[wine] 2006 Riesling Spat and beyond

Nice time at Sorella last night. Nice wines as well. The Chronicle Wine Selections: 2006 German Spatlese, Auslese and Beerenauslese Riesling Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, April 25, 2008 Last week, we provided German QbA and Kabinett Riesling recommendations. This week's recommendations - Spatlese, Auslese and Beerenauslese (BA) - are riper, sweeter and weightier. Some can be weighty but dry and usually carry a halbtrocken (half-dry) or trocken (dry) designation. The Spatlese and Auslese the panel tasted from the 2006 vintage seem to be from wonderful fruit of more even ripeness and excellent, more consistent quality than the QbAs and Kabinetts. The panel tasted 37 wines in these three progressively riper categories, recommending 20, with more than half racking up three stars or better. No Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), the top level in the ripe, rare category, were submitted for our tasting. With concentrated fruit and stunning acidity, Spatlese and Auslese Rieslings are generally affordable and long-lived. They are lovely to have with a meal or on their own. If you ever have an opportunity to try a BA or TBA, consider yourself fortunate and enjoy the experience. Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Erben von Beulwitz Kaseler Nies'chen Alte Reben Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Spatlese ($22) A fuller, riper wine with a slightly muted nose that opens to soft pear, golden apple and quince aromas with sorrel, lime zest and citrus acidity on palate. Rich but somewhat racy; layered and complex. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: FOUR STARS 2006 Erben von Beulwitz Kaseler Nies'chen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Beerenauslese ($170/375 ml) An exotic wine. Aromas of syrupy honeycomb, dried fruit - apple, apricot and papaya - with hints of pencil lead and diesel. Explosive apricot, dried pineapple and surging acidity on the unctuous palate. Superb definition and grip with great structure and balance. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Eisendell Nahe Spatlese ($27) Crushed rose, sandalwood, cassis, spiced apple and lime zest fragrances on the dark, stony nose. A firm, slightly honeyed approach on the palate with round mineral on the pitch-perfect finish. (Importer: Terry Theise Selection/Michael Skurnik ) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 von Hovel Scharzhofberg Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Spatlese ($22) Exotic and zingy with Anjou pear, apricot, floral and dried plum aromas; dark mineral, gravel and galvanizing acidity to match the dense texture. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 von Hovel Kanzemer Horecker Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auslese ($63) Golden with beeswax, granite, lurid apricot, rich nectarine and rambutan aromas. Similar flavors plus hint of caramel corn; unctuous, almost thick mouthfeel. Balanced with galvanizing acidity. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Josef Rosch Trittenheimer Apotheke Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Spatlese ($26) Fresh and balanced, rich but still racy, with focused lemon-lime, roses, honey and pineapple aromas. Juicy fruit is dense on the palate; zippy acidity and mineral notes complete it. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Rheinhessen Spatlese Goldkapsel ($50) "Goldkapsel" or gold capsule - indicates a producer's "extra-good" wine with an actual gold-colored foil capsule around the neck of the bottle. Delicate floral, chervil, apricot, citrus rind and honey aromas with hint of petrol. Very intense, concentrated palate that shows some botrytis - white nectarine, Asian pear, ripe honeyed apricot and mineral. Complex and elegant. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Artist Label Spatlese* ($33) Stars or asterisks on a label is a producer's special designation, which is not regulated by German wine law. While it varies from producer to producer, an increasing number of stars generally indicates a greater ripeness level from the standard bottling - two star is riper than a one star. Stone fruit and tangerine peel with a hint of green herb on the nose with some sulfur dioxide present. Softer palate of sweet caramel with a ripe fruit finish. (Importer: Terry Theise Selection/Michael Skurnik) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Dr. Loosen BA Mosel Beerenauslese ($25/187 ml) This is a great way to test the Beerenauslese waters at a relatively modest price for an unusual offering, a blend of multiple vineyard sites, which is rare for a BA. Fresh herb, rose, green papaya, lime, dense honeyed nectar and mineral/slate on nose and palate. Though dense and viscous, it maintains freshness and vibrancy with a surprisingly racy finish. (Importer: Loosen Bros.) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Himmelreich Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Beerenauslese ($100/375 ml) Orange blossom, acacia honey, persimmon, cinnamon apple and slate aromas. Honey and tropical notes dominate but are tempered with mineral and a delicious, bright, slightly syrupy finish. (Importer: Schmitt Sohne) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auslese** ($60) Subtle nose of lime, apricot, clover honey, petrol and mineral. Intense papaya, dried apricot and beeswax flavors on the palate, which is a touch on the dry side. Lovely grapefruit peel balances the haunting finish. (Importer: Schmitt Sohne) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Spatlese ($30) Ripe, rich, full nose of rose, red apple and honey wrapped in mineral. Palate starts with a racy, sharp mineral twang then finishes with honey and bright apple and its skin; slightly spritzy. (Importer: Schmitt Sohne) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Peter Geiben Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies'chen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auslese ($60) Rich, ripe nose of peach skin, navel orange, dark mineral and hints of wax. The buoyant palate is more compelling - crisp orange peel, stony notes with moderate botrytis and honeyed richness, and almost mouthwatering acidity. (Importer: Terry Theise Selection/Michael Skurnik) Rating: THREE AND A HALF STARS 2006 Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer Rheingau Spatlese Goldkapsel ($39/375ml) Subtle petrol, freshly zested lime, pineapple and dried peach aromas; vibrant, focused palate of apricot, ripe pear, green apple and rose hip with rigid mineral underpinning and a racy, long finish. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Schloss Vollrads Rheingau Spatlese ($29.50) Rich nose of pineapple, apple and ripe peach with a white mineral underpinning. Sweet fruit flavors have buoyancy and kick; long, intense midpalate with guava on the slightly fading finish. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Schmitges Erdener Treppchen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auslese** ($28.50/500 ml) Aromas of wet stone, tangerine and a slight fiery note akin to cinnamon and gasoline. Baked apple, lemon zest, tangerine and intensely sweet peach flavors knit together with intense acidity; subtle grainy texture on the refined finish. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines) Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Seebrich Niersteiner Hipping Rheinhessen Auslese ($23) Moderate length and complexity, clean and straightforward with zesty tangerine, pomelo, pineapple and peach aromas and flavors. Firm mineral palate. (Importer: Winesellers) Rating: THREE STARS 2006 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Spatlese ($32) Ripe apple, quince, loam, apricot and clover honey on nose. Fresh, nectar-driven palate that is rich yet not overly extracted; lovely backbone of minerally acidity. (Importer: Terry Theise Selection/Michael Skurnik) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Dr. H. Thanisch Berncasteler Doctor Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auslese ($60/375 ml) A lovely bit of earthiness and paraffin underscore strawberry, dried apricot, dried papaya and apricot cream notes on the nose. A softer palate with lots of honey - almost Sauternes-like - but acidity picks up on the finish. (Importer: Winesellers) Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Theo Minges Gleisweiler Holle Pfalz Spatlese ($27) With 11.5 percent alcohol, this is a drier style wine but lacks a trocken designation on the label. Citrus, white peach and honeycomb aromas; leaner palate with bright acidity and long, citrusy finish. (Importer: Terry Theise Selection/Michael Skurnik) Panelists include: Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer and wine coordinator; Jon Bonné, Chronicle wine editor; Larry Stone, general manager, Rubicon Estate. For more recommended wines, go to sfgate.com/wine. Key: FOUR STARS: Extraordinary THREE STARS: Excellent TWO STARS: Good Editor's note: As of last week, The Chronicle Wine Selections is listing the importers for all imported wines that we recommend. Not all wines may be carried by your local retailers, but we hope this added information will help to track them down. Please share your thoughts with us at wine@ sfchronicle.com. - Lynne Char Bennett http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/25/WI2P107PP7.DTL This article appeared on page F - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *