There is a group of about 10 of us that have started trying to have a regular group tasting every month. We were set for Riesling, but kept having problems with the date. After about 4 attempt to do it, we final managed to accomplish our mission. We each bring a bottle based on the theme we have chosen. Other than that, we have no idea what the wines are or where they come from.

We taste them all blind and make notes. When all the wines have been tasted, then we rate them according to our favorites and unveil the bottles. I have listed the wines in the order we ranked them for the night, from first place to last.

I apologize up front for not having prices or specific, detailed info on some of these. And my notes are somewhat fragmented, but I thought it would be nice to post them anyway.

1990 Schloss Reinhartshausen – Rheingau, - Germany

This was the WOTN. One of the guys said he had decided that it was the color of urine. We then shamelessly teased him that he must be dehydrated and needed to drink more water. Beautiful dark gold in color. Heavy aromas of butter. This was definitely Old World wine. Had a slight amount of petrol on the nose also. Sweet, heavy palate. I would guess that this is slightly older (10-15 years of age on it). Wonderful honey flavors, it was rich and heavy in the mouth. I have never really cared for sweet wine, but I am beginning to realize that apparently I have just not tried the right stuff before.


1996 Mt. Horrocks – Australia

This was the deepest gold I have ever seen in a Riesling (not that I’ve had much). It had very heavy aromas of nail polish remover on the nose (acetone). Several people commented that they thought this had to be a TBA wine. Not very acidic, but oh so heavy on the palette. Rich and fat. Absolutely gorgeous aromas. It seemed very sweet and just completely coated the mouth.

1989 Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium – Germany

Judging by the color, definitely an older wine. Most pegged this as a German wine. Very sweet aromas on the nose – mostly honey-like. It still had very high acidity. That made for a most interesting sweet/sour combination that most of us really enjoyed.

2001 Berncasterler Doctor – Germany

Pale gold in color. It had lots of fruity aromas such as peach. There was a frontal attack of acid, however the wine was very nicely balanced. Slightly sweet on the finish. Most of us guessed that this was German in origin. There was an interesting mix of minerals at the back of the throat right as you swallowed.

2001 Grosset Polish Hill – Australia

My contribution (thanks for all the recommendations). Pale yellow in color. Lots of citrus aromas on the nose, specifically lemon. There was also a bit of diesel. Soft in the mouth with just the slightest bit of acidity on the finish. Definitely New World. Slightly bitter on the finish, but that didn’t really detract from the overall impression of the wine.

1999 Weingut Brundlmayer – Austria

Most of us thought this was from Alsace (guess what – we were wrong). Very high acidity in this one. Lots of perfume on the nose. Very dry and you could tell that it was higher alcohol than many of the others. Also had some smoky qualities, along with a little bit of petrol.



1998 Prauger – Austria

Very nice gold color. Old World. Had oily aromas to it. Much lower acidity in this one. Maybe lowest of the night. (which was nice). I thought my tongue was going to fall out by the time we were done). Green aromas on the nose, which several commented they always seemed to associate with Austria. Much softer than any of the others the had.

2000 Holloran – Oregon

This one tricked us all. We all thought it was Old World. Aromas of wet stone, petrol and slate. Some green fruit on the nose. Most of us guessed Germany right away. Seemed very young. Very dry on the finish with a good amount of minerally components.

2001 Smith Madrone – California

Very pale in color, with just a slight bit of gold to it. Lots of citrus. Very acidic with not much of the mineral character. Very floral. Most guessed this to be New World, specifically West Coast. Hey, we got one right.

2001 Seven Hills – Oregon

My notes on this one are worthless. All I had down was very pale in color and very, very thin in the mouth. I ended up dumping this one out so I could go back and get more of #1.

thanks for the tasting note:)i am interested in the 90 Schloss Reinhartshausen ( I would guess it is at least an auslese by your TN), and I am wondering where you guys got it? If you can, please let me know:) you can either leave a reply here or e-mail sunhee@netvigator.com, thanks:)

This is what i've learned after living for 24 years-- truth only comes out when everyone is drunk

Hi Jules,

Have you found the December TAA yet. If you are going to be in Chicago anytime soon you will find the 2000 Fuageres at Binny's. They will ship to you also.

