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Willi Schaefer Tasting
Graach, Germany
Tasted September 6, 2011 by subtlet with 625 views
Introduction
I had a lovely time tasting with Willi Schaefer in September of 2011. 3 other Americans were present for the tasting, so the conversation was quite lively between wines. The complexity and length of the wines coupled with the interesting conversation between left me in a place where I wasn't focused enough to score the wines. I've added as much detail as I was able to record.
Flight 1 (8 notes)
White
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett
The nose has a crisp feel to it, with scents of green apples and limes backed by some mineral notes. The apples are clean and crisp on the palate, and they transition to limes and minerality on the mid palate. The wine delivers a great sensation of light richness. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it's happening! The acidity lingers gently along with very nice apple flavors.
White
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #6
Red apples show on the nose along with a strong sense of minerality that reminds me of a rocky mountain creek. Limes show fully on the palate, and they dance delicately with red apples. The texture is very smooth, and hints of richness lurk behind the delicate acid.
White - Off-dry
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese
Apples with peels show fully on the nose along with some delicate honey scents. Honey with floral notes appear quickly on the palate. The wine delivers fantastic structure. Acid settles in on the mid palate and lingers delicately through the entire experience. This keeps the wine clean and crisp. The fruit lingers, and it's all so pretty that the wine invites lots of contemplation.
White - Off-dry
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese
Big apple scents with strong acid character show themselves on the nose. They're backed by some faint scents of a pie crust. The texture is absolutely gorgeous on the palate, being rich but never heavy. Green apples pair well with lemons, and a touch of peach flavor keeps the fruit in line with the rich but light texture. Lovely wine!
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Comment
White - Off-dry
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #9
The nose shows plenty of pie crust wrapped around some faint green apples. The apple scents remind me of apples that have been baked a bit, and some mineral notes show themselves as well. Incredible texture bowled me over as soon as I tasted the wine. Elderflower flavors mingle with green apples that sit high on the palate. Acidity creeps down from the front to the sides of the palate to settle in around the molars, forcing you to smile. A touch of something herbal shows toward the back end. I think it may be sage, but my herbal palate isn't very focused. This wine is wonderful!
White - Off-dry
1976 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese
The nose reminds me of a peach pie, with the ripe, delicious peaches baked into a toasty crust, all topped with a touch of cream. The peaches from the nose show delicately on the palate, and they linger with the crust flavors as a touch of brown sugar sneaks across the palate on the finish. Lovely!
White - Off-dry
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #4
Immediately, the nose makes me think of a dreamsicle, if the dreamsicle had been made with limes instead of oranges. Deep green apple scents as well as rhubarb appear as well. The green apples on the palate were jaw droppingly lovely. These amazing flavors run long while hints of cream and rhubarb dance along the sides of the palate. The apples linger forever while the amazing texture is captivating in its own right. This is magnificent!
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Comment
White - Sweet/Dessert
2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Beerenauslese #3
I was too caught up in conversation to take a proper note here. I've noted the basics, but of course there is a lot more complexity and delicacy delivered than these basic descriptors imply. Green apples and rhubarb on the nose. The texture is delicate, and green apple flavors seem to last forever. Pineapple flavors also show, as well as a ghost of herbal notes toward the finish.
Closing
I was stunned with the mouth feel of the entire lineup. I had heard that his wines deliver incredible density without being heavy, and I was stunned at how well this delivered in every case. It really stands out, and I'd like to imagine that I could even pick it out blind. I was really touched by his hospitality and generosity. His wines sell out across the board now, and it's really wonderful that he still receives visitors for tastings and tours of the winery.