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Tasting and dinner with old wines from Kloster Eberbach

Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau

Tasted March 1, 2013 by Vintomas with 554 views

Introduction

Tasting and dinner the evening before the Kloster Eberbach spring auction.

Flight 1 - Aperitif wines (2 notes)

The 1959 Spätlese was served in the Hospitalkeller.

White - Sparkling
2011 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Heppenheimer Steinkopf Riesling Brut Sekt Germany, Rheingau
83 points
Nose with ripe fruit, citrus and some bread. Palate with high acidity, some mineral, and a light bitterness. A fresh aperitif-styled Sekt, but I would have preferred less bitterness. 83 p
White - Off-dry
1959 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese Germany, Rheingau
90 points
Nose with yellow apple and winter apple, apple peel, some petroleum and some mineral. The palate is in principle dry with a viscous and oily mouthfeel, with menthol and mineral; the acid is not as prominent. 90 p
A wonderful reminder of how long-lived Riesling can be if the bottles have been stored well. This wine, going on 54 years old, reminds me rather much of how a rather dry wine often gets with 10-15 years of age!

Flight 2 - 1973 Eiswein flight (4 notes)

White - Sweet/Dessert
1973 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese Germany, Rheingau
93 points
Amber colour. Nose with dried fruit, winter apple, zest, bitter orange, caramel, some smoke, a hint of red berries and a hint of petroleum. Palate with good concentration, "Beerenauslese sweetness", caramel, dried fruit, dried orange zest, honey, high acidity, pronounced spice notes, and a long and fresh aftertaste. 93 p
This wine came across as having the youngest and most fresh nose of the 1973 Eiswein flight of four wines.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1973 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese Germany, Rheingau
92 points
Amber colour (slightly darker than the Baiken wine). The nose is noticeably smoky with caramel notes, dried apricot, some red berries, and spice. alate with good concentration, "Beerenauslese sweetness", caramel, pronounced spiciness, dried apricots, good acidity and a long aftertaste. Quite a lot of power and pure aromas. 92 p
Of the 1973 Eiswein flight of four wines, this wine has a more powerful and "darker" nose than the Baiken wine, comes across as older in the nose, and does not have quite the same elegance on the palate, but it is a very impressive wine.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1973 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Eiswein Beerenauslese Germany, Rheingau
93 points
Quite dark amber, in the direction of brown. The nose is noticeably smoky with caramel, shows notes of oxidation with nutty aromas, hints of oiled wooden boat, and some impression of botrytis. The palate is extremely sweet ("Beerenauslese+") with enormous concentration, caramel, dried fruit, citrus fruit and zest, dried apricot, and a long aftertaste. 93 p
The power house of the three Riesling wines of the flight of four 1973 Eiswein. The somewhat older impression I got from the nose didn't come back on the palate, which showed plenty of citrus.
Rosé - Sweet/Dessert
1973 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Weißherbst Eiswein Auslese Germany, Rheingau
92 points
Dark amber colour. Nose with noticeable spice notes, caramel, some raspberries and herbs, some wood oil, toasted notes with some some used coffee grounds. The palate is spicy with caramel, dried apricot and red berries, zest, high acidity, and with a spicy and fresh aftertaste. 92 p
From half bottle.
The nose was noticeably different from the three previous Riesling wines in this flight of four 1973 Eiswein. Quite good for a sweet Spätburgunder, not the least for its age and for having spent its waiting time in half bottles!

