mosel

From two recent dinners

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1995 Christoffel-berres Erdener Pralat Spatlese Riesling 8%
Mosel, germany

A glowing deep yellow with some amber, indicating age (early 2000s). Cumquat, honey, petroleum, camphor, smoke, high residual sugar, low alcohol. German for sure, Spatlese at least, perhaps Auslese? Palate is luxurious, and beautifully balanced. Revealed as older than my guess. It’s a magic site, and the label is charming.

Drink to 2030, 94 points

2021 Ch Suduiraut 14%
Sauterne, France

Vanilla, vitality, rich and pure botrytis. Apricot, citrus, quince, with some very attractive green notes in the mix. Palate is opulent, viscous – all quality here and sublime length. But young – 2017? Unveiled, it turns out even younger, already approachable without guilt, but a long life beckons. Very little was made due to a combination of frost and mildew – but this is brilliantly assembled. 100% semillon, 138 g/l rs.

Drink to 2045, 94 points

2004 Stanton and Killeen fortified 18.5%
Rutherglen, Victoria, 8 gold medals and 4 silvers
30% shiraz, 21% touriga, 19% Durif, 10 tinta cao, 10%tinta roriz, 10%tinta barocca

It seems I reviewed this wine in 2018. Tonight, the cork has done its duty;  the wine is densely coloured with just some trivial ruby bricking on the meniscus; it’s thriving with dark cherry, raspberry, blueberry and sweet spices; it’s soft, civilized, and balanced with a mix of sweet and savoury; talcy tannins, fine spirit and fruitcake spices now with plum and blackberry joining in – combining very satisfactorily. And there’s no rush.

Drink to 2034; 93 points

a 2007 pair from Willi

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I hav long enjoyed the wines of Willi Schaefer, and have visited for an exceptional tasting once. The difference in the two wines below is the AP number, in small print on the label. In this instance the wines are from slightly different plots within the same vineyard. The Schaefer Graacher Domprobst wines tend to be more earthy/minerally than those from their Graacher Himmelreich plots.

2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese AP#12 8%
Mosel

Gold colour, red apple, spices, honey, citrus, whispers of tropical fruits. Deliciously swete, and fresh, and textured, The palate is creamy textured, with some stonefruit character and just so damn refreshing. Fresh fruit beckons.

Drink to 2032, 92 points

2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese AP#5 8%
Mosel

A mirror of the above, with slightly more of everything; weight, texture, fruit depth, spices and some attractive green herbs. Gorgeous,

Drink to 2035, 93 points

Impressive Europeans from one dinner (all served blind)

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2010 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spatlese AP#8 7.5%
Mosel, Germany
Gold colour, still a touch of reduction, apple, cinnamon, and the palate is lush, delicate and balanced. This is an absolute delight, with poised sweetness (sweet for spätlese too) and acidity. A very high-acid year in Germany, and Zilliken achieved marvellous high sweetness levels.

Drink to 2035 (but irresistible now) and 95 points

2014 Ch Rayne Vigneau Sauternes 13.5%
Medium gold colour, then all sorts of tropical fruits – pineapple rind, dried paw-paw, crème brulee, almond; palate is stylish, with marzipan, citrus, pear, freshness and balance. Some other tasters thought this was fully mature and ready, but I see no need for haste. Serious wine!

Drink to 2033, 93 points

2015 ch Bastor-Lamontagne Sauternes 13.5%
Lighter gold colour; light apricots, and mealiness. Straightforward, easy (and ready) to drink,

Drink to 2028, 90 points

2017 Taylor’s Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Vivid, astonishingly youthful black/purple colour – ultra fragrant – camphor, blueberry, cocoa, mulberry. Palate is supple, with drive, enormous concentration, strong defined tannins that the fruit power defies. Portuguese varieties for sure, and the savouriness is definitively Portugal. Then the liqueur cherry flavours meld with the blueberry and mulberry; the spirit is supportive. Drive and persistence. What a wine! And yet with a long, long way to go, this is insanely good.

Drink to 2045 (or more), 97 points – and will deserve more in time.

