bulk of the harvest was brought in with refreshingly moderate sugar levels. Overall, the Saar and Ruwer produced slightly fresher wines than the Middle Mosel but there are great differences between Estates. The good harvest conditions allowed for some Auslese, little BA and even TBA wines, but some remarkably pure and fruity Eiswein.
In general, 2016 offers the opportunity to acquire Riesling with great immediate ripe appeal: The vintage is a true charmer. At the top, 2016 is one of the most exciting and elegantly balanced vintage since the 1990s and well-worth stocking up for cellaring! In particular, we urge our readers to literally plunge onto the finest Kabinett and Spätlese: These are some of the most exciting and classic we have ever tasted. 2016 looks also set to become a major vintage for dry Riesling, provided the aromatics are not overripe. Lovers of dessert wines will find much to love in 2016 as the Auslese are pure and the Eiswein are gorgeously fruity. They should however also keep an eye open for the remaining stunning noble-sweet wines from 2015 which are still available here and there." - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 36, July 2017
#2014 Vintage Notes:
"The heterogeneity of the 2014 vintage carries over onto the aging process. The top wines start to close down, as one would expect from these wines which are a remake of those from the 1990s. The wines affected by gin, saffron and mushroom flavors are still comparatively open and offer a not unattractive Scheurebe styled fruit opulence. We would opt to drink up these lesser wines except for the odd bottle and bury the little treasures of the vintage deep into the cellar." - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 30, March 2016
#2013 Vintage Notes:
"The fruity-styled 2013 wines have firmed up significantly since last year and start to show signs of closing down, making the underlying acidity seemingly sharp and out of balance. The better dry wines have come out of their early armor of smoke and tannin but the acidity may prove quite challenging. Quite frankly, except for some smaller bottlings, this is a vintage to lay down and wait." - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 27, March 2015
#2012 Vintage Notes:
"The 2012 wines have put on some flesh and go through a 'fattier' phase which is not unlike what the 2007 went through at the same period. However, the zestier acidity cuts through this 'weight' and makes the wines thoroughly enjoyable at this early stage. In particular the fruity Kabinett and Spatlese as well as the off-dry and dry wines offer much pleasure. We expect these wines to close down over the coming year or two. Enjoy while it lasts!" - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 27, March 2015
#2011 Vintage Notes:
"A bit to our surprise, the 2011 wines have shut down and go through a quite difficult and muted phase now. Their low acidity combined with their maturity makes them feel rich, opulent and often bulky, and thus not really enjoyable. We expect that these will need at least a decade to integrate their sweetness and gain in harmony. The only exception is the dry wines, whose low acidity makes for great food companionship." - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 27, March 2015
#2010 Vintage Notes:
"After a mellower period in 2012, many 2010 wines have firmed up and developed a stronger smoky side. However, most continue to shine through their fruit opulence, structure and deliciously zesty but ripe acidity. This suits in particular the off-dry bottlings, which have more charm than the legally dry wines. Will these wines close down? Actually, the softening acidity makes us wonder now but it also provides further evidence that these wines will turn out harmonious after all." - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 27, March 2015
#2009 Vintage Notes:
"Most 2009 wines have closed down, which accentuates their round and soft side forward. Many can still be quite enjoyable but the times of primary fruit with its attractive aromatic expression and a generous acidic kick are now over. Except for the dry wines, we would definitely recommend keeping your hands off any bottle in your cellar and possibly buying more wines from this vintage on the market as these are true gems in the making." - Mosel Fines Wines, No. 27, March 2015 |
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