Flight 3 - Steinberger Riesling Spätlese (4 notes)

White - Off-dry
2007 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese Goldkapsel Auction "Mauerwein" Germany, Rheingau
88 points
Light yellow colour. Nose with ripe citrus, some peach and blackcurrant buds, perfume, some petroleum; a young and elegant nose. The nose indicates a rather sweet wine, and is "Auslese style". Off-dry on the palate, citrus, high acidity, mineral. The aftertaste is not too intense, but long and mineral-dominated. 88+ p
White - Off-dry
1976 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese Germany, Rheingau
86 points
Deep golden colour. Nose with dried fruit, citrus, caramel, some spice and smoke, petroleum. The most developed nose of the flight. The palate is "somewhat off-dry" with dried fruit, winter apple, some caramel, medium acidity, a hint of bitterness and an aftertaste of winter apples. Exciting nose, but not too fresh on the palate. 86 p
I'm sure this wine - from a top vineyard but marked by the hot vintage - was much more fun when it was 10-20 years old (few 1976 wines below Auslese seem to show well today), and the note of bitterness disturbs me.
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White
1967 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese Cabinet Germany, Rheingau
86 points
Golden yellow. Fruity nose with apricot compote (but not particularly dried fruit notes), some spice and petroleum, and a lot of firne (typical German-style old wine aromas). Rather dry on the palate, mineral-dominated mouthfeel without too much fruit in evidence, rather good acidity, some bitterness. The palate doesn't quite live up to the nose, and the bitterness is slightly disturbing. 86 p
White - Off-dry
1959 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spätlese Germany, Rheingau
Lighter golden colour, surprisingly young-looking. Nose with pronounced smoke notes, yellow apple, some citrus, petroleum, some wet moss (a typical firne note). Not too complex a nose, possibly some hint of cork taint. The palate is rather discrete, with winter apple, spice and medium acidity. No score due to the possible defect.

Flight 4 - Schlossberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs (5 notes)

Three Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs, one wine in the same style, and a much older wine from a vineyard that in 1971 was incorporated into Schlossberg.

White
2010 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs Germany, Rheingau
90 points
Light yellow colour. Nose with peach, citrus, Riesling perfume, smoky minerality, and menthol. Elegant and gives both a slightly sweetish and "cool" impression. The palate is "reasonably dry", i.e., doesn't give a completely dry impression, and shows powerful concentration of fruit, a lot of citrus with grapefruit notes, high acidity, and some mineral. Young, 90+ p.
White
2008 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs Germany, Rheingau
90 points
Light yellow colour. Nose with ripe citrus, some peach, smoke, mineral, and some petroleum. The palate is dry, with some apple and citrus, but is not at all fruit-dominated, but rather very mineral with menthol notes and high acidity; definitely an elegant palate. Rather young, 90 p.
White
2007 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs Germany, Rheingau
91 points
Medium yellow colour. Nose with ripe fruit, peach, blackcurrant buds, ripe citrus, what I perceive as some botrytis notes, and a discrete petroleum note. The nose is deeper than in the 2008 and 2010. The palate is mostly dry, with an attack that is not quite dry, shows powerful concentration and powerful minerality with a "salty feeling", some fruit notes with apple, peach and citrus, and a high acidity. Rather young, 91 p.
White
2003 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling aus dem Cabinetkeller Germany, Rheingau
90 points
Light yellow colour. Nose with ripe citrus - lemon and grapefruit - with sun-warmed zest and lime, a hint of herbaceous notes and a discrete petroleum note, but surprisingly little petroleum for the age and vintage! Palate with a somewhat off-dry impression although it is produced in a "dry style", citrus, mineral, some mint, a rather oily impression, medium acidity; not entirely Riesling-styled on the palate. Better and younger than expected, can take more cellaring. 90 p
Apparently not classified Erstes Gewächs, but produced in that style. The hot 2003 vintage has definitely put its mark on this wine.
White
1943 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rüdesheimer Eiseninger Riesling Cabinet Germany, Rheingau
87 points
Golden colour. Nose with yellow fruit, yellow apple, citrus, dried fruit, well preserved fruit notes, smoke, some spice, some firne notes with moss. The palate is not completely dry (it goes in the off-dry direction) with yellow apples, mint, some bitterness, high acidity; not too concentrated. A rather impressive nose, while the palate isn't quite as impressive (and as always I'm disturbed by bitterness that can be too much felt), although the wine sticks together fine. 87 p?
Scoring a wine this age is obviously a bit complicated, since the fascination in tasting a 70 year old wine (produced in a style where many would consider 10-15 years as "old") goes way beyond the wines "blind performance", which is what has guided my scoring. So while I probably come across as very frugal, I would like to stress how fascinating a tasting experience this wine was.