One from there, one from here

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2012 molitor et auslese

2012 Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Auslese Gold capsule ** AP 37 7.5%
Mosel, purchased from the estate in 2015 and retrieved from storage in Germany this year.

(The ** indicates something extra in the category), Light gold colour, honey, quince, raisin, herbs red apple with a lick of spices. This is ready to drink, but will hold on a plateau for another ten years. The plate is creamy, fresh and balanced with lemon verbena, honey, and stonefruit. Very similar to my note from Germany a few months ago!)

Drink to 2034, 91 points.

1998 morris vp

1998 Morris VP 18.8%
Rutherglen, 77% Shiraz, 23% Touriga, trophies and gold medals from credible wine shows over a period of several years.

BTW, I reviewed this in early 2016 and this bottle is slightly more attractive! Meagre cork, but it’s performed. Still a vibrant deep crimson/black colour, it thrills with wild scents of lavender, blueberry, red liquorice, dried herbs, and mellow spirit. The palate is all about fruit definition and texture – there’s violet, plum, redcurrant, spices and best of all, vitality and flavour persistence. It’s a terrific package with at least another decade well within its stride. Hard to resist, and I have several more bottles!

Drink to 2035, 94 points

Catch-up on recent drinks

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2007 knebel spatlese

2007 Knebel winninger Rottgen Riesling Spatlese 11%
Mosel; 47 g/l residual sugar; gold colour honey.

Wax, apple and the surprising blackcurrant. Palate is still lively with sweetness ameliorated by acidy; palate is all about mixed apple and stonefruit (yellow peach and apricot); chewy, varietal and authentic.

Has seen better days however; drink up 90 points

2015 sauternes pair

2015 Ch Doisy-vedrines 13%
Sauternes 80% semillon, 15% sav blanc, 5% muscadelle

Light bright colour, light-weight aromatics of slightly green pineapple, vanilla bean icing sugar and preserved lemon. Palate shows almond meal, citrus nectarine. Ligher style than the next wine, but balanced and authentic. Ready for business, and will be consumed with great pleasure.

Drink to 2030, 92 points

2015 Ch Suduiraut 14%
Sauternes; 94% semillon, 6% sav blanc; 18 months in oak (50% new, 50% one year old) 138 g/l residual.

Served masked- I last tasted this wine around a year ago, and my notes are thankfully similar. Sauternes with a deeper colour than the wine above; crème brulee, quality oak, ginger spices, botrytis dustiness, light floor-polish VA present but under control; great density and integration. Cumquat and vanilla, liveliness, texture and persistence. Very decadent and pleasurable. Around ten years old?

Drink to 2037, 95 points

2007 croft vp

2007 Crofts Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Served masked – Deep red colour with camphor, cherry and blackberry plus floral headsy spirit. Dense, with dark fruits, small berries and cocoa. Portuguese varieties for sure; and the spirit leans me to Portugal, BUT there;s not the drive, complexity or tannin for its suspected age (my guess was early 2000s). So, Australian. When revealed, this was quite a disappointing result for a  respectable VP vintage (and the other bottle I tried was similar).

Drink to 2030, 89 points

NV Morris Old premium “rare” Muscat 17%
Rutherglen.

Served masked. Luminnous dark, and very dense colour. Raisin, orange peel, roses, toffee, bitter chocolate. High-quality neutral spirit, It’s a meal in a half a glass if you are greedy. Concentrated raisins, and dried fruits with spices. It sits on the palate and the flavours dwell for ages. Not just about using old material, as the style needs the masterful touch of freshness too. Around 350 g/l residual sugar, but the acidity absolutely obliterates any cloying.

This wine is world class, and continues to be a bargain (a meagre $120 for a 500ml bottle, that will last for weeks if – unlike me – you have the will power to resist).

Drink now, 96 points

Drinking in Europe 2

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Another batch of wines that we had purchased years ago, and retrieved from a relative in Germany. A further nine bottles made it back to Melbourne!

2012 grunhaus spatlese

2012 Von Schubert Maximin Grunhaus Herrenberg Riesling spätlese AP#22 7.5%
Mosel

Harmless tartrate crystals on cork (and in bottle), Light gold colour; melon, mandarine, gooseberry and earth. Seems relatively dry, but the fruit flavours shine, Drink sooner rather than later! Label is love or hate.

Drink to 2028, 91 points

2013 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg spätlese feinherb “Ur” alte reben AP#30 12.5%
Mosel.

Two bottles opened, (the first was decidedly flat) with notes on the second. This is a from a distinguished patch of old vines within the vineyard. Guessed at around 15g/l residual sugar.
Cinnamon honeydew melon, candlewax. It flows gloriously across the palate; racy, silken, with rampant brown spices and detailed texture. Not to everyone’s taste on the night, and I suspect there are better bottles.

Drink to 2034, and 93 points

2009 selbach ws spatlese

2009 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese AP#33 8.5%
Mosel

Light gold colour; tangerine and petroleum, candlewax, white flowers, white peach, stewed apple, and spices – the whole kitbag. Silky texture with red apple and baking spices in the mix, crisp, refreshing. 70 g/l residual sugar? Can it really get any better?

Drink to 2030, and 92 points

2008 molitor ws spatlese

2008 Markus Molitor wehlener Sonneuhr Riesling spätlese AP#18 8%
Mosel and a golden capsule,

Light bright gold colour. Intense honey, guava, apricot, spices and minerals. Lip-smacking palate, with apple pie, nectarine and raciness. This looks in winning form, but my preference is to drink up while its magic rewards the drinker.

Drink to 2032, 93 points.

Drinking in Europe 1

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I have been in Europe on holidays, not visiting any wineries, and quality drinks have been hard to find, and harder to drink given that daily temperatures seem to be in the mid-thirties (Celsius) and humid too.

2018 Oremus Late-harvest 11.5%
Tokaj, Hungary from  Furmint, Hárslevelü, Zéta and Sárgamuskotály, mixed botrytis and ripe grapes, oak fermented. Details.
Pale gold colour with a greenish tint. Honeysuckle, nettle, jasmine, gooseberry, quince, light honey. Viscous, with tropical and pear notes. Clean, youthful, lingering, balanced, and very good. And of course sweet. My guess was 80g/l, but winery notes state 111 g/l.

Drink to 2030, 90 points

2012 molitor et auslese

2012 Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese ** AP#37 7.5%
Mosel, Gold capsule, with the ** indicating something extra in its ripeness category.
Glowing buttercup yellow/gold colour; white honey, lime, herbs with a dash of spice, ripe red apple and pear. Very good concentration, balanced acidity, and some harmless bitterness at the finish.

Drink to 2032, 92 points

2013 selbach-oster ZS auslese

2013 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese AP#8 8.5%
Mosel.
Pale gold colour, apple, nectarine, citrus and spices, dried green herbs. Racy, zingy, with a fine talcy texture. Brisk and refreshing, white peach dominant with rampant brown spices adding interest to the palate.

To 2035 and 93 points

One terrific recent dinner

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2011 jj prum ws spatlese

2011 JJ Prum Wehelener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 8.5%
Mosel, AP#28

Unmistakably German. Some reduction, but still shimmering with stonefruit, tropical notes, nettles, lime and flint with residual sugar seamlessly folded into a lightweight and delicious frame, that enfolds the palate. Great maker, and a great site, displayed to advantage.

Drink to 2030, 93 points

1994 Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz 13.5%
Great Western, Victoria. St Peters vineyard, (late) disgorged in October 2008, 28g/l residual sugar. Crown seal, and all the better! Notes below are not from tasting “blind’.

Mature but respectable colour, plenty of bubbles; mulberry, blackcurrant, dark cherry earthiness, light mushroom, and brimming with vitality. Its hard to believe there are better examples of this indestructible style around. As a bonus, my notes and score were consistent with my 2019 tasting note.

Drink to 2035, 95 points

2004 dow bomfim

2004 Dows Quinta do Bonfim (VP) 20%
Portugal – and technically a “single quinta”.

Usually, but not always from non-declared years (a decision of the producer- with Quinta do Noval an iconoclast now declaring every year).  Some single quintas are absolutely top wines, such as Grahams Stone Terraces. Usually, the single quinta makes up a large proportion of the declared vintages.

