The Riesling report - 1999 vintage
March / April 2001
Joh. Jos. Prüm
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling
Kabinett
Cleanly focused pear, apple and grapefruit flavors, very sleek and high-toned
but with an underlying bite of acidity and round, harmonious balance.
Scored 88 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
A noticeable step up in depth, presence and breed from the Himmelreich.
This has a very pretty tone to the fruit and really elegant aromatics
on the finish. Scored 91 points in The Riesling
Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Plenty of structure here to match the forward, delicately citrusy fruitiness.
Very fragrant on the palate, with long length and floral delicacy. Scored
92 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Lovely concentration and finesse, resonating in orange-floral aromatics
but impeccably held together in sleekly focused and detailed intensity.
Scored 93 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
Schloss Lieser (Mosel valley)
1999 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese
Complex array of lime, orange peel and lemon curd aromas, backed by nicely
spicy perfume. This has a lot of seemingly soft, fleshy puppy fat, but
there is a good presence of acidity hiding underneath that reveals itself
on the juicy, lingering finish.
Scored 89 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese
Terrific clarity and harmony, with mouth filling perfumes of orange, lime,
citrus rind and soft red berries. Very harmoniously built, continuing
on the finish with fine, filigree length.
Scored 90 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese**
Harvested at 180 degrees Öchsle, but without botrytis. Quite concentrated,
yet maintains a lovely sense of purity and finesse. This is definitely
a step up in quality and refinement over the previous wines, building
in a cassis and blackberry driven intensity with graceful texture and
depth. Scored 93 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
Fritz Haag
1999 Fritz Haag Estate Riesling
Fragrant and slatey, with just enough perfumed peach and plum fruitiness
to balance the dryness. Scored 85 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Kabinett
Pungent slatiness underneath delicately floral-orange perfume, very sleek
and clean. This retains a classic delicacy that keeps it refreshing, and
makes it stand out in this warm vintage.
Scored 88 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Spätlese
The sweetness is a little dominant right now, but this is very pretty,
with a delicately filigree profile. Remains a bit high-toned and easygoing
through the backend, but there is a lot of appeal here. Scored 88
points in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Auslese
Delicate and very pure, showing high-toned aromas of lime, mandarin orange
and fresh pear. Terrific balance for the vintage, held together in finely
elegant and very refined fragrance. Scored 91 points
in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling
Gold Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
Harvested without any botrytis. Incredible sense of breed on the nose,
deep and slate-driven, but with a full, taut profile. Perfect harmony
in the mouth, shifting through a panoply of citrus and tropical nuances
as it moves unhurriedly back on the palate in subtle, aromatic tension,
allowing the aromas to slowly expand in a refined harmony. Great length
and finesse, aristocratic wine. Scored 95 points
in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
Reinhold Haart
1999 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling
Kabinett
Aromas of smoked meat, dried herbs and red berry, with a powerful presence
on the palate and pungent, mouth filling length. This should develop well
after a few years in the bottle.
Scored 90 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling
Spätlese
Intense, gripping mineral aroma. A little gangly at the moment, but really
like its weight and spicy acidity. An exuberant wine. Scored 91
points in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling
Auslese
Quite a lot of youthful funk in the aroma, but the sheer power and girth
on the palate win you over. Focused, earthly and very rich. Scored 92
points in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
Karthäuserhof
1999 Karthäuserhof Riesling Auslese
Tangerine rind, Bartlett pear and fresh chive. Very perfumed and softly
voluptuous. Very pretty and distractingly fleshy. Scored 88
points in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
Von Hövel
1999 von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Kabinett
Pear, fig and lime notes, backed by bracing acidity. Fresh and lively,
with a lemony citrus finish. Scored 87 points
in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
Zilliken
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett
A high, tightly focused aroma that goes directly to the back of your brain.
Concentrated, with good lemony fruit and smoky minerality. Superb balance
and lovely, silky texture.
