International Wine Cellar
Issue 94
Germany 1999: Generous to a Fault Jan/Feb '01
By David Schildknecht
The easy and agreeable personality of Germany 1999 rieslings reflects
a warm spring and summer that were stress-free for both vintners and vines.
Average temperatures along the Mosel and Rhein were the highest recorded
in 50 years, higher even than in legendary 1959. There were no extreme
heat spikes or prolonged periods of drought. During the unusually warm,
muggy first half of September, at most a few steep, exposed or thin-soiled
vineyards were beginning to wilt. Then arrived what has become a virtual
common denominator of the 1990s: autumn rain. The last week of September
and first ten days of October were wet ones in every German growing region.
Thereafter, fine weather returned, lasting for a month. But the rain,
falling on an already generous crop of relatively large berries, had taken
the edge off the vintage's concentration.
Nineteen ninety-nine, then, fits the general recent pattern of warm summers
and unwelcome autumn precipitation. Yet the '99s taste in stark contrast
to the wines of '91, '96 or '98, when extremes of summer drought and heat,
then cold and rain, somehow managed to produce some singularly intense,
complex results. It is well known that the alternation of warm days and
cold nights builds aromas by stressing grape skins, and boosts sugar while
retaining acidity. It seems that in the same way, the violent week-to-week
fluctuations in vintages of storm and stress build dynamic flavor complexity
and formidable structure. And it is precisely dynamism and structure that
are frequently found wanting in the wines of the warm, even-tempered '97
and '99 vintages.
Like 1997, '99 brought especially fine results along the Saar and Nahe,
but without the earlier vintage's dramatic demarcation along lines of
yield. The spring 1997 frost and hail that ravaged the Saar and Ruwer
as well as much of the Nahe and Mittelrhein ushered in levels of concentration
surpassing those witnessed in '99, when sugars-but not acidity or extract-reached
towering heights. While the average level of ripeness and overall quality
was higher in 1999 than in '92, in both years only a few growers managed
to produce multiple extraordinary wines.
I caution collectors against assuming that the higher-acid and higher-extract
wines of more stressed vintages will necessarily cellar more successfully.
Plenty of '73s, not to mention '92s, are still thoroughly delicious, and
'99 offers a similar personality with much higher ripeness, and indeed
higher average quality. I suspect, however, that the '99s might with age
retain their original charm more than they will actually gain in complexity.
While that charm lies largely in generous folds of soft and tropical fruits,
one can't say that the '99s lack minerality. The best of them display
a peculiarly saline expression of those imponderables which, for lack
of a better explanation, we ascribe to trace elements from the soil. But
the '99s do not so clearly display the differences from one town or vineyard
to another-their terroir, if you will-as the '96s or '98s. And while acid
levels are low (baked out, some growers maintained, by the unremitting
early September heat) and measurable dry extracts are modest, pHs in the
'99s are also inexplicably low, giving many of them a tart edge to cut
their textural fat and offset their residual sugar.
Not surprisingly, rain in 1999 ushered in botrytis, but the rate of infiltration
varied greatly according to region, site, and a grower's viticultural
regimen. A surprisingly high percentage of fruit remained rot-free. Some
growers who bottled significant quantities of botrytis wine said that
more fruit had to be discarded than was used. Willi Schaefer largely steered
clear of botrytized fruit. When he took one of his Graacher Domprobst
Auslesen to the annual Trier auction, he found that virtually all his
colleagues were auctioning "gold capsule" Auslesen redolent
of botrytis. Schaefer's wine, however, received a better reception, at
least as measured by price. "Perfect botrytis," what Wilhelm
Weil correctly attributed to his own '99 TBA, the sort that concentrates,
adds complexity to, and complements all facets of a wine, was attainable
only at the price of ruthless selectivity and a measure of microclimatic
luck.
In what has become another '90s norm, a majority of growers allowed grapes
to hang into December in anticipation of Eiswein. They were not rewarded,
as rain and relatively warm weather rang out the old year, if not the
millennium. (And as I write this, growers look to have an even lousier
shot at millennial Eiswein from 2000.) I don't deny that many wines were
bottled as Eiswein. But few of these will genuinely reward the consumer
who pays the high prices asked for these rarities.
The ripeness and generosity of 1999 make for Kabinett wines that are
often technically declassified Auslesen. But true Kabinett, with its fine,
delicate interplay of flavors and effortless natural balance, is a joy,
and one scarcely to be found in '99. If there can be such a thing as too
generous ripeness, then '99 must plead guilty. Helmut Donnhoff pointed
out that, for him at least, the ripest-looking golden bunches in '99 often
tasted disappointingly burnt and bitter, and he found himself scrupulously
selecting for green-gold fruit. One wonders to what degree this observation
might offer a general key to understanding the vintage. Schaefer, on the
Mosel, echoed Donnhoff's comments, and it seems noteworthy that these
two growers succeeded in transcending the limitations of both the '97
and '99 vintages.
That there is a bitter, sometimes even coarse underbelly to much of the
'99 vintage is evidenced in certain dry wines. In their nakedness and
low pH, without buffering, ameliorative residual sugar, many '99 trockens
reveal blemishes, although the best of them manage to deploy the juiciness
and low acidity of the vintage to advantage. I cannot hazard a scientifically
informed guess as to why the savage August heat spikes and sunburn of
1998 should ultimately have led to less bitterness than the long, even
baking Nature administered in '99. Both vintages were rained on at around
the same time, the '98s quite a bit more so. Perhaps the critical difference
is to be found earlier in the growing season and, as previously noted,
in the extremity of temperature swings.
The ways of wine are as mysterious as the whims of human taste. Some
tasters favor dynamism in riesling even if at the price of harmonious
resolution. For others, harmonious waves of fruit, or even a becalmed
ocean of Oechsle, are bliss. Recent German vintages divide pretty clearly
along this stylistic axis of tension and relaxation, and long-time readers
will by now know where my own preferences lie. To the extent that inquiry
and intrigue motivate your wine drinking, you'll be less captivated by
1999 than by some other recent vintages. But surely, few friends of riesling
can entirely resist a gentle titillation of their taste buds, and that
is the seductive prospect offered by the better '99s.
The following wines, all riesling unless otherwise noted, were tasted
from bottle between June and December, 2000, and represent fewer than
half of the '99s I have sampled thus far. A rating of "1 star"
following a tasting note designates a wine that was particularly impressive.
"2 stars" signifies a wine of profound complexity. But under
no circumstances should these ratings, frequently based on a single tasting,
be considered in isolation from my complete tasting notes.
Schloss Lieser (Mosel valley)
1999 Schloss Lieser Estate Riesling
Clover, pear and melon aromas lead to a quite lushly fruited palate. As usual with this wine, a solid Mosel slatiness and impeccable sugar-acid balance are on display. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Schloss Lieser Estate Riesling Kabinett
Very actively spritzy, this wine displays a brash aroma of red fruits
and citrus, a brightness of acids heightened by its CO2, and
beneath that a solid sense of slate. The finish is juicy and pleasantly
salty. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Kabinett
Aromas of clover, licorice, cassis, and fresh ripe apple. Soft and generous,
this preserves just enough spritz and delicate play of acids to keep things
lively and interesting. The strong finish is of licorice, blackcurrant,
lemon zest and wet stone. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese
Scents of melon, citrus fruits and vanilla. Peach, plum and muskmelon
figure in the mouth. This has zippy, bright acids, yet also a real sense
of density firmly grounded in slate, and small, ultra-ripe fruits. The
finish is fine and polished, with a focused intensity of fruit and slate.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Gold
Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
Aromas of clover, banana and honey…in the mouth, this is glycerol and
sweet, but nicely leavened by the citricity of fresh lime. The finish
returns to a relatively simple sweetness. International Wine Cellar, Issue
94.
Mönchhof - Robert Eymael
(Mosel valley)
1999 Mönchhof Estate Riesling
This is all
Ürziger Würzgarten, as its strawberry chiffon aroma would suggest. Boosted to
9% alcohol, this excellent bargain displays a brisk but substantial mouth feel,
plenty of strawberry preserve flavors, and a fresh sense of finishing acids.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Mönchhof Erdener Prälat Riesling Auslese
Honey and tangerine aromas vividly suggest the site. This is creamy but
quite elegant and even delicate on the palate, a nice change from the
frequent tendency of Prälat wines to become fat and overbearing. The finish
is honeyed and refreshingly citric. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Joh. Jos. Prüm
(Mosel valley)
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
Vanilla and baked apple flavors are here folded into a polished, creamy
palate. The finish is delicate but extended, subtle apple pit bitterness
and slate minerality adding interest along the way. International Wine
Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Honeysuckle and vanilla scents prepare one for a wine of significantly
greater ripeness – but also, as it turns out, over sweetness. Soft and
enveloping in the mouth. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Vanilla and caramelized apple signal the onset of botrytis. Thick, rich
and oily the wine gives off exotic inner-mouth aromas of flowers and musk.
There is a long finish of honey, vanilla, and caramelized apple, accented
with tart apple skin. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Dr. F. Weins-Prüm (Mosel valley)
1999 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling
Kabinett
Tart green apple in the nose suggest, though not at all unpleasantly,
a less ripe vintage. Green apple along with bitter vanilla and nut oils
dominate the palate. There is a briskly bright, forceful finish of apple,
vanilla and slate. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Ripe apple, blackcurrant, apple blossom and faintly bitter vanilla in
the nose…this is a bright and forceful in the finish. Here though, there
is enhanced ripeness of flavor with a really vivid, sappy fruit. International
Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Erdener Prälat Riesling Spätlese
Sassafras and blood orange aromas. Mouth filling and juicy, this has a
good sense of stuffing and richness, yet remains bright and elegant. I’d
like to see this after a bit more time in bottle and as the sweetness
backs off a bit. Selbach sacrificed a Prälat Auslese by blending it into
this wine. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Musk, marzipan, lemon candy and apple jelly in the nose. Sweet and fat,
this also carries an almost metallic sense of sharp acids, lending a sweet-sour
note that might be a passing phase. On paper this wine indeed has the
highest acids of the vintage at Weins-Prüm. International Wine Cellar,
Issue 94.
Fritz Haag (Mosel valley)
1999 Fritz Haag Estate Riesling Medium-Dry
Sweet
clover and a slight hint of petrol rise from the glass. This is quite soft but
with a nice sense of chewy density, attractive inner-mouth florality and a
subtle hint of slate in the finish. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Kabinett
Nectarine, white peach and lemon mark the nose. In the mouth, there is
a bright, elegant cast of fruit underlain by firm slate and an attractively
creamy, yeasty element from the lees. Here is a ’99 that, while undeniably
ripe, still displays the lightness and delicacy of true Kabinett. Scored
1 star in International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Spätlese
Clover, apple and nut oils in the nose. Surprisingly elegant and bright
in considering the richness of Wilhelm Haag’s material – and considering
how the ’99 vintage is panning out, an elegant play of fruit, acids and
stone. This exhibits the polish one has come to expect from Wilhelm Haag’s
wines. Scored 1 star in International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Gold Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
The glass explodes with aromas of passion fruit, pineapple, honeysuckle,
and iris. The palate is very smooth, creamy, polished, glycerol and opulently
redolent of tropical fruits. Sweetness is held in check by sheer extract
and pleasantly nippy phenolics rather than by acidity. A fine, long finish
displays honey, pineapple, passion fruit, marzipan and lingonberry. International
Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Reinhold Haart (Mosel valley)
1999 Reinhold Haart Estate Riesling
Ripe apple and apple blossom aromas. In the mouth, a pleasant bite of
apple pit bitterness and iodine mineral note add interest. The finish
is slatey, with well-balanced sweetness. International Wine Cellar, Issue
94.
1999 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling
Kabinett
Golden Delicious apple and pineapple. Tart on entry, then bright, spicy
and with enough acid and extract to handle the residual sugar. This is
brisk, focused and fine, lined with tropical fruit and slate in the finish.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling
Spätlese
Peach, blackcurrant and pineapple along with enticingly sweet floral notes.
Invigorating and long, this has focus and grip, marshalling the acidity
it possesses to very good effect. Very sweet, yes, but there is plenty
of flavor interest and stuffing. Lingers with pear nectar, tropical fruits,
an elusive truffley note and slate. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling
Auslese
Fine complexity of cherry, meat stock, apple and citrus in the nose. Really
marrowy, rich and dense, this lifts itself above the vintage in more ways
than one. There is an elegant sense of lightness, fine freshness of acidity,
and an exceptional sense of pure fruit concentrate only faintly touched
by botrytis. This harvest was largely of tiny, golden fruits, says Haart.
Quince, pear, and apple jelly dominate the long finish here. International
Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Karthäuserhof (Ruwer valley)
1999 Karthäuserhof Riesling Kabinett
Powerful, Ruwer-typical aromatic display of redcurrant jelly, cassis leaf
and slate in the mouth, leading to strong, brown spice-inflected finish.
The overall effect here is deceptively light and delicate, certainly what
a Kabinett should be, but tricky to achieve when the alcohol is 9.5%.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Karthäuserhof Riesling Spätlese
It might be well be a function wine’s youth, but unusually bright acids
for ’99 and enormous sweetness seem to be at war. Perhaps it is this effect
that creates a slight sense of discord between lemon and green herb flavors
on the one hand, and red fruit preserves on the other. Still, there is
no mistaking the abundance of stuffing here. International Wine Cellar,
Issue 94.
