Vintages

THE 2002 VINTAGE IN GERMANY
"Twin Peaks"

Overview:

After more than a decade of good to great vintages it seemed as though only the loyal few, nearly cult members, would continue to keep our cause afloat. Super vintages like 1994 and 1999 slid by just under the radar screen for most. Yet suddenly there seemed to be a revived interest. Perhaps not much different than suddenly being unearthed like a long buried, small town mystery, consumers descended on our reserves like detectives, ferreting out the remaining 2001s from Auslese to simple QbAs! We preached a sermon of revelatory 2001 blessings early on and thankfully received official canonization by a congregation of respectable wine writers not much later.

Rudi Wiest Selections garnered a jumble of 90 to 99+ point scores from Pierre-Antoine Rovani (Robert Parker)…Weingut Gunderloch was baptized by The Wine Spectator with not their first — or even second, but their third perfect 100 point score since 1992. When The Fine Wine Review spoke, it also unveiled a bevy of top 90+ point scores; certainly not surprising given their track record for recognizing great German vintages early on in the past.

After 25 years in the German Riesling business we are just now beginning to see the fruits of our labor ripen. With sprouts of great press bursting everywhere it seems fair to say German Riesling may have broken new ground with popular appeal. Even with the current upswing in appreciation, we still scratch our heads and wonders why now? For example, 1992 was great in both Rheinhessen and Rheingau, 1994 was phenomenal in the Middle-Mosel (probably equaling 2001), and 1996 was a mind-expanding year for “acidheads” coveting wines of the Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Rheingau. Then the Ruwer and Saar saw nearly perfect conditions in 1997. Furthermore, 1998 was once again true for Pfalz with benchmark selections. 1999 was impressive across all regions…and is still waiting to reveal its greatness with a bit of cellar time.

It is no great secret that in all good to great vintages there are stand-out regions, and with thirteen different regions experiencing a variety of different microclimatic conditions, the overall vintage often defies generalized judgment (as in most countries). Those of you reading on are most likely in the choir and not unfamiliar to these wines. You are aware of the constant struggle, even in successively great vintages, to enlighten the consumer. We don’t continue to judge Barolo by the cheap Ital-pop we drank in high school any more than we judge California boutique wineries by the jugs we wallowed in through college. Still Germany is dismissed by many as the source of blue nuns and black kitties and not much more. With this thankful upswing in the wine press, perhaps more converts will be lead to the river for their first dip into something clear and pure. If we were tempted to speak about 2002 as a ‘sequel vintage’ at first, we are now more apt to consider it the feature presentation as we begin to assess our growers’ offerings. Another new peak reached with this year’s releases?

Indeed, our thoughts race back to other great back-to-back vintages such as 1975 / 1976. As good as ‘01 was, we thought it most likely take another great repeat performance by German growers such as we have in ’02 to capture the attention of American consumers and critics alike. Could the ’01 & ’02 combo be more than passing cult interest, a new set of twin peaks?

During the 2002 vintage, daily temperatures averaged 1.1 Celsius above normal, March’s gentle warming pushed bud break a week ahead of the Long Term Average (LTA). Early April was quite cool but May’s return to the expected warming trend set aside worries of frost with night time temperatures hitting 10 Celsius. Sunny June days climaxed with a high of 96 Fahrenheit (never to be equaled again during the season). With these conditions flowering was flawless; the first half of this vintage being the third warmest on since Geisenheim first started to record meteorological data in 1884.

During late August and early September the 2002 vintage began showing blockbuster potential by surpassing conditions in 2001 across the board…something beyond what anyone could’ve imagined. Throughout the month of September phone conversations with our estates vibrated with an electric buzz of positive energy. Particularly encouraging was the fact 2002 seemed to be developing magnificently in almost every region. Our estates in the Rheingau, Pfalz, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, and Rheinhessen were dishing out great progress reports of higher than normal must weights and very clean ripe fruit. It only remained to see if possible rains in late September and October would affect the harvest.

A large quantity of Spätlese and Auslese quality fruit was hanging in many sites by early October with some estates already starting to pick. One Mosel estate called us with a report of a near-Auslese Gold Cap reeled in during the second week of October. Not a big fish story! At this point most everyone involved was aware that another summit was being reached. Harvesting began in early October in the Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz, where ripening had occurred the earliest. The Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Nahe followed, waiting for rain to subside (but nearly two weeks ahead of the LTA).

Thankfully, with such a high level of ripeness established early on, the eventual October rains only precluded the possibility of BA and TBA, except for some rare exceptions in the Rheingau (including some Eiswein). The first three months of the year had set records for rain as well as warmth. Had there only been a repeat of that “golden October” from 2001, this might have been
the vintage of the century.

Steep Nahe and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer vineyards benefiting from their inherent good drainage never saw a problem with water accumulation, but the constant rain did push harvest into late November. Ironically, roots were able to transfer the soil character of the vineyard to the fruit thanks to the measured rains throughout the vintage. Thusly, terroir DNA is especially well defined in the steeper sites of the Rheinhessen and Rheingau as well as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Nahe.

So, what lies at the core of the 2002 vintage, much like 2001, is a great selection of QbA (Estate Riesling), Spätlese and Auslese wines. The exception however is that a great deal of Eiswein was produced in mid-December throughout the regions (1500 liters produced at the Karthäuserhof, for instance).

Granted, 2001 was a great Mosel vintage and the consistency may not be as predictable this time around, but there are no average wines to be had here. Haag, for instance, is again the prototype for the lavishly rich fruit 2002 will become famous for. The Saar is very good with another blockbuster coming from Hanno Zilliken. The overall vintage character of 2002 shows lushly ripe fruit, very focused vineyard terroir identities and higher than average acids. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves now.

If 2001 was a space odyssey for us, 2002 reminds us the monolith is still floating out there!

Phenological Data:

Phenological Data Mosel

Phenological Data Rheingau

Phenological Data Pfalz

Estates by region with tasting-notes

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Mönchhof

Winemaker Robert Eymael reported unprecedented must weights pushing the Auslese level (in the low 90 Öchsle range) as early as late September, an apparent indication of the fruit-forward wines yet to come from his vineyards in Urzig and Erden. There is a richness and intensity never before seen at Mönchhof with these selections from 2002.

Mönchhof 2002 Estate Riesling - Expands with a colossal flash of yellow peach, strawberry, and lime dominating the aromas. It’s big, juicy and glowing, just as the nose foretells, with ripe nuclear apple and plutonium pear jelly combustion at the core meltdown of minerals. Enjoy the spicy fallout.

Mönchhof 2002 “Astor” Riesling Kabinett - There is clearly more mineral motivation in the aromas of the “Astor” Kabinett, influencing the pear, citrus and raspberry perfume. Leaner, as well, than the Estate Riesling on the palate with trim pear, pineapple and melon rind and finer mineral brocade. Ripe, compact and elegant. Trout to be grilled are thrilled.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Kabinett Erdener Treppchen - Exhales exotic honeydew, peach and banana exhaust. The fine, slender shape is poked full of rich flowing fruit -- banana, peach and red fruits. Its wide stony mouth feel is harnessed by sleek acidity.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Spätlese Ürziger Würzgarten - Smells of spicy, iron laced lemon and orange. A chewy tropical fruit wagon careens through the mouth, kicking up a cloud of iron dust, almost gritty to the palate, bouncing apple, orange, and peach from the trailer and a long skid of spicy traction at the end of the ride.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Spätlese Erdener Treppchen - Although similar in fruit profile to the Würzgarten, the Treppchen is more restrained and elegant, due mostly to a dramatic shift in soil. The fruit is not as high pitched as previous samples, showing strawberry, banana, orange and pear moving towards an elegant, long, blue slate finish.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Auslese Ürziger Würzgarten - This reverberates the intensity and forward extraction we see in all the other Mönchhof selections….spiced banana and yellow fruit in the nose with a veneer of pear varnish and mineral dust. Even the acknowledged ripeness of the ’01 UWA is trumped by this tropical cocktail syrup dotted with peach, banana, and cassis but with the same fine detail and elegance.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Auslese Erdener Treppchen - Shy aromas in the Auslese suggest sour lemon and quince. Pear, red fruits and quince wedge tightly together on the palate, crowded by a superfine acid structure and a dusty minerality.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Auslese Erdener Prälat - The cinnamon spiced yellow peach and red fruit aromas are buzzed with little citrus sparklers. This is a big mouthful of Auslese showing great texture and weight. The exotic peachy pineapple fruit core is citrus injected, along with a great crunch of stone at the finish. Similar in degree to the Erdener Treppchen Auslese but stretched out a bit more, finer and silky smooth with intensely filigreed acidity.

Mönchhof 2002 Riesling Eiswein Ürziger Würzgarten - You can actually smell the acid sizzling in the Eiswein; the aromatics just seem to percolate…honey, apricot, strawberry, hints of date and fig…all compressed into a sleek uranium pebble, with an unstoppable finish, still vibrating with intensity at the time of this writing!

Wegeler (Mosel)

Property manager Oliver Haag and wine maker Norbert Breit make up an unbeatable super duo in the middle Mosel. These selections are always hidden gems with some of the best values in “estate level” wines all the way up through the stylish Doctor vineyard selections. We’ve followed Norbert from his tenure at noteworthy Dr. Thanisch years ago and have continually been thrilled at his sophisticated Mosel stylings. Power and grace seem to resonate from the dramatically sloped hills of slate behind the estate right into the cellar and into the bottle. Oliver Haag splits time with Wegeler’s Rheingau property and works closely with Norbert here in Bernkastel.

Wegeler 2002 Estate Riesling - Picked exclusively from the Bernkasteler Badstube, this single vineyard Estate Riesling (QbA) is bottled simply as an estate wine, a practice shared by several of our producers in other regions. The wine is a remarkable value, appearing like a very good Spätlese, with its concentration already apparent in the peachy orange and cassis packed aromas. It’s loaded with juicy, citrus spiked pear and white peach with a long, fine, tangy mineral finish.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Releases a concentrated aroma of peach and raspberry that hints at the dense richness compacted on the palate. Sour plum, peach jam with hints of red fruit, orange, lemon and strawberry are all underlined with a subtle slate influence from start to finish. The prying-your-tongue-from-the-roof-of-your-mouth kind of tangy, lemon-tart acidity has your palate walking a high wire of balanced sweet and sour toward the finish.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Kabinett Bernkasteler Doctor - Ground mineral dust peppers the ripe aromas of peach and red fruits in the Doctor Kabinett intimating a finer, more elegant mineral strata at work here. Fresh and bright, packed with juicy fruit balanced with a taut acidity and plenty of spicy slate closing the gate.

Wegeler 2002 Estate Riesling Spätlese - Bright lemony aromas lift this Spätlese with additional peach, pear and celery leaf notes. Juicy and jammed tight with dense, tangy pear and orange concentrate; the piquant mineral spice tunnels throughout. An incredible value.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Spätlese Bernkasteler Doctor - The muted, mineral infused aromas of the Doctor Spätlese imply a more compact, forthcoming wine. There is a dense vortex of burnt yellow fruit and swirling acids at the core. Patience is a virtue… but obey your thirst!

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Auslese Riesling Bernkasteler Doctor - Quite compact aromatics with vague clues of concentrated peach and apricot oil. Silky and seamless, there is a long, compressed expression of burnt apricot, saffron honey and peppered raspberries… powerful yet elegant with a pronounced mineral undertow.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Eiswein Bernkasteler Doctor - Proposes compact aromas of peach oil, raspberry, apricot honey and quince...a round, silky, viscous mouthful of tropical goo leaking from a frozen citrus fuselage…long and fine with a lingering flutter of banana, pear and saffron and a dusting of cocoa powder. Just 250 liters made.

Joh. Jos. Prüm

Dr. Prüm commands a presence in our book like none other. His wines are sought after long before their careful release, always much later than our other properties. Once again we were privy to a “cradle-robbing”, tiptoeing amongst some shy and still napping sprouts, destined for greatness given the opportunity to sleep beyond the next few years…or decades. This is another top vintage for Dr. Prüm, which we feel will rival the great ‘01s.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Kabinett Graacher Himmelreich- Poised aroma of wet stones, pear and grapefruit...then it’s pure sizzle juice! Buffed columns of pineapple, lime, red fruit and peach surrender to a mouth-coating ash of Pompeii’s proportions.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Smoked earth and shy yellow pit fruit show in the nose of the Kabinett. Firm and round with restrained, peach, and raspberry plus a zesty citrus click of acidity surround the imposing mineral quarry at the core.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Spätlese Graacher Himmelreich - Shares a more generous peek at ripe, juicy citrus, orange, lime and peach aromas. A dusty sprinkling of minerals encircle cherry and grapefruit, etched with a fine, elegant acidity.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Spätlese Wehlener Sonnenuhr - The smoke continues to settle in the Sonnenuhr Spätlese's nose, indicating a deeper layer of earth. The palate reveals a broad excavation of juicy peach fragments and firm mineral remnants, still hidden and patiently awaiting discovery. Soon to be a museum piece.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Auslese Wehlener Sonnenuhr- Shows closed, compact aromas of orange, raspberry and smoky minerals. Compressed orange and peach is centered within a long mineral wavelength that continues to vibrate throughout the palate. Currently, the humming fruit test patterns are a densely coded message...who can guess what a variety show this will expand into within a few years.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Auslese Graacher Himmelreich- It’s still a young jumble of yeasty bread aromas within melting lime and red fruit. Closed but firm and round, there is a fluid core of small bright fruit details beneath an ashy layer at the surface. Tiny flecks of cherry blink trough this juicy fondue.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Gold Kapsule Auslese Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Tight knit fumes with smoked earth. There is a discernable juicy summary of cherry, raspberry, grapefruit, peach, and apricot showing despite the compact construction, long with keen balance.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2002 Riesling Eiswein Graacher Himmelreich - Yeasty, youthful aromas of pineapple and raspberry stuffed bread dough rise from the Eiswein. Clear, clean impressions of passion fruit, peach and ruby grapefruit are bathed in bright sizzling acids. This is a wine for the time capsule. Dr. Prüm commands a presence in our book like none other. His wines are sought after long before their careful release, always much later than our other properties. Once again we were privy to a “cradle-robbing”, tiptoeing amongst some shy and still napping sprouts, destined for greatness given the opportunity to sleep beyond the next few years…or decades. This is another top vintage for Dr. Prüm, which we feel will rival the great ‘01s.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm

Bert Selbach’s quiet, mild mannered style is deceiving…he’s truly a shark in the tank when it comes to fishing out the beauties of this vintage. He sits quietly with his stare fixed between his two feet, silently, as if to say he already knows your next thought as we wade through the samples. We are always captivated with Bert’s collection of trophies…and yes, we’re always hooked.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - Surprisingly forward with orange, cassis, marzipan and a pear creamsicle in the nose. Tangy, light, focused lemon and grapefruit with pear at the center then a bright citrus finish.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Kabinett Ürziger Würzgarten - An attractive floral, mineral spice in the nose. Ripe, round lemon, orange and pear with the Würzgarten’s sharkskin slate spice splashing in the background. Juicy citrus-twisting finish.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Kabinett Graacher Domprobst - Mineral laced white peach and pear in the nose, leaning a bit toward tropical flavors and a touch of red fruit. Green apple, lime, grapefruit, red fruits, stone and ashy earth collude elegantly on the palate.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Orange, banana, fresh coconut, white peach and slate color the aromatics. There are higher pitched citrus notes here with an exotic background chorus of red fruit, papaya, banana and peach. The tangy mouth-drying acid structure leaves you with a smacking clean finish. Firm and balanced.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Spätlese Graacher Domprobst - Lime, grapefruit and tropical notes grace the nose, the palate dripping with white peach, orange and red fruit while ripping with a lime jiggling acidity. Long, elegant with an ash-dusted finish.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Spätlese Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Unloads its slate pear and hints of banana and mango in the nose with a juicy tropical soup at the palate’s center, spiced with long persistent soil shavings and a briny acidity.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Spätlese Erdener Prälat - Adds a squirt of passion fruit to the spray of peach and raspberry in the bouquet. There is a fine mineral tension with stony influences meshed around a restrained ripe center of compressed, forthcoming fruit.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Eiswein Graacher Himmelreich - This Eiswein bats in a lineup of citrus, dates, saffron, lime and burnt orange. There’s a crystalline focus within the creamy texture. Bert covers every base with dexterous display of bright orange nectar, grapefruit, dried apricot, date, fig, crème brulee and finally raising a cloud of porcini mushroom dust near the end.

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm 2002 Riesling Eiswein Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Pitches the nose a fastball of caramel, saffron and cocoa lubed with tropical fruit oil. Lush mango, raspberry, cassis, and toasted coconut are all balanced by the smack of dark earth followed the long sprint of enduring acids.

Schloss Lieser

For those of you unfamiliar with the Schloss Lieser estate, the soul of these wines lies in their subtlety. In tastings where more forward Rieslings capture consumers’ attention it’s easy to see how one might overlook these cerebral creations, so elegant and refined. The tenuous balance of bright, rich fruit countered with dark, almost sinister earth tones (owed exclusively to the deep slate soils of Niederberg Helden) might also have something in common with Reinhold-Haart. This vintage from winemaker Thomas Haag offers a display of deftly balanced fruit, refinement, and panache that one rarely finds at this level of the Riesling game.

Schloss Lieser 2002 Estate Riesling (medium-dry) - Non-chaptalized (88 Öchsle), this Riesling indicates citrus, petrol pear and singed cherry in the nose. Its finely honed and focused on a palate of pear oil and tiny cherry bits, smooth and interwoven with ripe acidity and earthy minerals. (sold as Medium-Dry in the American market)

Schloss Lieser 2002 Riesling Kabinett - A petrol influence is again obvious in the Kabinett’s nose of pear and red cherry. There is great texture and balance for just a Kabinett but with hidden power as well. This is a Warner Bros. wine cartoon scene: you are sneaking up on a dainty, blooming fruit detail and you get whacked with an ACME dirt anvil! The dense layer of pear, peach and cassis is so fine and pure but with a filigreed dimension of dark earth and scorching acidity.

Schloss Lieser 2002 Riesling Spätlese Niederberg Helden - A heady mix of organic compounds in the nose: toasted banana nut bread, dried rose petals, petrol doused red fruits, pear jelly and burnt earth. There’s a mouth stretching silky texture on the palate along with a ripe inventory of white and yellow peach, orange, banana, sour plum and cherry all coated in crushed minerals, finishing with a long driving limey tang.

