A selection of outstanding producers and outstanding wines from both vintages. (Continue reading here.)
2020 and 2019 Rheingau Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part III (Hassel, Jungfer, Nussbrunnen, Schönhell, Wisselbrunnen from Barth, A. Eser, Müller, Prinz, Ress, Spreitzer)
Here, I prefer the 2020s to the 2019s, but it could also be because I prefer the producers who showed their 2020s (and whose 2019s I did not taste). (Continue reading here.)
2020 and 2019 Rheingau Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part II (Baikenkopf, Gräfenberg, Hohenrain, Langenberg, Marcobrunn, Siegelsberg from Dieffenhardt, Kloster Eberbach, Jung, Knyphausen, Oettinger, Weil)
Topflight wines here, although nothing to challenge the phenomenal Künstlers in the previous post. (Continue reading here.)
2020 (and a 2019) Rheingau Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part I (Hölle, Kirchenstück, Königen Victoriaberg, Nonnberg, Weiss Erd from Flick, Künstler, and Werner)
The delights of the 2020 vintage continue to show through in the Rheingau region. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Nahe Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part IV (Felseneck, Frühlingsplätzchen, Halenberg, Auf der Lay, Stomberg from Emrich-Schönleber and Schäfer-Fröhlich)
And finishing off the Nahe, the duel between two of its greatest producers, Emrich-Schönleber and Schäfer-Fröhlich in the Frühlingsplätzchen and Halenberg vineyards, plus some additional GG’s from each. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Nahe Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part III (Brücke, Felsenberg, Hermannshöhle, and Kupfergrube from Crusius, Dönnhoff, Gut Hermannsberg, and Schäfer-Fröhlich)
This sector of the Nahe is always interesting because there are four top producers of Felsenberg. (Continue reading here.)
2020 and a 2019 Nahe Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part II (Bastei, Dellchen, Krötenpfuhl, Mühlberg, Rotenberg, Steinberg from Crusius, Dönnhoff, and Gut Hermannsberg)
In this stretch of the Nahe, very good wines with the exception of Crusius’s puzzling Bastei, but Dönnhoff’s two wines here clearly stand apart. (Continue reading here.)
2020 (and a 2019 and a 2018) Nahe Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part I (Burgberg, Dautenpflänzer, Felseneck, Goldloch, Höllenpfad im Mühlenberg, Johannisberg, Pitterberg, Pittermännchen from Diel, Dönnhoff, Kruger-Rumpf, Salm, and Schäfer)
These wines are just the prelude to some of the other delights of the vintage in the Nahe. (Continue reading here.)
2020 (and a 2019 and 2018) Rheinhessen Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part V (Heerkretz, Hölle, Kirchberg, Scharlachberg and EMT from Bischel, Kruger-Rumpf, Salm, and Wagner-Stempel)
Because of political boundaries, these wines are all in the Rheinhessen, but from a terroir standpoint, they are Nahe wines (Nahe is quite near to these vineyards). (Continue reading here.)
2020 Rheinhessen Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part IV (Fenchelberg, Hundertgulden, Pettenthal, Rothenberg from Bischel, Gunderloch, Keller, Kühling-Gillot, Rappenhof, and St. Antony)
As one continues north on the Roter Hang, somewhat stronger wines. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Rheinhessen Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part III (Brudersberg, Hipping, Ölberg, Zehnmorgen from Gunderloch, Kühling-Gillot, St. Antony, and Schätzel)
After the spectacular Wonegau wines, the wines from the Roter Hang sector of Rheinhessen, overlooking the Rhine River, while still overall very good, were a bit of a comedown. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Rheinhessen Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part II (Aulerde, Brunnenäschen, Frauenfeld, Kirchspeil, La Borne, Liebfrauenstift-Kirchenstück, Morstein from Battenfeld-Spanier, Groebe, Gutzler, Wittmann)
Who would have thought 25 years ago that many of the world’s greatest dry white wines would come from the Wonnegau? I discovered them about 15+ years ago, but they are still relatively unknown and thus undervalued in the marketplace. (Continue reading here.)
2020 and 2019 Rheinhessen Riesling Grosses Gewächs Part I (Geiersberg, Kirchenstück, Kloppberg, Kreuzberg, Leckerberg, Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott from Battenfeld-Spanier and Winter)
It’s no longer news that the once-disparaged Rheinhessen is producing great and exciting wines. (Continue reading here.)
2019 Pfalz Reisling GG Part II (Herrenberg, Mandelpfad, Michelsberg, Steinbuckel, Weilberg from Knipser and Schaefer)
Unlike some of the 2019 Forst wines, no sign that there is any shut down of these wines. (Continue reading here.)
