Ernst Loosen Tasting at Hearth

Visiting with Erni is one of the great pleasures as he is passionate, super knowledgeable, opinionated and produces some brilliant grape juice. His family has been in the wine business for over 200 years but really only achieved wide spread fame with Erni's ascension in 1988. Simply put, he was able to craft monumental wines from the estate's ungrafted vines averaging 60 years of age in some of the Middle Mosel's premier vineyard sites.

For tonight's gathering, we asked him to come with a purpose and Erni has obliged...
lordy, has he obliged! The tasting will pair two wines from four different vineyard sites,
one super dry (trocken) and one with residual sugar:

Riesling Trocken, Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG, 2009 vs. Riesling Auslese, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, 1988
Riesling Trocken, Erdener Treppchen GG, 2009 vs. Riesling Auslese, Erdener Treppchen, 1979
Riesling Trocken, Ürziger Würzgarten GG, 2009 vs. Riesling Auslese, Ürziger Würzgarten, 1969
Riesling Trocken, Erdener Prälat Alte Reben GG, 2009 vs. Riesling Auslese, Erdener Prälat, 1985


***Quick note: did you see the older vintages of the Ausleses?!
DID YOU SEE THE OLDER VINTAGES OF THE AUSLESES?!***
This is an extraordinary opportunity to view a Grand Cru Vineyard
through two completely different prisms. It will be magical.

• 2009 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Alte Reben

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Who knew: it's pronounced "wheelener zonnwuhr". Wehlener Sonnenuhr is so far north that it must be south facing to stay warm. The steepness also increases sun exposure and thus heat. Blue devonian slate. Most typical blue slate fruit driven-character is typically apple, white peach, or, if ripe yellow peach. Being closer to river helps heat too. Loosen avoids botrytized grapes. Loosen thinks high alcohol above 12.5 ruins Riesling. End October, early November harvest in general.
  
  The nose has a musky saline minerally, bitey dry palate. It's diffuse, it flees the palate a bit not unlike a smaragd. Drying finish, clipped a touch.

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• 1988 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  NB: Auslesen lose sweetness as they age! They also always have some botrytis, to varying degrees. Nose shows butter, petrol, sweetness. A bit like a sweet, saccharine, buttery tire. Opens into cumin and dry extract. Nice supple palate but all nose aromas follow thru. Botrytis is a natural killer of yeast and thus fermentation. They tried so hard to ferment these barrels dry but couldn't. Ernie never sold it, kept it for himself. On palate thin and lean.

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• 2009 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Großes Gewächs Alte Reben

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  "Lil' staircase" vineyard. This has a more men's cologny sweetness but is fleshier. Red slate; less fruit and more minerality. Cassis flavor can appear w/age? Young wines never have peach aromas as much as blue slate does. No drying, saccharine finish--I prefer it so far in the tasting over the Wehlener Sonnenuhrs. Smoother, more well-behaved. Only 110 cases per yr. 110 yr old ungrafted vines, ergo alte reben. Gets cheesy w air.

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• 1979 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Fresh mushrooms, olive brine and honey nose?! "Firne" equals sous bois. This has it. Not petrol. '79 offered little botrytis. Max 10% botrytized grapes. Only 79 and 81 have mushroom. Ernie doesn't know why. Palate is fresh. Sweetness diminishing. Pair w cheese. RS now same as in 1980, but seems less
  sweet. Ernie told me later he was surprised by how mushroom-y it was and thought it was a bit too much so.

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• 2009 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Großes Gewächs Alte Reben

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  The spice garden vineyard. Such a sweet nose already. Red volcanic soil. Rounder. But surprisingly same acidity as first two GGs. The soil buffers the acidity. Shows more round and richer. Fave so far? Nose is Chablis-like at times.

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• 1969 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Max 50% botrytis. Nose of honey, formaldehyde and tiny bit of bleach. 50g RS. Nose can detect as low as 4g. Palate is a little sweet and plasticky. Butterscotch a bit. Great for Indian food. Nose reminds me a of plastic flea collar.

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• 2009 Dr. Loosen Erdener Prälat Riesling Großes Gewächs Alte Reben

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Lovely nose evocative of Dove soap, shampoo. Nicest balance of all GGs tasted, both Erdener Pralats were my favorites (auslese as well). Loosen agrees this is exemplary balance in this vintage. Steep slopes: the top of Pralat is insane, straight down.

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• 1985 Dr. Loosen Erdener Prälat Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Diacetyl butter nose? Blows off. Lowest botrytis. No firme. Balance again, as was the case with the Kabinett GG. Bit of green olives. There is a lot of acid and life in this wine. My favorite auslese of the tasting; agree wholeheartedly with the building lineup order.

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