1999 Karthäuserhof Riesling Auslese
Here honey, citrus and green herbs harmonize in the nose, giving an almost
sauvignon vendange tardive impression. That impression continues
on the palate, where the cassis and nut oils prominently figure. This
very polished wine boasts impressive density and richness for a non-gold
capsule Auslese, without losing any sense of focus or brightness and without
coming off too sweet either. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
von Hövel (Saar valley)
1999 von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Kabinett
Nectarine, lemon, cherry and sage aromas are generous and harmonious.
Mouth coating and lusciously pit-fruited; for all its softness this displays
juicy freshness and a fine, firm sense of slate in the finish. The wine
stopped with a halbtrocken level of sweetness, leading to an ideal balance
at relatively high 11% alcohol. I like the ensuing sense of padded fruit
and glycerine. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Spätlese
Cherry plus iris and lily florality make for an enticing bouquet. After
a frisky attack, the wine creams up on the palate and emits spice and
caramel botrytis notes. There is a certain amount of superficial sweetness
in the finish. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Auslese
Apple jelly and honey in the nose and mouth, scented with brown spices.
This is quite sweet, somewhat suggesting mulled cider or root beer. International
Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Beerenauslese
(BA)
With this Beerenauslese, we reach a significantly higher level of concentration
and sheer density than in the ’99 von Hövel Auslesen. But not only does
sheer density render this a concentrated ball of overripe fruit and botrytis
rather than a dynamic, interactive wine, it also leaves one with a very
sweet finishing impression. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Bert Simon (Saar valley)
1999 Bert Simon Serriger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett
Apple blossom and blackcurrant aromas. Fresh and bright, with tart lime
peel accents. Finishing flavors of applesauce and slate. International
Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Bert Simon Serriger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese
Honeydew and cinnamon on the nose. Spicy and penetrating on entry, then
soft and creamy in the middle. For all its richness, this preserves a
fine sense of salty, slatey minerality, and despite the low acidity it
shares with so many other ’99 ~Saar rieslings, there is real grip here,
and a bright refreshing lift in the finish. International Wine Cellar,
Issue 94.
1999 Bert Simon Serriger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese
Peach and yellow plum preserves, vanilla and sweet spices in the nose.
A custardy-rich, enveloping palate features peach and vanilla. Long, lingering
flavors of pit fruits with citrus and vanilla accents. International Wine
Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Gold
Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
This acts rather like a cross between Saar and Chablis. Aromas of cherry
pit, pineapple, lemon pips and chicken broth introduce a meaty, salty,
yet intensely rich, honeyed and viscous palate. Marrow, meat stock, and
minerals linger in a long, creamy finish. International Wine Cellar, Issue
94.
Zilliken - Forstmeister Geltz (Saar valley)
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett
This is particularly light and elegant for a youthful Zilliken Kabinett,
also considering that other Zilliken ‘99’s take richness to new levels
for their respective Prädikats. Lemon, almond and orange are the principle
themes. There is an underlying creaminess of texture and solidity of slate
that belie the extract that persists beneath alcoholic lightness and filigree
fruit. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese
Almond, citrus and floral scents. Marzipan, blood orange, honey and piquant
spice in the mouth. Thick, doughy and even a bit chewy in texture, this
just manages to handle its enormous load of sugar. Bits of citrus rind
and slivers of slate in the finish help balance the sweetness. This is
very much an Auslese in character. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese
Scents of baked apple, marzipan, vanilla and honey. Very full in the mouth
and creamy in texture, this wore its sweetness a bit obviously on first
tasting, but another look several months later revealed a lot more to
like. White peach and pink grapefruit flavors hover delicately over the
vanilla – and – lemon-cream surface of this wine. There is enough brightness
of citrys flavors to check the sweetness, and in the strong finish there
is firm underlying slate. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Gold Kapsule
Auslese (GKA)
Caramelized peach, honey and pralines in the nose make for a decidedly
botrytized impression. The sense of candied and caramelized fruits in
the mouth accentuates an already considerable impression of sweetness.
In the finish, though, sugar doesn’t dominate. Strong flavors of toasted
nuts, nougat and caramelized peach display a salty edge of minerality.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Robert Weil (Rheingau region)
1999 Robert Weil Estate Riesling
Dry
Cress
and flowers. Bright and clear, with a solid sense of Chablis-like minerality and
considerable finish. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999
Robert Weil Estate Riesling
A sweet
lilac aroma leads to a plush and well-stuffed palate in which florals and
minerals intertwine. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Robert Weil Estate Riesling Spätlese
Lime and lilac aromas with a note of blackcurrant that grows in the mouth.
Focuses with fine fruit and minerals in the finish. International Wine
Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese
This represents a big jump in complexity and polish over the estate Spätlese.