Schloss Lieser 2002 Riesling Auslese Niederberg Helden - It has a big nose that no one makes fun of… earth fragments dripping in essences of yellow peach and strawberry. It has all the quiet elegance of the other Niederberg wines and more…apricot and peach dropped into a caramel bath plus the additional push of the terroir’s unyielding constitution not found in the previous wines. It’s got soil power...and it’s super bad.

Schloss Lieser 2002 Riesling Auslese ** (Gold Kapsule Auslese) Niederberg Helden - Delicate scraps of saffron, cassis and honeycomb further embellish this two star Auslese’s darker aromas of spiced yellow peach, dried apricot, mango nectar, petrol and a soil sample from the last set of Apocalypse Now. The palate is broad, firm and elegant with faint hints of honey along with red raspberry, yellow peach, caramel, earthy dust and the remains of a detonated oil well. Despite the somewhat dangerous dissipation of fruit radiation, there is a long, supple lime washed finish.

Fritz Haag

When queried in early February about his assessment of the ’02 harvest, Wilhelm Haag took a long pause; little did we know he had just tasted through the finished wines for the first time with his wife Ille earlier that same day! Finally Mr. Haag thoughtfully responded “I have to say one thing about 2002…(the second 20 second pause lead us to believe he was still sipping)… it’s better than 2001.” A man of few words. Naturally we couldn’t wait to taste these fabled little icons. And when we finally did taste the wines on March 3rd,…well …(insert 20 second pause here)….just read on…and see…True, his 2001s seemed to be an unparalleled accomplishment (and he even produced stunning wines in the difficult 2000 vintage). But in ‘02 there is additional punch on the palate that the 2001s didn’t have. They maintain all the grace and style of ‘01 but it’s as though the volume was up just a notch. Like the guitarist in Spinal Tap whose amplifier went to 11 (instead of the customary 10 on most dials), Haag’s 2002 collection sets new criteria for judgment.

Fritz Haag 2002 Estate Riesling – What a stun gunner! The blazing red fruit in the nose with stripes of white peach and blue slate background should make this a favorite with all color conscious Americans. Its brightly honed citrus, peach
and spiced cherry converge in a well defined form with athletic grace and fine mineral control. Superb richness, length,
and complexity for an Estate Riesling (QbA). (sold as Medium-Dry in the American market)

Fritz Haag 2002 Riesling Kabinett Brauneberger Juffer - Sublime aromas of rose petal, raspberry, banana oil, peach and citrus carve the
Juffer into an impressive, spicy form in the nose. Searing mineral details pervade an expansive peach, orange and
cherry sprawl on the palate, finishing in a plump explosion. Fine, pure, silky, seamless and elegant.

Fritz Haag 2002 Riesling Kabinett Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr - The density in aroma picks up noticeably with vineyard shift in the Juffer Sonnenuhr, adding pineapple, cassis to the mix. Silky trails of pear, tangerine, peach and raspberry are concentrated into a wafer thin slick of fruit oils on a bed of slate pinpoints…seamless, fine and elegant with just a tiny drift of smoke. Intense and refined, Kabinetts don’t get any better than this.

Fritz Haag 2002 Riesling Spätlese Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr - The influence of red fruits in the Sonnenuhr Spätlese becomes more apparent with a layer of sour cherry, strawberry, cassis and raspberry added to the peach and orange. Step back from a dizzying tropical punch drunk knock out. A nucleus of raspberry, peach, and lime simply shines on the palate sparked with blistering acid particles.

Fritz Haag 2002 Riesling Auslese Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr - Finer, darker aromas introduce the Auslese with smoked cherry, raspberry and petrol soaked peach. You can nearly smell the minerals communing with mountain spirits. Hints of peach oil and faint red fruits are compressed tightly at the core but it is apparent there is a fine seamless, silky form still in its youth. Hugely extracted and compact with delicate power and a drilling acidity; be patient.

Fritz Haag 2002 Riesling Gold Kapsule Auslese #12 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr - Unbridled passion fruit, raspberry, and peach aromas. On the palate the wine has great richness with a nearly cinematic projection of orange, peach, mango, raspberry and strawberry. Shiny pear wax and a limey tang of citrus and dirt fill out this sleekly focused capsule, infused with the subtle specks of a very clean botrytised seasoning.

Reinhold Haart

With a winemaking tradition that goes back almost 700 years, nearly all the best portions of the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen vineyard lie in Theo and Edith Haart’s control. Surprisingly, Reinhold Haart may be one of the most underestimated properties in our book, perhaps partly due to the misunderstanding of the wines of Piesport in general being largely colored by the thousands of gallons of local factory wine on the market today. Still, Theo’s wines are perennial favorites
for us because they are so unique, with an almost un Mosel-like character springing from the extreme powerful ash and exhaust of the earthen underbelly that customarily shade the highly extracted peach and tropical flavors. And the textures are always uncommonly rich for the Mosel, like fat oil bubbles waiting to be carved by your mouth! We were floored with his 2001 collection and these 2002s are right on track with perhaps a slight nudge in quality.

Reinhold Haart 2002 Riesling Kabinett Piesporter Goldtröpfchen - Provides Theo’s customary raspberry and juicy diesel soaked peach with a touch of roasted cashew in the nose. A Stealth Riesling whose sleek, supersonic aromas underestimate the power in the mouth. The palate is bombed with a rush of white peach fruit with an aftershock of pear, strawberry, and cassis. When the dark mineral dust finally settles on this long, lush attack of finely targeted fruit details there remains a diplomatic presence of iron filings and singed citrus.

Reinhold Haart 2002 Riesling Spätlese Piesporter Goldtröpfchen - Rushes the palate with more explosive white peach, plus an expanded arsenal of strawberry banana, apricot, cocoa powder and burnt grapefruit skin. A long thread of silky dirt and red fruit lace keeps it packaged within a vivid acid structure. Diesel white peaches spiked with clove, cinnamon and allspice continue to hang in the nose with a dark earthy whiff of burnt soil like a rare, prehistoric perfume.

Reinhold Haart 2002 Riesling Auslese Piesporter Goldtröpfchen- Gravelly pear peach cassis and a hint of honey attempt to brighten the darker stony earth aromas. A dam busting concentration of strawberry, peach and apricot gushes onto the palate and previous raspberry notes drift more toward cherry. The interplay of light and dark tones continues with honey wrapped pit fruits rolled in oily dirt yet it’s exceptionally bright for an Auslese spotlighted with a glistening acidity.

Reinhold Haart 2002 Riesling Auslese Wintricher Ohligsberg - Exudes an exotic fragrance of saffron, toasted coconut, apricot, grapefruit, cocoa powder and mineral ash. Leaner than the Goldtröpfchen, it is still stuffed with spiced apricot, mango, orange and dates with a taut grapefruit skin upholstery, laced with mineral dust. Elegant and reserved.

Reinhold Haart 2002 Riesling Beerenauslese Piesporter Goldtröpfchen - The intoxicating cologne of orange honey, red fruit, mango, cocoa dust, Camembert rind and porcini mushrooms is hypnotic. The palate reveals the burnt remains of a tropical fruit basket with no Yogi in sight…pineapple, mango, orange, ash. The finish morphs into a rich, clean yellow peach cream that coats the palate without end. As in all of Theo’s wines there is a continual tumble of light and dark forces….bright angelic fruit, glowing with purity and grace then suddenly a possession from a personality in another dimension grounded in the grinding, greasy core of a mysterious, molten planet. Thankfully, there is always redemption at Reinhold-Haart where these miraculous revelations continue to appear.

Milz - Laurentiushof

Markus Milz has made some great leaps forward in quality with his last two vintages, garnering some the best scores of any collection in the Wine Spectator for his 2001s, with the lowest score being a 91. We feel his collection of 2002s outstrips his previous vintage in depth, intensity and refinement. Though aromatically more forward than his 2001s, the wines are still quite polished and fine on the palate. The 2002 Milz wines are, in our opinion, some of the better Mosel efforts for the vintage. All true to form in ‘02, the Neumagener Nusswingert and Trittenheimer Apotheke are very approachable young, and offer great value. The Trittenheimer Leiterchen and Trittenheimer Felsenkopf wines kick up the complexity level more than just a notch, with the Felsenkopf flaunting its broad, richly styled terrior and fruit, and the Leiterchen with it’s very focused fruit and finely detailed minerality.

Milz 2002 Riesling Kabinett Neumagener Nusswingert - Shows an attractive blend of cashew oil, peach and citrus with an earthy minerality in the nose. The palate is flooded with ripe pear and tangy lime, very elegant but with good richness for a Kabinett. One of the best single vineyard Kabinetts you’ll find for the money.

Milz 2002 Riesling Spätlese Trittenheimer Apotheke - Offers an alluring nose of mango, and pineapple with a coy hint of apple blossom. Ripe, juicy white and yellow peaches, and oranges piped with tropical cream are all laced with bracingly tart acids and smacking minerality. Quite concentrated and richly layered.

Milz 2002 Riesling Spätlese Trittenheimer Felsenkopf - Exceeds the Apotheke with delicious smells of peach and lime, banana oil, red fruit, and slate minerals. The dense, well-designed structure is underscored with sheets of Felsenkopf slate that continue to lift the ripe pineapple, yellow peach, creamy orange, sour lemon and juicy pear with its fine mineral details.

Milz 2002 Riesling Spätlese Trittenheimer Leiterchen - High-strung citrus and jittery red fruits fidget in the aroma of the Leiterchen Spätlese competing for attention with the hulking mineral ash and sneaky marzipan. White and yellow peach, gooseberry, pear, and lime square off with sizzling acids and a finely balanced earthy grip.

Milz 2002 Riesling Auslese Trittenheimer Felsenkopf - Hints of saffron and white pepper adorn the Felsenkopf Auslese’s aromatic rush of tropical fruit honies, red fruits and citrus, The palate is ladled with lush apricot, nectarine and peach oil while the minerals are laced from the front throughout the finish, refreshing and long, closing with a dose of earthy ash.

Milz 2002 Riesling Auslese Trittenheimer Leiterchen - Like it’s little brother Leiterchen Spätlese, the Leiterchen Auslese’s nose is bubbling with acidity and droplets of fig, pineapple and lime. Foaming mineral powder is dumped into a dense, overflowing fruit whirlpool…a high voltage pineapple quivers and snaps loose like a live wire from a scorched lime socket. Immerse yourself if you live dangerously.

Milz 2002 Riesling Eiswein Trittenheimer Apotheke - Delightfully perfumed nose is stenciled with fine details of nectarine, honey, apricot, caramel, cocoa and fig but it barely indicates the creamy richness on the palate to follow. It remains remarkably filigreed considering the high level of botrytis and there are delicate notes of iris and green apple surprisingly juxtaposed with caramel crème brulee and a lip puckering apricot syrup, all hotwired with a snapping acidity.

Karthäuserhof

Since 1999, Christoph Tyrell’s prototypical Ruwer estate has been on a roll. Even his selections from 2000 were some of our favorites to date. But these 2002s show magnificent concentration of ultra ripe fruit with a minerally extraction unlike any other. His dry wines are heralded as some of the finest in Germany but we found his immense museum of Auslese selections this year to be extraterrestrial! We fondly bid farewell to the historic nonlabel of Christoph Tyrell’s famous monopole. For many it was the most unique wine package in the wine world: “the longest name on the smallest label”…and for others a clear source of forgivable confusion: “we’ve got wine with only the neck bands!” So in our efforts to minimize baggage and promote smooth sailing on the sea of commerce we thoughtfully offer a new identity for Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhof. It’s sad that wines of this caliber might have been overlooked for so long simply due to design.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - Has a great wallop of pear, petrol and raspberry in the nose with a broad, juicy, textural palate of peach, lime and grapefruit…long and powerful.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Estate Riesling - Has ripe, focused aromas of tangerine, pear and quince. The palate fills out with an attractive spread of peach, raspberry, mango, lime and a droplet of apple jelly, all coated within a shell of minerals and crisp, tart green apply acids.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Riesling Kabinett Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg - Is a raspberry and peach encrusted dirt clod smacked in the nose, blistering with spiced peach, orange, raspberry, sour lemon in the mouth, and a simmering acidity.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Riesling Spätlese Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg - Adds a scoop of cassis and kiwi to the fresh fragrances of lime, pear and raspberry. Round, silky, ripe pineapple, peach, lime, and grapefruit are spun with little jiggling red fruits and a blazing acidity while stony earth flavors are woven throughout. Very long and sophisticated.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Riesilng Auslese Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg - Imagine all the previous fragrances now as ghosts...there is a vice grip of closed aromas, hinting at the colossal structure jammed into a faint whiff of things to come. Spicy raspberry dirt galvanizes the compact design of pear and white peach...the fruit slowly decompresses while a high octane mineral soaks in throughout its shiny hull. Superfine detail and trim on a vessel still in in the hangar, not just ready for the air show...powerful, sleek and aerodynamic.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Riesling Gold Kapusle Auslese # 50 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg - Has an adroit architecture of pure concentrated pear, cherry and grapefruit, undoubtedly augmented by the splash of Eiswein in the batter. Tropical rivets of papaya, mango and orange tap through the sturdy and somewhat tight structure. Peach and cherry continue to fortify the frame with a buttress of firm minerality and a fine patina of acids.

Karthäuserhof 2002 Riesling Long Gold Kapusle Auslese # 52 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg - Number 52 is primed with 50 % Eiswein. It has huge viscosity yet retains an air of sleek, quiet sophistication. Amidst a clean, pure pear-oiled veneer there appears ominous layers of burnt cherry and singed apricot honey streaking the surface. Here is a Good Humor wagonload of tiny frozen flavors; try the pineapple dirtsicle but don’t spoil your dinner, this treat can last until your children’s children want a snack!

von Hövel

A humble 12th century manor (originally an abbey) nestled in the quaint village of Oberemmel is where Eberhard von Kunow (or Adt) presides over a rich domaine. Gentle rolling hillsides of loam and clay are layered with slatey bits of broken, weathered stones. Who would guess that within the gaze of the town’s historic church tower lays a casual exhibition of corkscrews, ranging from the rare and antique to the whimsically odd and downright bizarre? This little vault within the winery doubles as the site where we review Adt’s delicious creations from his Scharzhofberg and monopole Hütte vineyards. And as his son Max becomes more involved in production we know the fine winemaking linage and continuity of the von Hövel tradition is assured.

von Hövel 2002 'Balduin von Hövel' Estate Riesling - This juicy, ripe Riesling is as bright and jovial as the winemaker, Eberhard von Kunow. There is lively pineapple, lime and pear in the nose with fresh, round, ripe fruit and jazzy acids in the mouth, always smile provoking.

von Hövel 2002 Riesling Kabinett Oberemmeler Hütte - Extremely fresh aromas of lemon, pear and strawberry with a good whiff of soil. Juicy and round, there is a tart smack of quince and a good kick of minerals with a fine, limey finish.

von Hövel 2002 Riesling Kabinett Scharzhofberger - Has a noticeably stony aroma with a bloom of raspberry and peach. Bright and compact the centered pear lemon and quince fruit have a good dose of gravel, elegant and fine.

von Hövel 2002 Riesling Spätlese Oberemmeler Hütte - The minerality is turned up a notch in the nose of the Spätlese along with more lemony pear and strawberry scents. This monopole vineyard is Eberhard’s pride and joy; even more so than the betterknown Scharzhofberg site. The intense stoniness with bits of broken slate add a dimension of depth and spice to the fat ripeness and sleek design of his wines and this year is pumped up a level. The thick, juicy peach and pear at the core here have an exceptionally well-honed frame of minerality and acidic structure.

von Hövel 2002 Riesling Spätlese Scharzhofberger - Stony aroma of sour lemon and pear skin. There is concentrated pineapple, raspberry and sour lemon with a heavy wash of minerals which virtually soak into the palate with a lingering citrus edge.

von Hövel 2002 Riesling Aulsese Oberemmeler Hütte - Continues to billow the perfume of peaches and red fruits to new saturation. Very concentrated, focused and pure…there is a fine floral aspect nearly submerged in the oily fruit pool with a continued reverberation of briny minerals.

Zilliken

At the risk of reviving to an old myth, it seems by chance the odd vintages of the nineties were great on the Saar: 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999; but now we have an even number vintage break the mold. When a Saar estate is on, it can produce wines like no other, wines with incredible power and complexity delivered in an almost ethereal package of weightlessness and crisp acidity. That is Hanno Zilliken’s story in 2002! Humble Hanno simply states he has “a good collection, and is happy.” Believe us, that is a severe understatement of nearly standup comedic proportions. This is arguably one of the best collections in our book for 2002; they dazzle from the simple QbA through the GKA (and the ‘02 LGKA is aching to pick a fight with our longtime champion Saarburger Rausch LGKA from 1989).

Zilliken 2002 “Butterfly” Riesling Medium-Dry - Marks the first release of Hanno’s branded
Estate Riesling (QbA). He probably wasn’t thinking of boxing monarch Mohamed Ali when he named it but you can draw your own conclusions with the ethereal, floating fruit and the stinging buzz of acidity. There is the customary punch of fine, mineral toned white peach, lemon zest and red fruits in the nose. Muscular pear, peach and citrus swing into form with fleet balance while acids ring with a bell like clarity.

Zilliken 2002 Riesling Kabinett Ockfener Bockstein - We occasionally pick up a little bit of Hanno’s Bockstein Kabinett, and this year’s example is ripping with raspberry fruit in the nose. The red fruit continues on the palate with additional spicy peach and orange, all very sleek and long with great mineral harmony.

Zilliken 2002 Riesling Kabinett Saarburger Rausch - Displays the fine mineral splashed nose of berries pears, oranges and white peaches Zilliken is known for. Smooth and long…strawberry, melon and mint ash surrenders to crystalline peach and a restrained acidity.

Zilliken 2002 Riesling Spätlese Saarburger Rausch - Shows its customary delicate potpourri of rose petal, white peach, tangerine and strawberry. On the palate there is white peach, lime and finely detailed ashy mineral notes. Lush and creamy yet fine and slender with great length…shimmering and clear; lightness and grace. This is classic Zilliken.

Zilliken 2002 Riesling Auslese Saarburger Rausch - The Auslese gathers momentum with minerally peach raspberry orange zest and a limey tang in the nose. There’s a slight spoon of honey drizzled into the mix of yellow peach red fruit and orange. Ripe lyrical syrup of tropical oils and racy acids are all finely balanced with pinpoint minerality tickling from front to back trance inducing in its effortless display.

Zilliken 2002 Auction Wines - Hanno Zilliken also produced a noteworthy very special selection of Spätlese, Gold Kapsule Auslese, Long Gold Kapsule Auslese and Eiswein. All from Saarburger Rausch for sale exclusively at the VDP auction in Trier (September ‘03). Please contact Rudi Wiest Selections directly if you have interest in these wines.

Bert Simon

Perched high above Serrig, Bert Simon, the mountain king, has perhaps the most dramatic vineyards of the Saar, chiseled into the steep volcanic slopes by mythological giants in a time long before mortal winemaking began. Bert’s gracious and accommodating demeanor is good camouflage for his secret identity as mystic alchemist, transforming the essences from his two monopole vineyards’ slate, granite and quartzite (Serriger Herrenberg & Serriger Würtzberg) into
the golden elixirs we continue the crusade for. And as always, Bert’s mesmerizing liquids are so humbly priced considering their unusual healing properties.

Bert Simon 2002 Pinot Blanc Spätlese Dry - Creamy lemon and peach aromas permeate Bert’s dry Pinot Blanc. Lush and round with a backload of rocks tumbling through the grapefruit, orange and cherry swirl on the palate. Breathtakingly dry and elegant, and also an excellent value.

Bert Simon 2002 Estate Riesling - Delicious orange, raspberry and strawberry impress the nose of this Riesling. An oily peach drill bit pounds down through the ripe orange-strawberry stuffing, spraying fine citrus acids and spicy gravel.

Bert Simon 2002 Riesling Kabinett Serriger Herrenberg - Peach, raspberry and pear petrol fuel the nose. The ripe, silky pear oil is balanced with a tangy, bright refreshing acidity and the lurking mineral power of the hills.

Bert Simon Riesling Spätlese 2002 Serriger Würtzberg - Petrol splattered peach, pear, lemon and raspberry push through the aromatics, complimenting the hugely extracted core of pear grease, burnt spices and rolling granite boulders…tart, tangy and with serious grip.

Bert Simon 2002 Riesling Auslese Serriger Herrenberg - Spiced peach, pear and papaya with little raspberry sparklers decorate the nose. It is quite bright considering concentration of spiced peach and mineshaft of rocky minerality… long, round and silky.

Bert Simon 2002 Riesling Aulsese Serriger Würtzberg - is more floral in the nose with a splash of apricot nectar and pear blossom. There is great concentration of peach and strawberry, dense and compact, but with bright fresh acidity. Also, long and fine like its sibling vineyard’s offering. A fantastic selection from a very specialized terrior-itory.

Rheingau

Robert Weil

Suggesting they are as equal as two beloved siblings could be, Wilhelm Weil is cautious when comparing 2001 with 2002, confiding with a shrug “I think it’s difficult to say which is better but one could say that 2002 is the big brother.” As one has come to expect, Weingut Robert Weil is once again ringleader in the Rheingau. The Robert Weil estate wines sparkle with purity and have a level of refinement and complexity usually found in single vineyard higher Prädikat level wines. Furthermore, the Kiedricher Gräfenberg selections have uncommon power, framed with a hyper-ripe acid structure, and heavily declassified for each given Prädikat level, as is typical for this estate. And Weil has once more managed to harvest all Prädikat levels from QbA to TBA and Eiswein as though it has simply become commonplace.

Robert Weil 2002 Estate Riesling trocken (Dry) - Offers a friendly mineral kick in the nose with a slap of peach and raspberry. Lush, smoky peach, pear and citrus fruit with a chewy, stony center…incredibly ripe and juicy with great length. Perhaps this is the best dry Estate Riesling from Weil to date.

Robert Weil 2002 Estate Riesling Kabinett - Is similar to the Estate Riesling but has a creamier feel, with yellow peach and hints of ripe red fruit, tangerine and lime…a huge cherry dirt-sicle suspended in a seamless cloud of peach oil. The minerality continues to push through on the finish.

Robert Weil 2002 Estate Riesling Spätlese - Is a shopping list for the nose: peach, apricot, cherry, cassis, pineapple rind and tangerine skin. The concentrated mango, peach, cherry and lime fruit is sleek and seamless with a gravelly dusting… rich stuffing in a humble package.

Robert Weil 2002 Riesling Spätlese Kiedricher Gräfenberg - Bright and clean aromas pervade the Spätlese from the Gräfenberg, with honeyed yellow peach and intense ripe strawberry notes. This is Rheingau balance at its best… ripe, rich, voluminous power balanced by a very ripe acid structure. Oily orange, mango, peach and red fruit are pinned down by bright acidic darts with fine white peppered tips. Long and viscous.

Robert Weil 2002 Riesling Auslese Kiedricher Gräfenberg - The big botrytis notes in the nose of the Auslese are clean and clear with a mysterious spice lurking behind the pure honey bouquet. Apricot, red fruits, mango and orange…all at mind blowing BA ripeness level, all wrapped in such a gentle saffron-caramel lace. Cocoa dipped dates load the honey dripper sling shot with a stinging snap of acid. What purity and balance for such a secret weapon!

Robert Weil 2002 Riesling Beerenauslese Kiedricher Gräfenberg - Harvested at 175 Öchsle, well beyond TBA must weight. Aromas of coffee beans, cocoa, dates and black truffle are haunted by a floating mineral ectoplasm. As soon as it shows dark shades of honey, date, apricot, caramel, yellow peach and cocoa, it suddenly rips with a breathtaking ripe tangerine and citrus toned acid structure, swabbed clean with a Gräfenberg mineral bath. Perhaps the most incredible facet of this wine is its indescribable texture and weight…there is no shortage oil here!

Franz Künstler

Not only does Künstler craft excellent noble sweet wines, but he is better known in Germany for his examples of dry Riesling. This year his dry Rieslings from the Hochheimer vineyards Hölle, Kirchenstück and Stielweg rival his great 1993s. There is amazing detail in his dry Spätlese and Auslese wines, and the Estate Riesling Medium-Dry, Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese selections all gleam with and extremely ripe fruit structure.

Künstler 2002 Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - This Riesling is one of our portfolio favorites, exemplary in its earthy, tropical, raspberry and pear aromatics. It is dominated on the palate by white peach with hints of spice and red fruit. A mouthful of terroir colors the fruit while the ripe citrus toned acidity purifies the finish.

Künstler 2002 Riesling Kabinett Hochheimer Reichestal - Another long time favorite for many customers and rightfully so, being almost always a Spätlese at heart. This year is no exception, filled with ripe yellow fruits, pineapple and a spicy crème de cassis with a dollop of petrol. Long, pure and juicy.

Künstler 2002 Riesling Spätlese Hochheimer Kirchenstück - The fine mineral perfume punctuates ripe pink grapefruit and peach aromas in the nose. This is a monster Spätlese tilled at 104 Öchsle, 10 gm/l acid, and 100 gm/l residual sugar -- a solid Auslese at any other estate. Picked from 50 year old vines, the lush concentrated fruit is framed by a ripping acid structure which cloaks the high level of residual sugar.

Künstler 2002 Riesling Spätlese Dry Hochheimer Kirchenstück - Rich yellow peach citrus and banana in the nose. To say this is a substantial Spätlese is an understatement having been harvested at 100 Öchsle There’s tremendous power on the palate with finely tuned soil nuances while a hint of red fruits swirl on the finish with an intensely bright ripe citrus acidity.

Künstler 2002 Riesling Auslese Hochheimer Hölle - Deeply declassified, harvested at a Beerenauslese level of 120 Öchsle, and is 100% botrytised. There is an intense smoky terroir in the nose along with baked peach cobbler and cinnamon spiced pear. This wine is about delineation of fruit and soil, but also so much about texture, being exceptionally elegant, rich and supple. White peaches, apricot, cocoa--all dabbed with a brush of caramelized honey…burnt apricot cinnamon toast in a fine mud bath.

Künstler 2002 Riesling Auslese Dry Hochheimer Hölle - Is a glowing yellow green color in the glass. An aromatic steamroller of clay, earth, and ash. Grapefruit, yellow peach, mango, and hints of tropical fruit rush the palate, slathered in clay and baked in mineral spice. Stylish, with colossal power while remaining incredibly filigreed.

Künstler 2002 Riesling Eiswein Hochheimer Hölle - Just get a whiff of this exotic saffron spiced peach, apricot, date and porcini mushrooms. It fills the mouth with pineapple, caramel date and fig, pivoting on a fantastically high-pitched grapefruity acid structure, reviving a midrange of intensely rich apricot and orange cream. Porcinis push through the surface of this strange and wonderful underground cavern of syrupy earthsicles. It’s hard to believe the pure, long, elegant finish of this
gooey dirt nectar!

Wegeler (Rheingau)

There’s more pow in the ‘Gau this year as Thomas Drieseberg’s Wegeler estate continues to climb. This sleeping giant has been awakened into a full blown monster with winemaker Oliver Haag ringing the bell. In just a few short years since joining the team, young Haag has put his unique mark on these assertive wines. Undoubtedly due to his Brauneberg roots, the Haag wunderkind is hard at work sculpting delicate Mosel-like creations from the brawny, deep, stony vineyards of Rüdesheim.

Wegeler 2002 Rheingau Riesling Dry - Shows off brightly colored orange, lemon, pear and cassis in the aromas along with a darker sniff of burnt minerals. Raspberry, peach and orange bloom on the palate and quickly corralled by an assertive acidity. Quite dry with powerful minerality and an elegant lift throughout.