Thanks for the notes. Do you have the vineyard names for the Prager and Brundelmayer? I'd also like to know the ripeness level of the German and Austrian wines (Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, etc.). Last question, who was the producer on the Berkasteler Doctor? You did not list it.

Those German labels are confusing aren't they?

VM

No. They are probably the easiest to read and most informative of wine labels.

Take for example a Bordeaux label - Ch. Baran, Apellation Bordeaux Controlee, Mis en Bouteille ala Propertie.

What can you tell about this wine?

It comes from somewhere or maybe a few different somewheres in the Bordeaux. Is there a chateau baran, or is it just a name? It is bottled by someone where they produce it.

Compare to Mosbacher Eselhaut, Auslese, Trocken, Erzeuger Abfullung, Weingut Ed. Weegmuller, Nahe.

You know the town, you know the estate/vineyard, you know the sugar/ripeness level at harvest, you know that even though an Auslese it will not be sweet because it is vinified dry, it is bottled by the producer who is Weegmuller, and it is from the Nahe region.

I hate german labels. Half the time I can't figure out who the producer is on them. I'll see some of the others this weekend and see if they have more specific information on these that I can add.

Leesunhee - I only know where the one I provided came from. I can check and see who brought it and maybe they can tell me where it came from.

VM - thanks for the tip. I just ordered it from Winex since they got more in and I was getting a few other things too. Should have it next week, just in time for the TAA.

It's easy.

Look at the example I gave above.

Besides that a lot are called Weingut xxx, you can easily identify everything that is NOT the producer.

Biggest words are usually the location and 9 times out of 10 wil be xxx-er Something. Two words, first ending in "er".

It won't be the name of the grape which you should recognize.

Forgot that in my earlier post, they even put the kind of grape on the label.

- it won't be kabinett or spatlese etc.

It will most of the time include a person's name such as Ed. (see above) or John or Joseph or JJ.

It seems difficult because the words and maybe the lettering is unfamiliar. You just have to take a second and try - they really are the easiest, most informative wine labels in the world.

Ok, here are the full names of the wines from the tasting:

1990 Schloss Reinhartshausen Hattenheimer Weisselbrunner Auslese

Prager Weisenkirchen Klaus Smaragd

Dr. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Spatlese

Brundlmayer Langenloiser Steinmassel

Frederic-Wilhelm-Gymnasium Trittenheimer (Altarchen?) Auslese

Haven't seen everyone, so I don't know yet who brought the 1st one.

Good on ya' with the Grosset Jules. Don't be concerned about the suggestion of bitterness (though I usually find tartness in young Polish Hills). Jeffrey Grosset makes his Rieslings for the long haul, and the Polish Hill in particular can seem aggressive and unbalanced in its youth.
A query. Was the Mt. Horrocks the 'Corton Cut' Rielsing (which is a dessert style), because their standard Riesling is dry.

Wine tastes better upside down.

Yes, it was the dessert style wine. For most of us, it was a toss up as to whether the Mt Horrocks or the Schloss Reinhartshausen was the WOTN. They were both outstanding.

I really enjoyed the Polish Hill. This was the first time I have had any Australian riesling and I really enjoyed them both.

VM,

I can help ypu out with the Austrians:

Prager Weisenkirchen Klaus Smaragd

Producer: Prager
Location: Village of Weisenkirchen in the Wachau
Klaus: Vineyard
Smaragd: > 91 degrees Oeschle similar to Auslese. Ripest grapes, fermented dry (2-5 gr. residual sugar) often resulting in wines in excess of 14.5% alc. for best producers

Brundlmayer Langenloiser Steinmassel

Brundlmayer: Producer (one of the very best in Austria)
Langenloiser: Grapes are from the town of Langenlois in the Kamptal region
Steinmassel: Large vineyard known for the poor and stony soils which produce very powerful age worthy wines. I believe this wine is a Spatlese (the German naming conventions are generally used in the Kamptal)

Ciao

Enoselsa

Thanks Jules,
I would love to get some of the 90 schloss Reinhartsausen Auslese. Please let me know which store you got them from or where i can get more if possible:) I had tried 1 , and i loved it too. Too bad I didn't get more at that time T.T