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Germany
Must and Lees, N1
Tasted June 21, 2023 by oenanthe with 89 views
Introduction
Disclaimer: my knowledge of german wine is very limited, probably influenced by a dislike of wines that are anything but bone dry. I had a minor buying spree a couple of years ago on the basis that the many people raving about them couldn't all be wrong, but have yet to get stuck in. This would be a great opportunity to explore a variety of producers and styles to see if my small number of cases had been a mistake or not!
Flight 1 - Rotwein! (3 notes)
Red
2018 Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir
85 points
Medium red. I would struggle on this nose to say that this was Pinot Noir, that's how different from Burgundy it is. On the palate there is an initial plush red fruit character that does not carry far, as well as olives and a little salinity. It seems to lack the pleasure factor that in my opinion all cheap and cheerful pinot noir ought to have, else what is the point? Maybe it just needs more time.
Red
2015 Weingut Hanewald-Schwerdt Leistadter Kalkofen Spätburgunder Trocken
87 points
Medium translucent red. This is more evidently Pinot Noir on the nose, but on the palate it is very austere and lacking in roundness - linear, as if holding something back. Air and a good swish helps bring it to life a bit, at which point it becomes a commendable glass with a fair bit going on, lying somewhere between red and black on the spectrum (blue perhaps?), with decent acidity and a little spice.
Red
2017 Weingut Leipold Obervolkacher Landsknecht Spätburgunder
88 points
Medium translucent red. Initially nothing whatsoever on the nose but quickly opens up within the glass. This has much more red fruit and acidity than the other two spatburgenders in the flight, it is vibrant and alive, and as such has that cheerfulness that I am looking for in inexpensive PN. And this is truly inexpensive (I think someone said €7 in Germany? - thus a total bargain), delivering many of the qualities of Bourgogne Rouge at a fraction of the price. I enjoyed this.
Flight 2 - Trocken (2 notes)
White
2020 Schäfer-Fröhlich Riesling Vulkangestein trocken
88 points
Very pale indeed. Some reduction, and to start with the classic oily aromas of Riesling but these do not hang around for very long (good!). Quite spritzy and sharp on the tongue, with apple and peach ad citrus peel, to the extent it becomes chardonnay-esque in the mouth. Very young and pretty nice even at this stage.
White
2021 A.J. Adam Dhroner Riesling Trocken
86 points
Very pale. Zero petroleum on the nose, instead this is very herbal and grassy. There is tongue-tingling entry, really quite zippy and neat, with a certain stony quality. An easy quaffer, not too sweet at all. I found it lost focus as it warmed and became rather generic, so serve this on the cooler side for an aperitif perhaps. I expect it would grow in complexity with time.
Flight 3 - 2020, no real theme (2 notes)
White
2020 Künstler Kostheimer Weiß Erd Riesling Großes Gewächs
92 points
Very pale white gold. A lovely fragrant nose, floral and herbal. A slightly fizzy entry leads to quite dry and rich mouthfeel. This is round and complete, with lavender and pear on the palate, like a posh soap. Extremely easy to drink, and this one got a repour later when if anything it was even better. Very nice.
White
2020 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett
89 points
Pale yellow. Immediately sweet, this must have a fair amount of sugar, I would thus prefer this colder. It is fruit forward, has zinging acidity, is very floral, delicious and super easy to drink. Would make a great aperitif. Somebody else brought this but it turns out I have a case of this, and despite my lacklustre enthusiasm for wines outside the bone-dry category I am quite pleased about this.
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Comment
Flight 4 - JJ Prum duo (2 notes)
White - Off-dry
2020 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese
88 points
Very pale. Only mildly sweet, less than expected. Young, dynamic and vibrant, and altogther pretty pleasant with ripe pear and the florality of pineapple broom or frangipani. Easily in a drinking window but clearly will keep for ages.
White - Off-dry
2015 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese
91 points
Medium yellow, darker than the rest of the flight. This was richer on the nose, for me more like a Sauternes. Huge amount going on, intense citrus fruit, rich and ripe, but lifted somehow, a lightness of touch that is very engaging. This is basically too sweet for my palate, but I can appreciate the wine-making, this is very good. As with the Donnhoff OL, I discovered later than I have a case of this from a more recent vintage, and am not unduly upset about that!
Flight 5 - Older vintages (2 notes)
White - Off-dry
2001 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese
88 points
Medium gold, in fact lighter than I thought it would be. Honey and pineapple, quite syrupy and unctuous. Almost sappy. Some people around the table questioned whether this was fully correct, or rather had peaked a few years back. Once again not really my cup of tea, but it seemed decent enough in small sips. Very rich.
White - Off-dry
2005 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel
91 points
Toffee and caramel on the nose stood out for me, with crispy burnt edges. I actually found this less sweet than the older Spatlese. This has considerable body, and feels if anything a bit weighty. A fine mix of candy and tropcial fruit, this is for a small glass towards the end of an evening.
Flight 6 - Interlude (1 note)
White - Off-dry
2003 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese
flawed
Dark amber. Very advanced, possibly even some oxidisation and smells slightly of glue. There are traces of tropical fruit but this particular bottle must be well past its best. Not very enjoyable if I am honest.
Flight 7 - 2009 Spatlese (2 notes)
White - Off-dry
2009 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese
88 points
Quite a pale yellow. Possibly my senses were on the wane at this point, but I thought this had a strong nose of curry, like a chicken achari with that spicy pickled citrus element. Hey-ho, not what I was expecting but not unpleasant either. Medium sweetness, mild tropical fruit, pretty rich.
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Comment
White - Off-dry
2009 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese
90 points
Medium yellow, quite pithy, definitely a sweet edge but this is held in check with some sharp spritz and citrus, like Robinson's squash. Very easy on the palate, pretty light in texture, a pleaser for sure.
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Comment
Closing
We enjoyed a variety of vintages, producers and styles, and almost all showed very well. I preferred the whites over the reds, the german style of PN seems a little lean and lacking in cheer. Within the whites it was no surprise that I enjoyed the drier style more - I still find the sweeter spatlese and beyond hard. Mainly this is because I always associate wine with food and I can't really see many meals I'd have these with. I think I could get on board with these as chilled summer aperitifs though - the 7-9% alcohol is a real winner.
As ever a nice crowd in a nice setting, including some new faces which was very welcome as the TWS North London group continues to expand.