A longer, singing line of fruit and firm mineral bass line are in place,
over which hovers the classic florality of the site. Plenty of flavor,
depth and potential. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Eiswein
For all its honeyed richness and apricot jamminess, this Eiswein seems
to push against the wrong sort of boundary. It seems righted down by its
concentration and not possessed of the acidity necessary for such a wine
to really take flight on the palate. International Wine Cellar, Issue
94.
Pfeffingen (Pfalz region)
1999 Pfeffingen Estate Riesling Dry
Salty
and smoky, with a nice sense of extract and fullness, this once again offers
excellent value. International Wine
Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese
Rich, full fruit with a resinous, spicy aspect. Lemon and grapefruit notes
give the wine a juicy cast and help balance out the considerable sugar.
There’s some real grip here, and a wine that should improve as it burns
off its puppy fat. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999
Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe Spätlese
An
audaciously pungent nose full of sage flowers spells Scheurebe with a capital S.
Lemon and sweet herbs follow on the palate. Lingers sweetly and with a touch of
bitterness. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe
Gold Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
Chartreuse-like
sweet herbal aromas are quite rarified compared with those of the Scheurebe Spätlese.
Rich on the palate but with a bright sense of citrus to alleviate what might
otherwise become a candied fruit impression. International Wine Cellar, Issue
94.
1999 Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe
Beerenauslese (BA)
The
aroma here is so intensely of sage flowers, at once sweet and stinky, that I
half expected to see nebulous vapors rising from the glass. In the mouth, this
is viscous and rich, with a strong caramelized, singed peach flavor, lots more
sage, and a very smoky pungent Pfalz earthiness. The finish is very sweet, but
at the same time adds a bright, fresh, lemony note. International Wine Cellar,
Issue 94.
1999 Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe Eiswein
- In the nose, a welter of aromatic herbs (sage, lemon grass and
mint), along with grilled pineapple and mango. Very sweet on entry, the
wine nevertheless manages a semblance of balance thanks to sheer thickness
and some buoying acids. The oily feel accentuates the impression of a
medicinal elixir. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
von Buhl (Pfalz region)
1999 von Buhl Deidesheimer Mäushöhle Riesling Spätlese
Dry
Sweet corn and lime aromas. Pithy in the mouth, with a good sense of extract
and nice cut of acids. A tad warm in the finish. International Wine Cellar,
Issue 94.
1999 von Buhl Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese
Richly scented, with prominent plum
and peach. Opulent and rich in the mouth but also juicy, with an invigorating
note of pink grapefruit. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 von Buhl Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Auslese
The nose of overripe peach and post-Halloween pumpkin represents Forst-typical
earthiness of a sort that can become positively fulsome in the wrong hands.
In the mouth, this is rich if a bit warm, with a pungent note of sage.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Gunderloch (Rheinhessen region)
1999
Gunderloch Estate Riesling Dry
This
has the fine concentration of smoky red-soil flavors and rich fruit one has come
to expect from the entry-level Gunderloch Riesling. Firm and dense – perhaps
only a bit too much so for basic riesling. There is real grip here. This
absurdly strong value is in fact made up of Spätlese – level musts from
Rothenberg, Pettenthal and Hipping, which were then judiciously chaptalized to
enhance the wine’s body and power. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Gunderloch "Jean Baptiste" Riesling Kabinett
There are sweet marzipan and peach preserve flavors that are not yet integrated
with the wine’s acids, as well as nutty richness and slightly too-toasted
bitter note. An odd showing, as Fritz Hasselbach thinks this is one of
the best "Jean Baptiste" the estate has yet bottled. This is
all Nackenheimer Rothenberg and Niersteiner Pettenthal fruit. International
Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese
Explosively aromatic and bursting onto the palate, this has all the tangerine
citricity, peachy, almondy, richness of fruit and smoky red-soil minerality
one could desire. A vanillin note and nut-oil richness in the mouth accentuate
the lush fruit impression. Concentration with polish are the watchwords
here. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Auslese
Smells of marzipan, distilled apricot and blood oranges. Comes onto the
palate as rich glob of apricot preserve and marmalade. Very thick and
rich, but without the polish, focus or verve exhibited by the Spätlese.
Needs to come to terms with its botrytis: The esterous finish is quite
spirituous. International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Gold Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
This smells of peach and apricot preserves, as well as smoked meat laced
with chili peppers and horseradish. Rich and powerful in flavors of pit
fruits and honey, this preserves smoky, spicy accents throughout as well.
International Wine Cellar, Issue 94.
Rudi Wiest Selections
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