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TWS Group German Tasting

Must & Lees

Tasted June 21, 2023 by Joshvoulters with 60 views

Flight 1 - Reds (3 notes)

Red
2018 Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir Germany, Rheingau
86 points
Not a lot of typicity and it could have been a couple of degrees cooler but this was quite interesting - warm, spicy, leafy, savoury and dry. Red fruit in the background. Some inner florality unfurled with air, a kind of mousy animal note which wasn't unwelcome.
Red
2015 Weingut Hanewald-Schwerdt Leistadter Kalkofen Spätburgunder Trocken Germany, Pfalz
88 points
Quite ambitious and serious, and we probably caught it 5 years too early. Rich, creamy and ripe - some peppery spice, cinnamon, clove. This has spent 24 months in new oak but you're not getting splinters in your teeth- it's well-judged. An overall impression of peppery raspberries and cream. Ripe but dry on the palate, sharp acidity and grippy tannins. Should continue to develop well.
Red
2017 Weingut Leipold Obervolkacher Landsknecht Spätburgunder Germany, Franken
87 points
I liked this - and best slightly chilled. Some cherry, eucalyptus, chamomile - a pleasant inner richness and chewiness on the palate - medium bodied with good presence. Very inexpensive and great value.

Flight 2 - Trocken (3 notes)

White
2020 Schäfer-Fröhlich Riesling Vulkangestein trocken Germany, Nahe
90 points
This showed so differently to its last outing - thanks I suppose to serving temperature and giving the reductive notes some time to blow off. Whereas last time it was all reduction and steely focus, this was much more expansive. Ripe, reductive and a little oily, it mellowed out with time and gave way to limes, wet slate and salt. Quite full-bodied and with laser-focused acidity, a touch of residual sugar. Finishes dry and lively.
White
2021 A.J. Adam Hofberg Riesling Trocken Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
87 points
Light, clean and lemony with a touch of residual sugar. Refreshingly zingy and drinkable, if a little simple.
White
2020 Künstler Kostheimer Weiß Erd Riesling Großes Gewächs Germany, Rheingau
88 points
Very powerful rich and floral nose. Waxy, spicy and slightly woody. It's big and extracted on the medium to full-bodied palate- apricot and papaya, some astringency and chew. This was very popular by consensus but I found it a bit of a sledgehammer.

Flight 3 - Sweet (8 notes)

White
2020 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett Germany, Nahe
91 points
I really enjoyed this and am very pleased I have some stashed away. Just what you want out of a Kabi - ripe green apple, a lovely balance of sweetness and acidity, light, zippy and fresh. Super tasty.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Off-dry
2020 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
89 points
Peach, mango, ripe red apple and pear. A touch sweaty - is that the hot vintage? Concentrated on the palate - quince and leafy raspberry - it's quite tight and constrained now, needs time to relax.
White - Off-dry
2015 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
93 points
This was really good - the botrytis kicking it up a notch. Caramelised pineapple, marmalade, lovely depth and breadth with notes of spice and white pepper. Rich but clean on the palate, precise despite the sugar.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Off-dry
2005 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
93 points
Great to have this twice in a fortnight and - even better - my notes are pretty consistent, so at least I'm not totally making it up as I go along. Golden in the glass with gentle notes of botrytis, honey, green and ripe mango, white pepper. Sweet and mouth-filling but there's really wonderful clarity and a clean, inviting finish.
White - Off-dry
2001 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
flawed
I'm going to get a knock on the door from a von Schubert one of these days because, try as I might, I just don't like their wines and I really seem to be in a tiny minority. Having said that, this one could have been slightly flawed - quite advanced in colour with some stewed and oxidised notes starting to come through. It's not old by sweet Riesling standards so it may just be a dud.
White - Off-dry
2003 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
flawed
Very far gone, heavily oxidised.
White - Off-dry
2009 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese Germany, Nahe
88 points
Didn't blow me away - this felt slightly flat and lacking acidic lift. Fresh green apple, deep concentrated ripe lemon, sweet but clean. Quite contained and subtle overall.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Off-dry
2009 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
88 points
This definitely showed better than the last time I opened a bottle. The main difference was the prominence of the acidity and the relative freshness that brought to proceedings - and I'm sure it's variation in the taster rather than the wine.

Ripe peach, mango, slate- there's still a tropical profile that is a bit much for me, and (as ever) I'd like more acidity - but it's very drinkable.
1 person found this helpful Comment
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