Wegeler 2002 Rheingau Riesling Medium-Dry - Soft floral aromas and slices of pear, raspberry, and orange rind spiced with ginger and cinnamon flatter the nose. It is broad and tangy with round, fine strawberry-peach fruit peppered with allspice and more of that ashy minerality. Absolutely delicious.

Wegeler 2002 Rheingau Riesling Kabinett - Boasts alluring aromas of baked cinnamon apple, melon, and strawberry. This display is repeated on the palate along with ripe cherry, peach, raspberry and sour plum. Firm acids and warm mineral tones balance out this wonderful fruit broth.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Spätlese Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland - Has a slightly closed nose of raspberry and mineral spice. Spiced peach nectar and strawberry crème lather the palate, while the tense acidity adds a subtle lift to the hidden lurking power, finishing with an athletic, supple grace.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Spätlese Oestricher Lenchen - There is sassy cloved peach, lemon and fragrant peach in the aroma. This new kid on the block is sure to be a favorite in our portfolio. Syncopated raspberry and jammy peach notes are popped a snappy orange back beat. There’s a bright citrus peach within a harmonious stanza of concentrated fruit...all choreographed with a dazzling show of minerality.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Spätlese Dry Winkeler Hasensprung - Has a stunning array of banana oil, strawberry, cloved peach and lime crème in the nose. Round and silky, the cluster of grapefruit, raspberry and peach is torched with an ashy, mineral finish and a spanking acidity.

Wegeler 2002 Riesling Auslese Geisenheimer Rothenberg - Offers hints of lime, strawberry and mineral ash. There is more flash on the palate, however, with a muscular flex of apricot, papaya, orange, peach and yet another slice of strawberry crème. A riveting acidity tames the fat, juicy stuffing of fine tuned fruit essences and there is a grand mineral profile in the background.

Pfalz

Pfeffingen

Winemaker Dorris Eymael’s son, Jan, stepped up his involvement with this year’s production. And there is an apparent thread of continuity in the wine making style, exhibited in the estate’s characteristic framework of dramatic, vivid acidity, perhaps more forward than other neighbors down the road. Riesling is strong as usual but it is Scheurebe which is always an exotic delight here. For those who missed the benchmark 2000 Scheurebes from Pfeffingen (yes, there were
benchmark wines in 2000) you can start lining up, these 2002s may be the best examples from the estate to date!

Pfeffingen 2002 Estate Riesling Dry - Has lemony, peachy aromas with long, spicy apricot pit fruit on the palate. There’s plenty of piquant red soil twists in the firm, broad textural middle and a jolt of warm, bright, citrus acids. A perfect half shell oyster quench. By the way the 2001 Estate Riesling Dry was the highest scored QbA in The Wine Spectator with 91 points (Grosses Gewächs wines excluded)…and this wine is never chaptalized. With some first growths costing up to $60 this wine is a revelation at approximately $15 retail!

Pfeffingen 2002 ‘Pfeffo’ Riesling Kabinett Medium-Dry - The taut interplay of subtle sweetness with a brisk taming acidity is what drives “Pfeffo” as one of our perennial favorites for food pairings. Spicy pit fruit in the nose with a broad, juicy grip of orange, peach and citrus on the palate leave a lingering tension of ripe fruit essences and a bright, decisive acidity robed in a seismic rumble of peppery red earth.

Pfeffingen 2002 Riesling Spätlese Ungsteiner Herrenberg - The soft floral, spicy pear and stony citrus aromas underestimate how lush and firm it is in the mouth. The silky sleek lemon-lime, pineapple, peach and apricot flavors are compacted with a lively acidity and sprinkles of red slate spice.

Pfeffingen 2002 Gewürztraminer Spätlese Ungsteiner Nussriegel - Rose petals and Indian spices are the customary aromatic tip offs for this single vineyard Gewürztraminer with its exotic perfume of secret plants. Honeydew melon, strawberry, peach and orange flirt with darker suggestions of pungent pepper and marzipan oil. Very long, spicy finish.

Pfeffingen 2002 Scheurebe Spätlese Ungsteiner Herrenberg - Under Doris’ deft craftwomanship, this Spätlese is a creation to behold. Roses, lychee, mango, orange, citrus, and an entire jungle of juicy, tropical aromas plus a bakers dream of hazelnuts and banana oil invade the senses. Ripe, restrained, long, spicy, fine, trim; not the spirit Scheurebe normally conjures. An almost Pygmalion transformation of raw fruit essences into pure sophistication and breed. Its sumptuous concentration of grapefruit, orange and pineapple is offset with a nimble, fleet acidity and a cerebral, minerally spiciness.

Pfeffingen 2002 Scheurebe Gold Kapsule Auslese Ungsteiner Herrenberg - Aromas of quince, star fruit, date, pear oil, lychee, white peach and orange zest slap the senses. Grapefruit, pineapple, banana, lychee, passion fruit and clove all billow into a viscous, oily bubble, ethereal and hovering on a fine wire of humming acids, elegant and noble.

Pfeffingen 2002 Scheurebe Beerenauslese Ungsteiner Herrenberg - A decadent honeyed broth of lychee, melon rind, rosemary oil, passion fruit, orange, cassis and cocoa overwhelms the nose. Pure and focused. Sweet compact purity with sizzling acids keenly balanced on the head of a steely pin…a feline sinew of tropical, silky, syrup as seamless and as fine as air.

von Buhl

There are big changes at von Buhl in 2002. Gone is our friend and cellar master Frank John, replaced by an equally talented newcomer Jan Kux (pronounced Cooks). Quality is vastly improved over the pervious two years, which says less about the shift in winemakers than it does the 2002 vintage itself. That’s not to say there isn’t a noticeable change in winemaking style; we know you’ll appreciate the seductive suppleness Mr. Kux brings to the von Buhl Rieslings.

von Buhl 2002 Riesling Dry Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad “Grosses Gewächs” - Tasted between two other first growths, Forster Pechstein and Forster Kirchenstück, the Reiterpfad is the showstopper. The Forster Pechstein is ripe, broad and more fruit forward; the Forster Kirchenstück is more compact and mineral toned, showing perhaps a bit less refinement at the moment. The Reiterpfad seems to offer the best of both worlds; an aggressive, almost briny minerality haunts the nose along with an inviting waft of perfumed peach, melon, orange and spicy pear. It embraces the palate with richness, warmth and a viscosity that boggles the mind. Voluminous yet elegant, this wine is about pure refinement and power…exactly what a “Grosses Gewächs” should be…and extremely limited.

von Buhl 2002 Riesling Medium-Dry "Maria Schneider Jazz” - You might expect to see obvious winemaker differences at the level of a first growth like the Reiterpfad but it is a more often used tool in the box, the Estate Riesling Medium-Dry “Jazz Label” which shows Mr. Kux’s new fingerprint. Mineral peach, apple and pear show in the nose. A conduit of white peach buffed with ripe citrus tones opens the hatch while interlocking acidity and minerality dovetail the framework into a crisp structure on the palate.

von Buhl 2002 'Armand' Riesling Kabinett - The ‘Armand’ hammer is back in a big way showing its Spätlese insulation more than before …white peachy, orange-zested mineral pellets are nailed back into the aromatics just as you remember them. Like in the Estate Riesling there is a stroke of ripe lemon-lime tang that spackles the texture of pure peach, orange and mineral grout throughout.

von Buhl 2002 Riesling Spätlese Forster Jesuitengarten - A more deliberate display of ripe fruit decorates the aroma with a shift to yellow peach, apricot, raspberry, orange and cassis. Very silky and fine on the palate, the fruit extract is twisted tightly with a dexterous acidity, all doused in the fierce volcanic minerality of the Jesuitengarten vineyard.

von Buhl 2002 Riesling Gold Kapsule Auslese Forster Ungeheuer - One of the very rare GKAs of the vintage, it will disappear quickly as the supply is very limited. A melodic interplay of strawberry, melon, peach and apricot entertains the nose. This wine is dripping with honey, apricot, raspberry, blueberry, cherry and peach crème…juicy and dense yet bright and clear for this degree of concentration. Long, lingering mineral spiced chords resonate...a very graceful GKA.

Franken

Wirsching

With Franconia we have to change the format just a bit. Since Silvaner, Riesling and Scheurebe are key varietals in this region, we will organize the report by varietal rather than Prädikat level. Most German wine experts can not argue with the statement that Weingut Hans Wirsching crafts some of the best Silvaner in Germany. The wines are forged very reductively, leaving brilliantly clear fruit and terroir. The Wirsching estate holds property in the great Iphöfer Julius Echter Berg vineyard, famous for it’s finely detail mineral structure.

Wirsching 2002 Estate Silvaner Dry - Some are already acquainted with the shift in packaging to a burgundy shape bottle for the Estate Silvaner, hopefully hurdling a stumbling block for customers unaccustomed to the traditional Bocksbeutel of the region. A fetching, fragrant aroma of lemony pebbles points to a refreshing drink. It’s firm and round with citrus and peach pit flavors, broad yet elegant, with a layer of crushed minerals…perfect with littleneck clams in their shell.

Wirsching 2002 Silvaner Kabinett Dry Iphöfer Kronsberg - Has very fresh aromas of strawberry, pear, and grapefruit with a flip of cassis…hardly a clue to the crackling dry bath of lime skin and minerals to follow! Broad and long but with a soft, supple texture…persistent and fine.

