2008 Rieslings (& a couple 2007 Spatburgunders)

I always try to make it to Dee Vine's tastings, usually once a month or so, because of the high quality of what's poured, and the fact so many wines are poured--usually 16 or more. This month's tasting was no exception. This was a good glimpse at the '08 vintage, as well as a good opportunity to try Fred Prinz's well regarded Spätburgunders.

The single vineyard Spätburgunder was fascinating, with its smoke and pine notes, but it is pretty tight right now. The Trocken is one of the two best young Spätburgunders I've ever tasted. At $19 a bottle, it's also a good value.

• 2007 Weingut Prinz Spätburgunder trocken 91 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Pale red color with clear meniscus; nice tart red fruit, mineral, sous bois nose; silky textured, tasty tart red fruit, mineral, dried cherry palate with good acidity and grip; medium finish 91+ pts. (a good value at $19)

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• 2007 Weingut Prinz Hallgartener Hendelberg Spätburgunder trocken 89 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Pale red color with clear meniscus; tart, smoky, red fruit and pine nose; tight, tart and deep smoky red fruit, dried cherry, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 89+ pts.

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Even though trocken is not my preferred style, there was a lot of minerality and terroir present in these samples, which made them quite enjoyable.

• 2008 Emrich-Schönleber Riesling trocken 89 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Pale yellow color; lime, green apple, mineral nose; tart green apple, lime, tart peach, tangy palate; medium finish

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• 2008 Emrich-Schönleber Riesling Mineral trocken 90 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Pale green tinged yellow color; dried orange, lime, mineral, chalk nose; complex, minerally, tart lime, chalk, grapefruit palate, quite dry; medium finish 90+ pts.

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• 2008 Weingut Prinz Hallgartener Schönhell Riesling Kabinett trocken 88 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Very light yellow color; green apple, lime, white peach nose; tight, tart white peach, lime, mineral palate; medium finish

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• 2008 Fritz Haag Riesling QbA feinherb 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Light yellow color; tart peach, herb, mineral, tart green apple nose; solid, tangy, tart green apple, mineral palate, quite dry; medium finish 89+ pts.

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• 2008 Emrich-Schönleber Riesling Lenz 90 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Very light yellow color; nice light green fruit, herb, lemon, mineral nose; tart fuzzy peach, mineral palate with good acidity; medium finish

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A good bunch of Kabinetts, though not up to the '07 level, of course, in extract and depth.

• 2008 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Riesling Kabinett 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Pale yellow color; light lime, mineral, light green herb nose; ripe lime, green fruit, tart green melon palate; medium finish

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• 2008 Josef Rosch Leiwener Klostergarten Riesling Kabinett 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Pale yellow color; very tart peach, mineral, peach peel, lime nose; tart white peach, mineral, green apple, lime palate; medium finish 90+ pts.

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• 2008 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Riesling Kabinett 88 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Very light yellow color; minerally, yellow and green apple nose; focused, yellow and green apple, mineral, tart green melon palate; medium finish 88+ pts.

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• 2008 Weingut Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer Riesling Kabinett 89 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Very light yellow color; tart nectarine, tart peach nose; tart peach, mineral, tart nectarine palate with good acidity; short-medium finish

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• 2008 Schmitges Riesling Kabinett vom roten Schiefer 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Light lemon yellow color; lemon, lemon rind, mineral nose; tart lemon, herbal, lemon zest palate with sprightly acidity; medium finish 90+ pts.

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Some very nice Spatleses. The complexity and power of the E-S Monzinger Halenberg was most impressive.

• 2008 Josef Rosch Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Spätlese 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Pale yellow color; tart peach, mineral nose; creamy textured, ripe green fruit, lime cream, mineral palate with good acidity; medium finish

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• 2008 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Light yellow color; minerally, reticent, white peach nose; concentrated, tart lime, tart white peach palate; medium finish 91+ pts.

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• 2008 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Spätlese 92 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Very light yellow color; tart white peach, mineral, baked lemon nose; nicely focused, silky textured, tart lime, white peach, green melon and mineral palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2008 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spätlese 93 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Light yellow color; tart white peach, mineral, green herb nose; tightly coiled but tasty tart green fruit, mineral, lime palate with a vague sense of rock salt; medium-plus finish

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