This estate was pouring their wines at Vinexpo last week. After reading about the excellent 2003 vintage in the Saar region of Germany that year, I was anxious to try some wines from the region. This is an estate which I was not very familiar with. I will certainly keep an eye out for them in the future.

This estate is located in the middle of the Saar region. They own 19 hectares in the Würtzberg and Herrenberg vineyards. Both excellent sites. The only wines I saw at Vinexpo were from the Herrenberg vineyard. Both vineyards are on steep, slatey hills. Bert Simon (pronounced sea-moan) purchased these properties in 1968 and has a reputation as a great cellar master.

Here are my notes:

2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Herrenberg Auslese- Minerally nose with white floral notes. A very lithe wine for being of Auslese ripeness. Notes of pear and citrus. Really pure flavors bursting though. Give this 10+ years to really shine. 93 points.

2003 Bert Simon Muller Thurgau Serriger Herrenberg Beerenauslese- Not as crisp nor the cutting acidity you would find in a Riesling. However, this had wonderful ripe fruit with a lush texture. Definite botrytis here. 90-92 points.

1999 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Herrenberg Beerenauslese- Much more aromatic then the Muller Thurgau. Notes of candied apple, lemon merangue and pear nectar. Sweet but balanced by good acidity. 92+ points.

2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Herrenberg Beerenauslese- Like the 2 previous BA's, this will only improve the longer you hold it. Say 15-20+ years. Simon turns it up a notch here. What a juicy, succulent wine. Picked at 160 Oechsle. Concentrated and viscuous with notes of apricot and burnt pear. Just super. 94+ points.

I wish I had remembered to go back and try some of his dry wines the next day.

VM

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Vino Me,

If any Chicago members are interested in Simon's 2003 wines. I was talking to the head of the German department at Sams and they will be getting in both a Spatlese and GKA at reasonable prices. I will probably end up getting a case of each to split up. Please let me know if you are interested.

VM

2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Wurtzberg Spatlese

I opened a bottle of this over the weekend when my wife and I ordered Thai food. I paired this with Chicken Drunken Noodles. I paid $16 for this wine and shared my case allottment with some of the other Chicago Wine Mafia. Sams still has some if anyone else is interested in this wine.

This was another excellent wine from Bert Simon in 2003. The Wurtzberg vineyard has a reputation as Simons best site. It is a monopole vineyard. The grapes were picked at 100 Oe so this is really a declassified Auslese. However, this was not a sweet wine (by German standards) and had only 63 grams of RS. This was a pure, clean wine. Pear and peach aromas on the nose. Exotic fruits, slatey notes and citrus on the palate. Excellent food wine. Long elegant finish. Worth every penny. 91-92 points.

VM

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vino Me:
If any Chicago members are interested in Simon's 2003 wines. I was talking to the head of the German department at Sams and they will be getting in both a Spatlese and GKA at reasonable prices. I will probably end up getting a case of each to split up. Please let me know if you are interested.

VM

---

what if you don't live in Chicago....?

PE,

I've got you covered. I set aside one of the GKA's for you.

VM

Bruce Sanderson recently rated the 2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Herrenberg Auslese at 95 points in an online WS report. Pierre Rovani only gave this 87 points I believe which I disagree with. I would certainly recommend this wine again to anyone who can find it.

VM

quote:

Originally posted by Vino Me:
2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Wurtzberg Spatlese

I opened a bottle of this over the weekend when my wife and I ordered Thai food. I paired this with Chicken Drunken Noodles. I paid $16 for this wine and shared my case allottment with some of the other Chicago Wine Mafia. Sams still has some if anyone else is interested in this wine.

This was another excellent wine from Bert Simon in 2003. The Wurtzberg vineyard has a reputation as Simons best site. It is a monopole vineyard. The grapes were picked at 100 Oe so this is really a declassified Auslese. However, this was not a sweet wine (by German standards) and had only 63 grams of RS. This was a pure, clean wine. Pear and peach aromas on the nose. Exotic fruits, slatey notes and citrus on the palate. Excellent food wine. Long elegant finish. Worth every penny. 91-92 points.