2019 Pfalz Riesling GG Part I: Reiterpfad-Hofstück, Kieselberg, Freundstück, Jesuitengarten, Kirchenstück, Pechstein, Ungeheuer from Buhl and Schaefer)
In the past, I’ve argued for holding back release of GG wines an additional year, and some producers, such as these, have begun doing so (not an easy changeover from a cash flow perspective). But it may be that with the 2019s, many have already gone into a closed down phase. These were not easy wines to evaluate. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Riesling GG Part VII (Herrenberg, Kirschgarten, Michelsberg, Saumagen, Schwarzer Herrgott, Steinbuckel, Weilberg, from Fitz-Ritter, Kuhn, Pfeffingen, Rings)
Once we leave magical Forst, the vineyards change, but there are still wines of high quality. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Grosses Gewächs Riesling GG Part VI (Jesuitengarten and Pechstein from Acham-Magin, Bassermann-Jordan, Bürklin-Wolf, Mosbacher)
The greatness of the 2020 Forst wines continues with the last two vineyards. Once again, all superb, but with Mosbacher and Bassermann-Jordan outrageously great. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part V (Freundstück, Kirchenstück, and Ungeheuer from Acham-Magin, Bassermann-Jordan, Mosbacher, Siben)
Deidesheim being the Chambolle-Musigny of the Pfalz, Forst is the Vosne-Romanée — the source of the very greatest vineyards and frequently the greatest wines. Note in particular the spectacular results from Bassermann-Jordan and Mosbacher. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part IV (Grainhübel, Kalkofen, Kieselberg, Langenmorgen from Bassermann-Jordan, Bürklin-Wolf. Mosbacher, Siben)
The greatness of Deidesheim, the Pfalz’s equivalent of Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte d’Or, continues with these wines. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part III (Gaisböhl, Hohenmorgen, Reiterpfad, Achtmorgen, In der Höhl from Bassermann-Jordan, Bergdolt/St. Lamprecht, Bürklin-Wolf)
As we get to the Mittel Haardt, the fireworks begin. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part II (Bürgergarten "Im Breumel", Hölle, Idig, Meerspinne, Ölberg-Hart, Schäwer, Vogelsang from Christmann, Minges, Müller-Catoir, Rebholz)
Continuing to move north in the Pfalz, the wines remain outstanding, but only with the Müller-Catoir Im Brümmel and the Minges Schäwer did I begin to see hints of the greatness to come from the vineyards further north in the Pfalz. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Pfalz Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part I (Ganzhorn, Kalmit, Kastanienbusch, Kirchberg, Köppel, Sonnenberg, Im Sonnenschein from Bernhart, Kranz, Rebholz, Siegrist, Wehrheim)
Very good results from these producers, but usually they produce some of the top GG’s of the vintage for me; not this year. (Continue reading here.)
2019 Franken Grosses Gewächs Riesling: (Stein-Berg, Hohenroth, Kallmuth, Lumpen 1655, Steinbach Altenberg 1172, Julius-Echter-Berg from Juliusspital, Krenig, Löwenstein, Schäffer, Sommerhausen, Wirsching)
This selection of 2019 Riesling GG’s indicates that fans will have fun for a long time debating which is the greater vintage, 2019 or 2020.
The Löwenstein and the Wirsching wines are in the traditional Bocksbeutel, the others in Burgundy-style bottles. (Continue reading here.)
2020 Franken Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part II (Centgrafenberg, Am Lumpen 1655, Maustal from Fürst, Horst Sauer, Rainer Sauer, Zehnthof Luckert)
Further evidence of the greatness of the 2020 Rieslings in Franken: (Continue reading here.)
2020 Franken Grosses Gewächs Riesling Part I (Pfülben, Stein-Berg, Hoheleite from Bürgerspital, Schmitt's Kinder, Staatliche Hofkeller, and Weltner)
The annual Grosses Gewächs preview in Wiesbaden at the end of August showed magnificent Rieslings throughout Germany.
Some producers have been allowing their wines to age before previewing, so I will also be reviewing some 2019s that were shown. As a generalization, 2019 is the more concentrated, structured vintage, and probably will be the longer-lasting. But the 2020s are so seductive for their finesse and harmonious acidity, that I have a slight preference overall for them. But you almost can’t go wrong buying the wines blind.
The Staatliche Hofkeller wines and the Bürgerspital Stein-Berg wine are in the Bochsbeutel bottle that is typical of the region, the other wines, reflecting awareness of shipping and storage issues, are in Burgundy-shaped bottles. (Continue reading here.)
Weingut TESCH (Nahe) -- 2020 Rieslings
2020 was the third consecutive hot, dry vintage. Fortunately for Tesch, more than 16 (of its 23) ha of vines are over 50 years old and so have the deep root systems to reach water. The young vines did have to be irrigated.
Recognizing that climate change is here for good, Martin Tesch has been doing work in the vineyards to deal with it. In the past, the vineyard work was intended to achieve maximum ripeness, but now, for example, more leaves are left to give more shade by, for example, not cutting the tops of the vines.
In the previous post I posed the question of 2020 or 2019? As outstanding as the 2019s are, I must give a slight nod to the 2020s because of my preference for a more elegant expression of acidity here. (Continue reading here.)
Weingut TESCH (Nahe) -- 2019 Rieslings
Martin Tesch is tenth generation of his family making wine. Formerly in the VDP, the estate left that organization because, Martin explained to me on a visit in Langenlonsheim some years ago, his program for marketing his wines did not fit well. Nevertheless, the single vineyard wines here are the equivalent of top Grosses Gewächs wines; the Nahe chapter of the VDP, which does not feature any other ownership in this corner of region, is the poorer for the estate’s absence.
As Martin Tesch expects that his customers drink the basic Unplugged first and leave the individual vineyard sites to age for a few years, there is a touch more residual sugar in the individual vineyard site wines than in the Unplugged, and the wines will become even drier with a few years' time.
2019 or 2020 (which will be reviewed in my following post)? It’s largely a question of style, but both are excellent vintages here. (Continue reading here.)
Reichsgraf von KESSELSTATT (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer): Mostly 2019 Releases
With the pandemic travel bans and limited wine importation due to the (thankfully now-rescinded) tariffs, I’ve had little opportunity to taste wines from the much-heralded 2019 German vintage. This is my first opportunity to taste more than an occasional bottling. (Continue reading here.)
Ridge Vineyards: Fall 2021 National Releases
The following wines are being released throughout the United States on September 1.
I’m happy to say that these wines do not present the oak and alcohol issues I found with some of the spring release wines. And pay attention to the Monte Bello — a very special version of that very special wine. (Continue reading here.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)