More irregularity in this part of the Nahe, but still some very good wines, even if a bit below the past few vintages. (Continue reading here.)
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TESCH (Nahe) -- 2018 Dry Rieslings
Nahe producer Martin Tesch took his estate out of the VDP a few years back, but he does make single-vineyard dry Rieslings that are on a level with the Grosses Gewächs wines from VDP producers. I had a chance to sample five of the six individual vineyards and also the Unplugged Riesling, the basic dry Riesling that put the estate on its current path. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Mittelrhein Riesling GG (Im Hahn, Im Lauerbaum, An der Rabenlei, St. Jost, Wolfhöhle) -- Jost/Hahenhof, Lanius-Knab, Müller, Ratzenberger
Not well-known outside Germany, but there are some quality producers here. (Continue reading here.)
2017 Rheingau Riesling GG (Berg Kaisersteinfels, Berg Roseneck, Berg Rottland, Berg Schlossberg, Doosberg, Greiffenberg, Hasensprung, Hassel, Jungfer, Rosengarten) : Allendorf, Barth, Kühn, Leitz, Vollrads
These 2017s were held back a year and shown this year at the Wiesbaden Grosses Gewächs preview. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Rheingau Riesling GG Part IV (Berg Roseneck, Berg Rottland, Berg Schlossberg, [Johannisberg] Hölle, Klaus, Rothenberg, Schloss Johannisberger, Seligmacher) -- Allendorf, Hessen, Künstler, Ress, Schloss Johannisberg, Wegeler
The end of the excellent 2018 Rheingau Riesling GG presentation. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Rheingau Riesling GG Part III (Hassel, Jesuitengarten, Jungfer, Rosengarten, St. Nikolaus, Schönhell, Schlossberg, Wisselbrunnen) -- Kaufmann, Müller, Prinz, Spreitzer, Vollrads, Wegeler
A very strong and consistent showing from this part of the Rheingau. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Rheingau Riesling GG Part II (Baikenkopf, Gräfenberg, Hohenrain, Marcobrunn, Siegelsberg) -- Jung, Kl. Eberbach, Oetinger, Weil
Continued consistency and quality as one moves through the Rheinguau. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Rheingau Riesling GG's Part I (Hölle, Kirchenstück, Königen Victoriaberg, Langenberg, Nonnberg "Vier Morgen", Schlenzberg, Weiss Erd) -- Diefenhardt, Flick, Künstler, Werner
As I indicated in my introduction, the Rheingau is one of the most successful regions of the vintage, and there are some genuinely exciting wines here. (Continue reading here.)
2017 and Earlier Mosel-Saar-Ruwer GG -- Goldtröpfchen, Josephshöfer, Kreuzwingert, Lay, Marienburg Falkenlay and Falkenlay Terrassen, Nies'chen, Scharzhofberger, Uhlen "Roth Lay", Würzgarten -- Busch, Haart, Heymann-Löwnstein, Kesselstatt, Loosen, S.A. Prüm
As I mentioned in my introduction to the 2018 GGs, an increasing number of producers are holding wines back to present a year (or in Loosen’s case below, several years) after the vintage to give the wine more time in bottle. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Saar GG Part I (Altenberg, Fels, Goldberg, Gottesfuss, Kupp, Saarfeilser Marienberg, Schonfels, Scharzhofberger, Scharzhofberger Perkentsknop, Volz) -- Geltz/Zilliken, Lauer, von Othegraven, van Volxem, Weis/St. Urbanshof
In very hot years, the cold climate Saar usually excels, but in 2018, the wines, while good, are not exceptional. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Mosel GG (Apotheke, Goldtröpfchen, Hofberg, Laurentiuslay, Ohligsberg) -- Grans-Fassian, Haart, Lieser, Weis/St. Urbanshof
Some strong wines here, but also some disappointments. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Mosel Riesling GG (Doctor, Johannisbrünnchen, Lay, Layet, Niederberg Helden) -- Fritz Haag, Schloss Lieser, Loosen, S.A. Prüm, Wegeler
Mixed results, perhaps reflecting different approaches to the vintage. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Mosel Riesling GG (Domprobst, Försterlay, Himmelreich, Rosenberg, [Wehlen] Sonnenuhr, Treppchen, Würzgarten) -- Lieser, Loosen, S.A. Prüm, Wegeler
As one moves to the Mittel Mosel, things begin to look somewhat more consistent. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Mosel Riesling GG (Marienburg, Kirchberg, Stolzenberg, Röttgen, Uhlen): Busch, Heymann-Löwenstein, Knebel
The challenges of the vintage are seen in the mixed quality that these wines showed. (Continue reading here.)
2017 Franken Silvaner GG (Am Lumpen 1655, Hohenroth, Julius-Echterberg, Kronsberg, Mönchshof, Ratsherr, Rothlauf, Schlossberg, Stein [Würzburg], Steinbach Attenberg 1072 -- Arnold, Bickel-Stumpf, Castell, Juliusspital, Schäffer, Wirsching, Zur Schwane
The superiority of the 2017 vintage to the 2018 for Silvaner (as well as the advantage of giving the wines an extra year in bottle) is easily seen by comparing these notes with those for the 2018s.
2018 Franken Silvaner GG Part II (Am Lumpen 1655, Kallmuth, Maustal) -- Fröhlich, Löwenstein, H. Sauer, R. Sauer, Zehntof Luckert, Zur Schwane
From top producers, honorable wines that nevertheless reflect the challenges of the vintage in their lack of true excitement. (Continue reading here.)
2018 Franken Silvaner GG Part I (Stein-Harfe, Himmeslpfad, Rothlauf, Julius-Echter-Berg, [Stetten] Stein, [Würzburg] Stein, Pfülben, Küchenmeister): Bürgerpsital, May, Ruck, Schmitt's Kinder, Stein/Knoll, Schwab, Staatlich Hofkeller, Weltner
An especially challenging year for Silvaner because of the high heat reducing the acidity, but top producers manage to come through. (Continue reading here.)
Introduction to the New Crop of Grosses Gewächs Wines
Having now finished my notes on tasting VDP auction wines, I turn to my tasting of VDP Grosses Gewächs (“GG”) wines, which were tasted under conditions that allowed for more careful evaluation. (Continue reading here.)
VDP Auction Wines -- Crusius, Diel, Dönnhoff, Emrich-Schönleber, Kruger-Rumpf, Schäfer
Based on very quick tastes. (Continue reading here.)
VDP Auction Wines -- Karthäuserhof, Loosen, Willi Schaefer, Thanisch
Based on quick tastes. (Continue reading here.)
VDP Auction Wines -- Joh. Jos. Prüm
Based on quick takes.
In which Joh. Jos. Prüm yet again proves its greatness: (Continue reading here.)
VDP Auction Wines: von Oethegraven and Egon Müller
Based on very quick tastes. (Continue reading here.)
VDP Auction Wines -- Heymann-Löwenstein, Knebel, Busch
Based on very quick tastes of these wines. (Continue reading here.)
VDP Auction Wines -- Von Schubert/Maximin Grünhaus
This post begins a number of posts on VDP producers' wines in the current auction; they were tasted quite rapidly. (Continue reading here.)