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+--- Thread: 2005 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Josephshöfer Riesling Kabinett (/thread-11155.html)
- TheEngineer - 10-13-2007
I love being home....get to slowly select what I want to drink versus letting clients have the run at things.... "I love white Zins, don't you...can I pour you another glass!!! I love yellow tail...I can drink a few of these at home at nights..."
So pulled this one out tonight to go with a curry dinner that we were putting together. The color is just beautiful for an Auslese...but this was a a kabinett!!.. A rich deep golden colour in the glass. Nose was a honeyed peach, brood and rich. It was the same way on the palate, much richer than any kabinett should be, and some hints of spiciness like a apple cider. I can't get over the richness and thick texture of this wine yet still a nice acidity leaving the wine in good balance. Should probably have been at least a Spatlese. Not the typical focused wine that I like but its breadth was very impressive and nice.
- dananne - 10-13-2007
I know what you mean. While I'm glad that more people are drinking wine, if I had a dollar for every person that told me that they only like Yellow Tail, I'd be rich enough to not only afford DRC, I'd be able to drink it every night.
Regarding the wine, I notice that you like your German Rieslings. In the past, I've tended more to the WA ones, primarily because we know many of the wineries up there, and we've tried before we've bought while visiting them. At home, I'll often glance at the German ones at the wine shop, but never end up pulling the trigger. Part of it is that we don't drink whites very often, but another part of the reason is that we're unfamiliar with the more reliable producers, and I hate taking a flier on wines that I'm not familiar with. Do you have any reliable, consistent, and widely-available favorites in the sub-$30 price range that you'd recommend as a good starting point?
- TheEngineer - 10-13-2007
DA, be honored to [img]http://wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] puttin my novice knowledge to work here..... let see..
The bad things about German wine is that:
(1) the vintage variations are as large as they are in Burgundy and Europe though in the last 1/2 decade, almost all grapes have come to ripeness when in the past they could vary based on weather. Of the recent vintages, I would look for in order, 2005, 2001 (though hard to find), 2004 (very focused), 2003 (very sweet and ripe), 2002. I would avoid the 2000s even if you can find them.
(2) the price starting in 2005 has gone higher up due to their success and I hate that.... so what use to be a ton of selection under $30 has gotten slightly smaller...but here it goes.
Also selecting Kabinetts which are generally a bit more crisp and acidic but still off-dry, will bring the wine prices into check.
(1) Dr. Loosen is a large reliable producer from the Mosel. He has a few lines of wine but the Dr. Loosen line with Wehlener Sonnenuhr ((VAY-len-er ZON-en-ooer), Ürziger Würzgarten (ERTS-ih-ger VERTS-gar-ten), Erdener Treppchen, Bernkasteler Lay (pronounced Lie) Kabinetts are generally all solid wines. He also makes a line called Blue Slate and Dr. L, neither of which I tried but in all fairness when the W.S. is only $24 and is great, very little incentive to go down!
(2) August Kesseler makes great Rieslings that are very site driven. I've tasted vineyards that were less than a 7 iron apart that were very different. He also makes a very austere Pinot Noir that Germans love. His line of "R" can often be found in the $10 under screwcap and is a solid quaffer.
(3) JJ Prum, only third because in general everything they have is $30+ but you can find a solid 2005 JJ Prum Riesling Kabinett that is very well made and retails for $24. It's kinda like buying Clerc Milon and getting a wine close to Mouton Rothschild.
(4) Donnhoff is generally very high on the German wine lover list but like Prum it is $$$ however, like Prum, it has a few wines that sneak in under $30, like the 2005 Donnhoff - Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett for $24. So if Loosen is solid, and Prum is high class, Donnhoff is compelling.
(5) I love Vollenweider, Wolfer Goldgrube but this one is hard to find. His kabinetts have this laser like precision. I never understood that term until I drank this wine. Love it and Love it. Most of his stuff can be found at the sub $30 level.
(6) Fritz Haag, yet another one like Prum and yet another Kabinett at the $24 level, 2005 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, 2005.
(7) Studert Prum, on a vineyard separated from JJ Prum in a manner similar to the Leoville vineyard (?) for Poyferre, Barton, and Las Cases. The Wehlener Sonnerhur Riesling Spatlese and Kabinett are comfortably under $25 and $20 respectively and both are solid but they are not JJ Prum.
(8) Joh Jos Christoffel and their Erben Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese and Kabinett are great values and both are comfortably under $25 and $20 respectively.
(9)Von Hovel wines are a great bargain. Also from Mosel Saar and for their Ruwer Scharzhofberg Riesling Spatlese and kabinett bottles which are nervy confident wines that are comfortably under $20.
(10) Toni Jost for a just better than quaffer and just above a quaffer price generally around $15.
All of the above also have a nice minerally component to the wine that I love in German Rieslings. Also, may of the above make a trocken (or dry) version and they are also very nice and very round in texture. There are a large number of others that are in the high end and if you see them on sale, try them. They include Robert Weil, Diel, Haart, etc). The above list is also well represented in the US (with the exception of the Vollenweider but since I'm a fan...)
I hope this helps! Anyone that can comment on this list I would appreciate. WoW?
[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 10-13-2007).]
- dananne - 10-13-2007
Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a bunch for taking the time. I'll let you know when I've tried a few, and after getting a sense of my palate, hopefully you'll be able to steer me onto other ones, as well. Again, thanks!
And, WOW, you're also welcome to chime in with recs!
- wondersofwine - 11-16-2007
Would add to the very good list Maximiner Grunhauser (may need to age for a year or two), possibly Dr. Wagner or Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein, Leitz Dragon Stone or Drachenstein or Leitz wines from Rudesheim, Lingenfelder "Bird Label."
- TheEngineer - 04-19-2008
Oh so nice. Seems to have settled down a bit and it much more focused but still an amazing depth to the wine. A bit more closed than before so might need to let go of it now for a while. Too bad this vineyard almost all of its fruit in 06.