Wirsching 2002 Silvaner Spätlese Dry Julius Echter Berg - Ripe and round and forged with a pounding mineral hammer. Rich, broad and well tempered by its acidity, the concentration is mouth filling but with great elegant poise…and with chewable mineral supplements to finish a healthy sip.

Wirsching 2002 Riesling Kabinett Dry Julius Echter Berg - Grapefruit, raspberry and pear shade the aromatics of the Echter Berg, and its packed with fine, tangy lemon fruit. It’s quite ripe and lush with seamless hints of soil in the finish. Delectable.

Wirsching 2002 Scheurebe Spätlese Dry Iphöfer Kronsberg - Smells of peach, pear, mango and raspberry but is a bit shy and compressed at the moment. Still, it is silky, rich and round with a very fine twirl of grapefruit and cassis dancing through it. As with all these wonderful creations, the laundry list of obvious fruit nuances is shorter than the breathtaking textures and prototypical minerality of the region. Perhaps it is the sheer uniqueness of wines this dry and lush and being driven by the soil (and not wood flavors) which makes them confounding for many. Yet, there are many dishes we wouldn’t think of drinking anything else with.

Fürst

Exciting news is that Paul Fürst of Weingut Rudolf Fürst is the Gault Millau’s German Wine Maker of the Year in 2003! (which means little to most American wine consumers but is huge elsewhere in Europe) This is an honor shared only by the very best in Germany along with the likes of Joh. Jos. Prüm, Fritz Haag, and Robert Weil all long-time members of the Rudi Wiest Selections family. Obviously this estate can run with the very best in all of Germany. Way out on the western edge of Franconia, sheriff Paul adds new polish and refinement to old traditions of the territory. And he lays down the law with whites and red alike. His focuses are, along with Riesling and Silvaner, red selections from Frühburgunder and Pinot Noir and are some of the very best in Germany. As always, we will continue to offer his upper tier of red selections by special order only.

Fürst 2002 Müller-Thurgau Kabinett Dry - Saying this is the best Müller-Thurgau available might be something like saying “he’s the best harmonica player at the saloon” to some yet we continue getting dazzled by this unassuming tap dancer year after year. This is Paul’s best Müller-Thurgau to date and the user-friendly burgundy shape bottle should open new doors. Lively, juicy fruit aromas of banana, melon, and citrus indicate this is no ordinary quaff. The tangerine and grapefruit notes of past vintages seems resided to more mineral driven aromas now, only revealing how elegant, almost Riesling-like, this wine can truly be. No doubt the lovely red sandstone and red clay that color the beautiful hillsides here have a dramatic affect all of Fürst’s wines.

Fürst 2002 Riesling Kabinett Dry Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg - Tangerine, honeydew and menthol magnetize your sense of smell with the first sniff of Fürst’s dry Riesling Kabinett, polarized by a nearly visceral sense of minerality. Kinetic lemon, orange, melon and raspberry fruits are animated by an assertive acidity. Firm, creamy, elegant and quite dry.

Fürst 2002 Riesling Spätlese Dry Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg - Continues to amplify the vibratory effects with an additional layer of banana oil, red fruits, pineapple, and tropicana. It’s silky and taut, wound with elegant pear/lime pastiche and a long, mouthwatering, spicy red-slated finish.

Pinot Noir
Considered a dark horse by most, Rudi Wiest Selections continues to take a stand on great Pinot Noir from Germany as we add a new Fürst Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) to the stable. Hopefully more will come to discover there could be more to this race than Burgundy and Oregon. We tried two barrels destined for the cuvee of Paul’s ‘Tradition’ Spätburgunder.

Fürst 2002 'Tradition' Pinot Noir - You’ll smell a delicious menu of goose breast and gunpowder, cranberry, black cherry, allspice and clove, all with pleasingly restrained oak dominance. Spicy raspberry juice and game meat fill out the plump middle with firm but moderate tannins,
chewable soil samples and a pivotal acidity.

Schmitt's Kinder

As you may recall, against all rational thought, we decided to add yet another Franken estate last year. Granted, this is one of the most difficult regions to promote in the U.S. yet we were so taken by the finely crafted, sublime wines at Schmitt’s Kinder we decided to fold them into the mix.

Schmitt’s Kinder 2001 Bacchus Dry- The door-opener for the estate is an unassuming tongue-tapper, the Bacchus (that is the varietal, not just the mythic party icon) is still 2001 and there is good continuity of it. Gooseberry, grapefruit and melon flavors make this a wonderful Spring / Summer guzzler and it fills out the trio of entry level Franken wines in a Burgundy bottle.

Hopefully, as awareness grows of the region we will be able to bring you more examples of the sleek and unique wines from Schmitt’s Kinder’s single vineyards in Randersacker (see vineyard list below). They do great work with Rieslaner as well as Riesling, Silvaner, and Scheurebe.
Top Sites at Schmitt’s Kinder include:
Randersacker Sonnenstuhl
Randersacker Marsburg
Randersacker Pfülben
Randersacker Ewig-Leben

Vineyard property totals 33 acres (most vines 25—30 years of age), with Müller-Thurgau, Riesling and Rieslaner playing supporting roles to Silvaner. Approximately 50% of Schmitt’s-Kinder production is dry, with 40% falling in the medium-dry category and the remaining 10% are noble sweet / late harvest wines.

Nahe

Schäfer-Fröhlich

It is only after careful scrutiny and research we take great pride in introducing our new Nahe estate, Schäfer-Fröhlich. Rudi Wiest Selections has represented some very good Nahe estates in the past and we were in no rush to fill a void with just anyone. Admittedly, we were momentarily taken back when we met young Tim Fröhlich, whom we learned had just taken over his mother’s duties as winemaker. Karin Fröhlich is still very active as an advisor along with her husband Hans, the vineyard manager. We may have been a tough crowd to play to; our expectations being nearly as high as our demands for quality from all of the regions we represent. With just the first entry wines, a simple pair of QbAs, Tim had our immediate attention. All else that followed was nothing short of an epiphany…stunning examples of how good Riesling can be in the Nahe or anywhere for that matter. These wines are all as finely tuned and polished as you will ever find. Obviously, these close-knit wines are a direct result of a close-knit family operation.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2002 Estate Riesling Medium-Dry - From a single vineyard, this may make quite a debut as one of the best Estate Rieslings in our book! Pure white peach, lime skin and raspberry tickle the nose. It has great focused mineral details on the palate amidst the rush of pure fruit trimmed with a smart, snazzy acidity.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2002 Estate Riesling Kabinett (Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg) - Citrus toned nose is threaded with stone dust, peach and crisp Asian pear. It seems light and lyrical but is punctuated with juicy white peach at the core along with a tangy, bright lemony finish, shadowed by a wisp of the unique Felsenberg terroir.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2002 Riesling Spätlese Bockenauer Felseneck - A powerfully rich nose of yellow peaches, pineapple and lime shellac. Once again ripe, concentrated fruit oils seem to float effortlessly in a mineral bath with seamless liquidity while ripples of raspberry, peach and orange crème flow just beneath the surface.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2002 Riesling Spätlese Monzinger Halenberg - The closed aromas hint at some botrytis while a compact tangle of tangy orange, tart lemon and spicy peach are compressed beneath layers of chalky soil. Still shy and recluse, a few years of napping should help develop it into a dreamy drink.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2002 Riesling Auslese Bockenauer Felseneck - A tempting aroma of spicy pineapple, pear jelly and tart green apples in the nose. On the palate it’s a focused display of peach crème and hyper-ripe orange, strawberry, mango, and pineapple, all very neatly boxed in a clear and compact package, delicately laced with botrytis beneath a firm acidic lid. Great length with a magnificent texture.

2002 Riesling Eiswein Bockenauer Felseneck - We concluded with the jaw-dropping Eiswein, its dazzling details of honey and fig in the nose along with dandelion, apricot, raspberry, smoked ham and porcini mushrooms. Essences of orange, tangerine, apricot, fig, strawberry, raspberry, date, cocoa, honey and cinnamon essences are boiled down into a drop of dancing caramel syrup.
Epic Eiswein!

Rheinhessen

Gunderloch

Rounding the base of their third 100-point score in The Wine Spectator, we were curious to see what the great Nackenheimer Rothenberg vineyard would offer this inning. As in 2001 (but unlike most of Fritz’s peers), all Prädikat levels from Qualitätswein b.A. through Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) were harvested. It didn’t take a mind reader to see that the normally reserved Fritz Hasselbach was nothing short of positively thrilled about his team in ’02. Once in the cellar, Herr Hasselbach took us on a tank tour that clearly demonstrated why he was so proud. Everything is knocked clear out of the park!

Gunderloch 2002 Estate Riesling Dry - Has an intriguing breath of menthol, marzipan and banana oil with a broad, peppery, stony grip on the palate. Juicy peach, pear, raspberry and lime with a sprinkling of dried herbs, stretch out inside a mineral bullpen with a flexing (9.5) acid structure.

Gunderloch 2002 'Jean Baptiste' Riesling Kabinett - Replays some of the same fruit details as the QbA…white peaches and red fruits with an added splash of mango, grapefruit, tangerine, lime and white pepper….well-proportioned with a long minerally texture finishing with lime and almond paste plus a dab of the local red soil. This could be Fritz’s best Kabinett yet.