Decent colour for its assumed 20ish-year age; with blueberry, redcurrant, red liquorice, plentiful fruit here, and plentiful chalky tannin. The alcohol and spirit suggest Portugal, but the accessibility of the fruit suggests Oz origins (and I wrongly selected this option). In any event, the single quintas represent compelling VFM with monster enjoyment at an earlier age than the declared VPs can deliver. If only these single quinta were easier to find in Australia!

Drink to 2034, and 92 points

One local, one German, and another loss

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2002 S&K vp

2002 Stanton and Killeen Vintage Fortified 18.1%
29% Shiraz, 25% touriga, 20% durif, 12% tinta cao, 12% tinta barocca, 2% tinta roriz

Deep black/red colour with some bricking. Mocha, spices, creaminess, excellent spirit integration, and dark blackberry. Palate is packed with liquorice and aniseed, and fruitcake spices. Vintage port style, but It was certainly sweeter than Portuguese models. I suspected touriga inputs alongside Shiraz, and age around 25 years. Stanton and Killeen rate the vintage as very good with an 8/10 rating.

After the wine was unmasked, I was disappointed that marque’s usual depth, complexity, suppleness, savoury bite and drinking pleasure was less than expected. A sound wine, but lacking the expected thrills.

Drink to 2030, 91 points

2007 haart auslese

2007 Reinhold Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg riesling Auslese 7.5%
Mosel, AP#16 and 127 g/l rs.

Gold colour; plentiful spices, red apple, white peach, and passionfruit; palate is fresh and lush, creamy plus some mineral and light smoke with that classy balance between its high sugar (for an auslese) and acidity that avoids cloying and leaves one begging for more. A delight.

Drink to 2030, 94 points (and thankfully still similar to my notes from Jan 2017)

I was saddened to learn of the recent death of Willi Schaefer. I love these Mosel wines – pure and unforced. I had a terrific visit to the dining room in the house in 2007. We were welcomed, despite our sketchy knowledge of the wines and our inability to purchase more than a token bottle or two. An unhurried and extensive tasting, with plentiful knowledge transfer which provided the determination to purchase and cellar their wines. I will drink my stock with pleasure and treasure my memories.

Three wines, three countries, two styles

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2007 schmitges auslese

2007 Schmitges Erdener treppchen Riesling auslese* 7.5
Mosel, AP #15, 110 g/l residual sugar (500ml bottle)

Adequate cork. (The * indicates “more” than the minimum ripeness requirements).  Gold colour with a whisp of copper; apricot and tangerine, rum ‘n raisin, candle-wax, baking spices, grapefruit.

Really in the zone – absolutely true to style, energetic viscous honey on palate, plus the mix of dried and fresh citrus peel, and persistent spices. Will live on but why wait?

Drink to 2030, 92 points

1977 Quarles Harris Vintage Port
Portugal, and not a house I am familiar with, but owned by the Symington family, made in a “firm and dry” style.

Served blind, circumstances rendered note-taking difficult. Pale ruby colour, faded roses, putty. The palate showed (light) cherry and some (light) cocoa. The spirit was well integrated, and the wine was fully mature, mellow and enjoyable. My instant conclusion was “Portuguese VP, and greater than twenty years old”. The next part was trying to determine how much older, and I settled with the eighties (probably 1985).  A nice surprise when revealed it was 1977. But the wine may have been better say ten years ago, even though we’re in the realm of cork and cellaring varaiblilty.

Drink now, and 90 points

1994 gehrig vp

1994 Gehrig Vintage Port 17.5%
Rutherglen, Victoria

Served blind, this was clearly a vintage fortified. Pale in colour with rose petal, and a dash of musk/incense, its sweetness suggested an Australian origin. Supple, mellow and ready. On a good drinking plateau. The wine’s donor prompted that I had previously written about this wine (April 2021) and my notes are very different. This wine seemed more mature, with less overt fruit and tannin – and yet it provided greater “deliciousness”. (Photo is from 2021).

Drink soon, and 92 points.