VM

Thanks I've been looking for a wine thats not too sweet so i'm a happy camper.

I have a bottle of Marc Kreydenweiss 02 pinot blanc.Can anyone tell me what it's like?

Walt,

Kreydenweiss is not German. It is a French wine from Alsace. I have had a couple of his wines but not this one. He has a very good reputation.

VM

2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Herrenberg Beerenauslese Goldkapsule

I opened a bottle of this last night when Seaquam, Pinot Envy and their spouses came over. Just as good as when I first had this at Vinexpo. Similar notes. This is only going to get better. 95 points.

VM

2003 Bert Simon Riesling Serriger Wurtzberg Spatlese

Otis opened a bottle of this at his CDP. This was my 2nd favorite white of the night. Drinking even better than when I first had it. 92 points.

VM

I must have been in a white wine mood at the CDP because all of my favorites that night were whites. I liked this one enough that I started looking for more.

VM,

Opened this Spatlese at a dinner we had with Jcocktosten and MLV a few weeks ago. Although we didn't take any formal notes, I think we all agreed that we liked this a bit more than the 2002 Leitz Rudeshimer Berg Roseneck Spatlese that we had as well. I would put it in that low 90 point range as well.

That is consistent with my recollection also, Emilio.

Bert Simon 2003 Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Spätlese, Saar

Brass color, even mix of petrol, slate and apple aromas, simple apple, and dark almost flambéed pear flavors, with a healthy dose of minerals and a mild lime acidity to top it off. An average wine, 88.

Sean,

The Spatlese could be closed now. Do you have an opinion on whether it was or not?

VM

Brass color?
Here is my last encounter with brass color which was on the dark side.
I wouldn't expect a '03 Spatlese to have a brass color.
Maybe you and me have a different definition for brass...
Or the wine could have been damaged or be an off bottle.

EDIT:
Here are my notes on this wine:

• 2003 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/16/2005)
  Second time drinking this wine.
  Light petrol on the nose, sulfur on the nose that I don't recall from the 1st time. On the palate apples, pears and mineral notes. Mid finish. Excellent. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ArieS,

It may be closed, however I drank it over about 6 days and it never improved in fact it declined slightly. Perhaps it was stored improperly and aged much more than it was supposed to and is now "over the hill." Or it could be I just don't like it as much as everyone else.

BTW, I tend to use brass as a color because there's lots of brass in my house and thats usually what the color reminds me of.

Ok so I guess we see brass with a different tone you and me
So imagine mine as a dark brass

2003 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2/23/2010)

3rd time I have had this wine and the first time since 2005. Brought this bottle to Michigan and opened with some friends. Showing very well. Starting to turn a little more yellow. Still had a little bit of spritz and very young and fresh tasting. Excellent depth. Similar flavor profile as the last 2 times I had it. Bert Simon made wonderful wines across the board in 2003. 92 points.

VM

Bert Simon recently sold this estimable estate and has marketed many older wines from his cellar. Watch out for some good older stuff--like many Saar wines, these are great agers.

quote:

Originally posted by RieslingRat:
Bert Simon recently sold this estimable estate and has marketed many older wines from his cellar. Watch out for some good older stuff--like many Saar wines, these are great agers.

True that, I don't know if you missed this thread but I recently bought some B. Smon on close out, my notes are here

I am a rather infrequent visitor here, ArieS. I'm glad you took advanatage of these wines. I remember that DeeVine had lots of them on sale, and I'm sure others did too..

2005 was the last vintage Bert made before he retired. A good vintage to go out on. About 5 years ago I tried a 1989 Auslese. This was not one of the closeout wines you mention but it shows his older wines age well.

VM

Have tasted the 1989 and agree. I hope to get to the estate when we go to Germany and Austria in September.