Nothing much to say by way of introduction — great wines from what Stuart Pigott called the world’s greatest white wine estate, one that has never gone through a down period, with which I whole-heartedly agree. Another great vintage here.
2020 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett
The nose has a bit of the stink often associated with young Prüm wines, which goes away with time and which I have never found bothersome in any case. The slate Riesling aromas and flavors are intense and balanced with crispness from the acidity but silkiness, too, from the tender nature of the acidity that is typical in 2020. Great purity, crystallinity, and penetration here. Light sweetness in the mouth, but almost dry on the finish. It’s a beautiful entry to the estate’s 2020s, for drinking now but it will still improve and keep over the next 10-15+ years (the wine improved over several days after opening). Cork closure. 8.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 10 21. 92/A
2020 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett
This is a wine of purity, harmony, and balance. It is light in the mouth with incisive lemony slate aromas and flavors, depth and penetration, and knife-sharp balance between acidity and sugar. Cork closure. 8.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 11 21. 94/A+
2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
A pure, pristine, crystalline wine with Sonnenuhr slate fruit, length, penetration, some nervosity, and lightness on the palate. This wine is austere now, yet fabulous, and will only improve over the next 20 or so years. Cork closure. 8.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 24 21. 94/A+
2020 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese
The Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese is relatively sweet with slate apple fruit and a touch of pineapple. It is a pure, sleek wine with enough acidity to keep all in balance. It can be drunk now and should improve over the coming decade. Cork closure. 7.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 13 21. 93/A
2020 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese
Note: This tasting note is from a bottle that was just the slightest bit corked — little enough that I thought I could nevertheless fairly evaluate the wine. The wine is medium-weight and crisp with relatively little sweetness showing — the very good acidity is holding it in place. The wine is stony and pure, but a little less energetic than the Kabinett from this vineyard and the aromas and flavors are not quite as expressive (which could be due to the slight corkiness). Cork closure. 7.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 15 21. 93/A
2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
The Wehelener Sonnenuhr Spätlese is crisp and sumptuous with the fine acidity of the vintage to go with quince and incipient apricot fruit of outstanding length and depth. As with other wines reviewed here, it is approachable now and should mature relatively early. Cork closure. 7.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 28 21. 93+/A
2020 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
The Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese is light and airy with good tension, crispness from the fine acidity, apricot fruit, and just a hint of brown sugar on the finish. Cork closure. 7.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A. P. Nr.: 14 21. 94/A
2020 Berncasteler Lay Riesling Auslese
The Berncasteler Lay Auslese is light, pure, and airy with young slate-driven fruit and touches of brown sugar and ginger. The wine has a fine acidity balancing the sugar, keeping it from being overly sweet — making a good wine for aperitifs, cheese, and other savory foods, as well as on its own. Young Berncastel-like green and white fruits that will deepen with age and a little brown sugar. Cork closure. 7.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 18 21. 93/A-
2020 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese
The Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is still rather closed, although promising, in the nose. But once the hits the palate, there is an explosion of intense, layered lime-tinged and incipient-apricot fruit that linger quite long in the mouth. The wine is sweet, but not overly-so due to the balancing acidity. I’d serve the wine on its own or with cheese, but there certainly are many other possibilities. Cork closure. 7.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 19 21. 96/A+
2020 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
This gorgeous wine is weightless on the palate with excellent acidity and incipient lime fruit on the nose and palate. As above, the high acidity means that drunk young, the wine is an excellent match for cheese and other savories. Cork closure. 7.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 17 21. 96/A+
2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
The Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese is rounder and shows more weight than the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, but the acidity here still keeps the wine for the moment as off-dry and an excellent match to savories. Lime aromas and flavors. Cork closure. 7.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 20 21. 95+/A
2020 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese (Gold Capsule)
Continuing in the style of the vintage, this wine shows energy and depth but with high acidity that for the moment blunts much of the sweetness. But the depth and penetration are there along with superb balance and energy. For now, the acidity tempers the sweetness and prevents this from being a dessert wine. Cork closure. 7.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 22 21. 97/A+
2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (Gold Capsule)
The Wehlener Sonneuhr GKA is a bigger, more powerful wine than the Graacher Himmelreich GKA. It is filled golden fruits yet held in balance for now by the acidity. It is potentially a legendary wine in the making. Cork closure. 7.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 23 21. 98/A+