Gunderloch 2002 Riesling Spätlese Nackenheimer Rothenberg - Completely lush with an exceptional brightness for being in such a young, unformed state when we tasted. Cocoa powder, coffee beans and diesel apricot fuel dominate rhapsodic, tropical aromas. There is great purity at the heart of this silky nectar…peach and red fruit, tangerine and acacia honey…all with a subtle spiciness, exotic and pungent, but from a very clean botrytis. And all this richness is embroidered with a colorful tangy, limey acidity…as the peppery red slope of the Rothenberg gets the last lick in.

Gunderloch 2002 Riesling Auslese Nackenheimer Rothenberg - WOW. Bee’s wax, yellow peaches, piquant red earth, wet stones and honeydews, pure little dots of honey in the aromatics… and the nose simply understates what’s on the palate. This is surely Gunderloch’s best Auslese ever. Luminosity is a reoccurring theme … the explosive flash of fruit is dizzying; so pure and bright, yellow peach, hints of apricot, date, raspberry, fig, pepper and cinnamon spice smoldering beneath sacramental ash. This Auslese will bring you to your knees. Pray for more.

Gunderloch 2002 Riesling Beerenauslese Nackenheimer Rothenberg - Offers shy but compact, uniform aromas of very fine mineral and apricot lace, along with that yeasty yet-to-be-filtered, pineapple note. So very finely knit on the palate! Again, there is great detail for a wine so concentrated and young, yet to unfold. Little sparkles of honey, saffron, raspberry, peach and lime twinkle brightly through the viscosity, topped with the Rothenberg pepper grinder.

Gunderloch 2002 Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Nackenheimer Rothenberg – We had just picked ourselves up from the last knockout when Fritz laid into us again, this time with a stinging reminder that his TBA will always be a champion. Few come close to the powerful uppercut balanced with the graceful footwork that makes Gunderloch the great heavyweight. One of the greatest noble sweet wine estates in all of Germany and this ’02 may just be the benchmark. It’s soul-stealing purity and demonic concentration demands something more than a 100-point scale (which Fritz continues to top). Stick your head out of the fast lane window and whiff the date, fig, orange, and apricot landscape buzzing by while a swinging mint air freshener spins along. Spectrums of apricot, red fruits, burnt mango, brown sugar, caramel and honeycomb are refracted though its prismatic acidity; clear frames of glowing nectar with an nearly kaleidoscopic transparency, a cathedral window to the soul.  

Württemberg

Graf Adelmann

This estate has long been at the forefront of our push to establish German red wines in the U.S. market. Known for their exceptional quality all over Germany, the reds (and whites) of scholar / politician Graff (Count) Michael Adelmann are delicious secrets waiting to be unearthed. With his wry wit and keen passion for vines of the region, Michael led us on a survey of various components in his search for the perfect cuvee. While his sophisticated delivery normally prepares us for a series of wines of fine interlocking detail and polish, we are continually disarmed by Michael’s sly wordplay and apparent relish of wines with a hint of “obscenity”, as he puts it.

We tried an impressive selection of Silvaner and Riesling, all very firm and with exotic little flavor embellishments and great attack of the local terroir, but it was the red wines we were fidgeting to try from the well ordered museum of various barrels lining the ancient cellar. While excelling at Lemberger, Graf Michael drew from Pinot Noir, Clevner, Samrot, Dornfelder, Mythos (a cabernet hybrid) and even a swig of Black Muscat to entertain us. Sadly, his finest Lemberger wines, gems that continually capture our interest, are usually a long shot for the American market and they often languish in the warehouse instead of filling the belly. Whether to promote the best Adelmann has to offer or to create a special cuvee targeting a more dollar conscious buyer is the question before us. Perhaps we can have both.

Adelmann 2002 Pinot Gris - We tried two portions of the intended cuvee of the Adelmann Pinot Gris, first being a sample from a large, mostly neutral wood barrel. It was exotic with fragrances of orange and yellow plum. There is a mineral influence throughout, centered in round, lemon and orange fruit with a gentle hint of spiciness. A second component was from barrique, thus providing toasted aromas of smoky pear and a bright citrus zest. Cinnamon and nutmeg season the mid palate of pear and lemon with their juicy but firm acidity, finishing with a chalky layer of minerality.

Adelmann 2002 Lemberger - The varied barrels of show different levels of concentration, fruit influences and spice. Ground pepper and gunpowder frequently season the aromatics of dense black fruits and game while intense squid inky purple and blackened blue shades of juice coyly suggest the deep range of dark fruit jams and gamey meat on the palate. Also destined for blending, a peppery, blackberry spoonful of currant events spreads the Dornfelder wide on a toasty slice of soil. Supple and juicy, this wine will add a nice dab of flesh to the center of a Lemberger assemblage, probably not too different from Michael’s ‘Autumn in the Park’ cuvee, packed with leathery dark berry fruit, black peppered goose breast and cranberry-cherry glaze.

Adelmann 2002 Vignette - This is Adelmann’s benchmark red cuvee, a predominately Lemberger cuvee jazzed up with Dornfelder and Clevner, is elegant, rich and ripe, balanced with equal profiles of blueberry, black cherry and cinnamon dusted game.

Baden

Dr. Heger & Weinhaus Heger

Joachim Heger trimmed us back from the usual onslaught in the torture garden of juice with only thirty seven samples, not including the dinner wines. From Pinot Noir to Muskateller (and from some of the oldest planted operational vineyards in Baden), Joachim paints with as many brushes as possible. He is a first rate character; imagine a rollicking John Belushi / Thomas Edison / Picasso hybrid clone driven by attention deficit syndrome to recreate the planet in new, everchanging flavors. That’s why it’s sometimes difficult to escape with our sanity, if not our lives, intact by midnight. At which point we ask, “what palate are you from, anyway?”

Dr. Heger 2002 Pinot Gris Spätlese Dry Ihringer Winklerberg - Paved with lemon chalk, pineapple rind and limey gravel aromas. Its moderate acidity refreshes the fat, juicy pear and pineapple on the palate, remaining silky and broad.

Dr. Heger 2002 Pinot Blanc Spätlese Dry Ihringer Winklerberg - Another bell ringer from Ihringer, the Pinot Blanc Spätlese dry is a lemon sour ball in the aromas, along with fresh pear and apple blossom. Round, creamy and bright, it is flavored with subtle herbal notes, balanced with a vivacious acidity and lip-smacking tangy soil…filigreed and fine with a seductive texture.

Pinot Noir
We tried ten Pinot Noirs from both of Joachim’s operations, Weinhaus Heger and Dr. Heger, the former always being an incredible value for red wine; the later his mantle for the finest Pinots he concocts.

Weinhaus Heger 2002 Pinot Noir - All the barrels destined for cuvee showed a mouth watering array of smoked rhubarb, strawberry, cranberry, black pepper, gun powder and grilled meat. There is plenty of stuffing to chose from with a plump, chromatic red fruit selection and ground, gravelly mineral spices, all continually snapped into shape with a refreshing acidic whip. With time, like the
2001, the jammy, berry quality simmers down to a softer imprint of strawberry, smoke, rhubarb and organic backyard funk (Burgundians call it poop). The volcanic pepper grinder always seasons the final blend with a backbone of local color.

Ahr

Meyer-Näkel

Voted Germany’s 2001 winemaker of the year by Feinschmecker magazine!
Voted Germany’s 2004 winemaker of the year by Gault Millau Wine Guide!

Perhaps not quite as esoteric as Graf Adelmann but challenging all the same are Werner Näkel’s stylish assembly of Pinot Noirs. It is unfortunate that we struggle to bring these gems to light when they are twice oversold even before bottling in Germany. While we have several estates in our book who work with Pinot Noir, and many do it very well, Meyer-Näkel along with Joachim Heger, Gunter Künstler and Paul Fürst are the top dogs. It is most interesting to us that while these other estates focus on other varietals including Spätburgunder, Meyer-Näkel is an estate built around only Pinot Noir.

Meyer-Näkel 2002 Pinot Noir - There is nothing basic about Werner’s entry level Pinot. Sweet dirty cherries, mushrooms and orange zest enhance the aromas. There is a broad, smooth sweep of cocoa dusted cherries, mushrooms and spicy minerals tied with an animated, nervy acidity. Its hard to find such a succulent, refreshing pinot for under $20.00, that is unless you’re looking in our book.

Meyer-Näkel 2002 “Blue Slate” Pinot Noir - Clearly shaped by the terroir of its namesake…blackberry, gunpowder, cocoa, cherry and blueberry all stir in the aroma. Concentrated clove spiced raspberry and orange fruit fill the mouth with great extraction while remaining elegant and poised. Very fine with restrained oak and tense acidity.

Meyer-Näkel 2002 Meyer-Näkel Pinot Noir “S” - Is as fine and unique of a Pinot you’ll find on any continent. Cigar leaf, bacon fat, rhubarb, wild berries and gunpowder fire off in the subtle, earthen aromas. Silky, round and rich, this wine pushes the limit for concentration and elegance with marvelously textured strawberry, cherry and hints of tea leaf apparent beside deftly restrained oak influences. Whether it be the Pinot Noir “R” from Fürst or Heger’s Ihringer Winklerberg Three Star (***), the Meyer-Näkel Pinot Noir “S” is an worthy equal to any of these great German Pinot Noir estates.

Rudi Wiest Selections
by Cellars International, Inc.
phone 760.566.0499 - info@germanwine.net - fax 760.566.0533