kabinett

2005 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 8.5%

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

Another white wine under screwcap, and age has not harmed this lovely and utterly convincing Riesling Kabinett from a sterling year in the Mosel.

2005-fritz-haag-bj-kabinett

It’s still a pale lemon colour, and there is ripe apple, some tropical guava, and some “fruit tingle” too. The palate is appropriately light for this category of sweetness, and resounds with crunchy, stony limey citrus character (“mineral” is out-of-favour, despite this word being clearcut and descriptive). Delicious, bright, tangy, with terrific length and everything under control. A benchmark from this well-known estate.

Drink to 2025, 91 points

2008 R Haart Goldtropchen Kabinett Riesling 8.5%

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

An excellent wine from well-regarded winemaker, from a terrific site in the nondescript Piesport village of the Mosel.

Still lemon in colour, its from a year that has always been “user-friendly”, skipping the usual Riesling dull patch that often settles after a few years and last a few more.

2008 haart kab

Red apple and pear, tropical fruits approaching ripe pineapple, and there are more stonefruit characters on the very long palate, and intriguing marzipan notes. Its quite sweet for a Kabinett, but has the acidity to keep it balanced. So delicate, so fresh and so interesting. The contents of the glass magically disappear.

Why wait when it drinks so deliciously?

Drink to 2021, 91 points.

2003 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 8%

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This was a strikingly hot year in Europe, which took many producers by surprise, rushing to pick grapes before they became over-ripe and lost acidity, plus dealing with hot grapes, refrigeration issues and the usual vintage problems of not enough fermenters of the correct size.

loosen 2003

The Mosel was not immune to these difficulties. This wine is not quite “entry-level” but it routinely provides excellent typificity and VFM. It’s a light straw colour, and its aromatics of lime-juice, citrus, and Jonathan apple burst from the glass. There are some earthy undertones and pebbly/slatey elements too, while some mango is evident on the palate.  There is enough acidity to make this a very refreshing wine, and no kero, despite clear bottle-aged characters of light toast.

Its another lesson in the longevity of these flavorsome low-alcohol wines, and a tribute to the skills of Ernie Loosen and his team to triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage.

Drink to 2017 while the acidity is vibrant, and score is 90 points.