Scored 90 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese
The ripe, rich aroma is clean, pure and delicate. There’s a depth and
roundness that keep your interest, but the finish has a touch of bitterness.
Scored 89 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese
Really lovely red berry fruit, with extreme purity and excellent focus.
There is a gently yielding on the palate followed by a surge of acid-drived
intensity. It gives your palate an afternoon at the beach in a quietly
swelling surf. Scored 91 points in The Riesling
Report--March/April 2001.
Bert Simon
1999 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Auslese
Mandarin orange and baked peach. Nicely textured, with good length and
grace.
Scored 88 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
Robert Weil
1999 Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese
Tremendous concentration of peachy-orange fruitiness here that initially
conceals the penetrating level of depth on the palate, really drilling
a hole into your mouth. There is a little botrytis, superbly integrated
and very harmonious. The expansive, grand cry finish shows the masterly
touch of this great estate. Scored 93 points
in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Eiswein
Picked as absolutely healthy grapes, without botrytis at all. Delicately
perfumed aromas of pineapple, mandarin orange and papaya, showing thunderous
depth and intensity yet somehow maintaining the delicate, elegant subtlety
of the site. Impossibly textured on the palate, nearly crystalline in
tone, lingering with tremendous impact on a long and glorious finish.
Tremendous wine for any vintage, but especially profound for 1999. Scored
96 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
Pfeffingen
1999 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese
Nicely plush, with a minerally spiciness underneath creamy orange fruit.
Not a lot of complexity or length, but this has impact, and it’s pleasantly
drinkable. Scored 86 points in The Riesling
Report--March/April 2001.
Gunderloch
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Estate
Riesling Dry
Lovely fig and apple aromas backed by a spicy, minerally intensity. Relatively
delicate in body, but this has a penetrating insistence and real depth
on the back end. Fine acidity keeps this taut. Scored 90
points in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Gunderloch "Jean Baptiste" Riesling
Kabinett
Bursting with radiant fruitiness, though this is in a more delicate profile
than the last few vintages of this consistently excellent wine. Pear,
fresh fig and red berry aromas.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Spätlese
Red berry, lime and mandarin orange aroma, roundly mouth filling and fairly
forward but very pretty, packing a lot of depth and exuberance. Very charming
now. Scored 91 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Auslese
Richly ripe white peach and tangerine flavors, quite round and forward
with youthful sweetness dominant right now. Rich texture on the palate
creates a lot of impact. Scored 89 points
in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Auslese ***
Tightly wound, quietly powerful, with great internal richness and kinetic
tension. Fresh apple, nectarine and lime aromas, very sleek and cleanly
defined – like the other Gunderloch wines. Really well balanced and harmonious,
carrying a spicy minerality on along, penetrating finish that superbly
expresses the grand cru quality of this site. Scored 92
points in The Riesling Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Gold Kapsule Auslese (GKA)
Harvested at 148 degrees Öchsle. Powerfully-wound, nearly syrupy peach
and confectionary orange notes, very intense as the aromas echo through
a bass-driven, resonating finish. This is superb, really long and complete
in the mouth. Scored 94 points in The Riesling
Report--March/April 2001.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Beerenauslese (BA)
Great depth, but also great balance, staying leek and not at all ponderous
as it opens in honeyed, dried-fruit intensity. Very fruit-dominant right
now, with good length and excellent structure.
1999 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Very clear and brightly radiant despite its great mass, with a subtle
interplay of flavors – white raisin, dried dates, prunes, dried pear,
candied lemon peel. Thickly blanketing on the palate, but this has such
beautiful definition and carries its flavors with such length and harmony,
brightly introducing new components and nuances as it continues back on
the mouth.
Scored 93 points in The Riesling Report--March/April
2001.
Rudi Wiest Selections
by Cellars International, Inc.
phone 760.566.0499 - info@germanwine.net - fax 760.566.0533
Copyright © 1993 - 2005
| 