2001 Müller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlössel Rieslaner Spätlese

Rockss and Fruit

• By Lyle Fass
  3/23/2009, (See more on Rockss and Fruit...)

  (Muller-Catoir Gimmeldingel Schlossel Rieslaner Spatlese) I must have drunk a case of this wine and it never disappoints. Sometimes it is closed, but it has never been non-expressive. Just a lovely almost custard-like texture with exciting aromatics of mineral, earth and the funk. Honeyed and rich but with exceptional acidity. Some petrol on the nose from age that just adds the perfect amount of diesel to the mix. I have one more bottle and I will drink it this fall.

• By Lyle Fass
  5/27/2008, (See more on Rockss and Fruit...)

  (Muller Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlossel Rieslaner Spatlese) This is one of my all time favorite German wines. I must have had this at least eight times since release and this was easily in the top 1/3 of the bottles I have had. The nose was screaming with orange blossom, mineral, tangelo, kumqwat and other exotic citrus fruits. There was also a hint of lime zest there peeking its way through. The palate was like silk with wonderful concentration, elegance and that piquant 2001 acidity. Amazing purity and depth and the wine kept getting better and better as the nigh went along. The fruit was so pure and focused as not to be believed. Just a stunner and drinking pretty well now. I have two more left and will drink them over the next five years.

• By Lyle Fass
  6/2/2006, (See more on Rockss and Fruit...)

  (Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlossel Rieslaner Spatlese) One of my favorite wines from the vintage and one that is drinking exceptionally now. A crazy nose that keeps changing with aeration. Almost unstable in it's constant metamorphisis. Pure orange blossom, earthy minerality, snap peas, and a hint of cassis. Palate is very polished with dramatic and pure citrus fruit flavors. Creamy with true Spatlese-like sweetness. Tremendous grip and length. Incredible concentration and balance. A great '01 with still some time to go.

• By Lyle Fass
  10/8/2004, (See more on Rockss and Fruit...)

  (Muller Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlossel Rieslaner Spatlese) The Muller-Catoir was closed down and I still have not had the experience with this wine that I had a year ago when it showed better than any almost any German wine I had. This time it had a honeyed nose with nice orange blossom elements. Very floral too. The palate had nice fruit but seemed a bit dull. Not as electric and exciting as last year. I guess this is a classic case of a wine closing down. Last bottle I had around six months ago and really started to sing on day 6.

• By Lyle Fass
  7/1/2003, (See more on Rockss and Fruit...)

  (Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlossel Rieslaner Spatlese) I have had this wine on four different occasions since last June and have never had a bottle even come close to what this wine did. I love opening a bottle and you know as soon as you sniff it you know that it is on it's game. The nose kept changing so here is some of the range .... peanut oil, whopper (no joke!), coconut, orange roses, musk, minerals, orange blossoms, earth, moss, fresh cut grass. The palate ... well just plain ethereal. It really floated, and no I did not have too much to drink at this point. The finish was what seemed like neverending. This wine was not complex!!! In order to have complexity you need stability and this wine evolved every second it was open. Best showing of any 2001 German yet. If anybody has quantity of these open one immediatly. This wine could shut down tomorrow, next week, three weeks, who knows. But if you catch it on it's game like I did Saturday night then you'll be glad you opened one.