German and Austrian Wines with Ewald Moseler

Renaissance consistently hosts interesting and well supplied tastings, and I'm always excited to attend any tasting hosted by Ewald. He's a native German who has been personally importing great German wines into the Portland area for many years, and is one of the most enjoyable hosts in the business. I always look forward to tasting new wines he brings in, and to re-tasting wines I'm familiar with to see how they've developed. Everything poured for this event was at least a new vintage to me, and in most cases new producers.

• 2007 Juliusspital Würzburger Stein Silvaner trocken 89 Points

  Germany, Franken

  Mostly pear notes on the nose, with a hint of peaches. Lovely pear flavors flow across the palate, along with ripe red apple flavors. The acidity is on the lighter side, but the apple flavors linger for a while, and the wine dries out nice around 10s into the finish. Well done.

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• 2006 Karl Lagler Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Burgberg 86 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Apples dominate the nose, and there is a hint of mango and minerality as well. The wine has lighter acids, with younger red apple flavors that linger for a bit on the finish. There's a bit of heat on this too, and would be a little better chilled.

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• 2006 Van Volxem Saar Riesling 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Great light apple scents with some petrol starting to make itself known as well. There are hints of roses and honey on the nose too. Wonderful nose! The rich apple fruit flavors are enjoyable and they strike cleanly on the mid palate along with a hint of something tropical that leans toward guava for me. It's a little empty on the finish making for a lighter style over all. The wine is well balanced, and dries out quite a bit on the end. I'd prefer this at cellar temp or just below. 89+

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• 2006 Weingut Clemens Busch Riesling trocken vom Roten Schiefer 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Spicy nose with some surprising BBQ scents and a hint of botrytis style sweetness. The wine is very delicate on the palate with light flavors of spice and a richness that reminds me of higher pradikat level rieslings appears late on the finish. There are some great peach flavors that bloom on the mid palate as well. This wine shows very well at room temp. Interesting and enjoyable.

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• 1996 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  The nose is full of petrol, as would be expected of a Mosel wine of this age. The nose also has hints of cinnamon tipping a hat to the red slate of the vineyard, and a faint note of beef drippings. The wine is smooth and clean across the palate. The petrol evolves into lovely apricot flavors that linger. Some lovely green apple flavors appear up front along with some acidity that hangs on well into the mid palate. Quite enjoyable!

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• 2003 Dr. Heinz Wagner Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 86 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  The nose is very light, especially for an auslese level wine, and contains only a hint of honey. The wine is luscious on the palate, but simple. There is a bit of honey here, and some candy on the end, and the acidity is on the lighter side.

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This was a very satisfying tasting, delivering the best Christoffel wine I have yet tasted, and wonderful experiences with the Van Volxem and Clemens Busch. I had tasted a previous vintage of these last two, and enjoyed this release significantly more.