Flight 5 - Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir (2 notes)

Red
2003 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Pinot Noir Trocken R Germany, Rheingau
89 points
Translucent light to medium red with lighter edge. Berry-dominated nose with ripe cherries, red currants, pronounced notes of toasted oak with chocolate and coffee, spice, quite a bit of mineral and menthol. Palate with menthol, mint, mineral, rather high alcohol, balancing acidity, full-bodied mouthfeel, not really fruity on the palate, some alcoholic fire in the aftertaste. The oak is actually not noticeable on the palate. 89 p
This is a fascinating wine since the palate is substantially different from what the nose led me to expect. The alcoholic fire and the exaggerated oak in the nose has reduced my score, however.
Red
1953 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Cabinet Rheingau Germany, Rheingau
89 points
Light to medium red colour, brick edge. A good colour for its age! Nose with good concentration of berry notes, ripe red berries, some sweet "liqueur notes", some caramel, smoke, and menthol. Palate with a hint of sweetness, red berries, spice, intense menthol note and minerality, good acidity, some bitterness, and a heavy mouthfeel. 89 p?
This is the best old Spätburgunder I've tasted. Earlier, Kloster Eberbach has uncorked some from the 1960s and 1970s that haven't been nearly as good. There was quite a bit of "minerally red Burgundy" in this wine, and that association I've never had with old Spätburgunder before. And, yes, there was a tiny bit of sweetness, although that's an impression not completely unheard of in old Burgundies. Demonstrates the impressive quality of old Assmannshausen reds from Kloster Eberbach. Also here, the fascination involved in tasting this old a wine goes way beyond the "honest" score I've assigned.

Flight 6 - 1983 Eiswein flight (4 notes)

White - Sweet/Dessert
1983 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Eiswein Germany, Rheingau
94 points
Golden colour. Nose with dried yellow fruit, honey, some herbaceous notes and spice, mint, mineral. An elegant nose; the most elegant of this flight of four 1983 Eiswein. The palate is very sweet, with honey, dried fruit including apricots, citrus, very great concentration of fruit, spice, high acidity, and a fresh aftertaste. 94 p
White - Sweet/Dessert
1983 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Heppenheimer Centgericht Riesling Eiswein Domäne Bergstrasse Germany, Hessische Bergstraße
94 points
Golden colour. Nose with dried yellow fruit, zest, some botrytis, some caramel, and a bit of petroleum. The most powerful nose of the flight of four 1983 Eiswein. The palate is very sweet, with honey, apricot - both fresh and dried, citrus, high acidity, some spice, very fresh aftertaste. A fresh powerhouse! 94 p
White - Sweet/Dessert
1983 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Eiswein Germany, Rheingau
93 points
Golden colour. Nose with some dried yellow fruit, caramel, smoke, some herbaceous notes. The palate is sweet, very spice, with dried fruit, very high acidity, some spice, mineral and a very long aftertaste. Not as generous aromas as the two other 1983 Riesling Eiswein of this flight, but very fresh! 93 p
Rosé - Sweet/Dessert
1983 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Weißherbst Eiswein Auslese Germany, Rheingau
91 points
Reddish amber colour. Nose with dried fruit, red berries, red berry jelly, yellow fruit, caramel, spice. The nose deviates clearly from the Riesling wines. The palate is sweet, with red berries, caramel, some spice, high acidity. 91 p
Served from half bottle.
Not quite as fresh and concentrated as the three 1983 Riesling Eiswein of this flight.
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