By now you just have heard the hype. It's almost inescapable. What is that hype? That is the hype surrounding the 2015 German vintage. And let me tell you, the enthusiasm around the greatness of the 2015 Vintage in Germany more than justified. Many vintage comparisons are thrown around these days so I asked H.O. Spanier and he said it is most closest to 2001 but also a 1990 comparison would be fair. But 2001 was the first one that popped into his head. I have extensive experience with the 2001 vintage in Germany, especially in the Mosel/Nahe/Pfalz, (less experience in the Rheinhssen, because when I was tasting 2001 they were not as prominent). 2001, has an amazing amount of material (fruit, minerals) but what separates it is the level of acidity that buffers all this fruit and keeps these wines so fresh and so zingy that identifying 2001s blind in a lineup is still easy. Even 15 years later because of that famous juxtaposition between perfectly ripe Riesling fruit on top of a wave of acidity, but the ripest and prettiest acids you've ever encountered. 1990 has that effect as well, but leans even more towards acidity. The 2015s have a purity to their ripe fruit that is astonishing. But there is also a zen-like harmony to the 2015s that allows them to be drunk young. And of course there is a vibrant mineral expression in 2015 that is just awe-inspiring.
Today I have, what many people on the list to consider the best Grosses Gewachs that I offer, which is the 2015 Battenfeld-Spanier Frauenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs for as little as $47.99 a bottle on a 4-pack and because in the words of Carolin, "it is so harmonic and minerally it can be drink upon release." Reading that made me want to offer a special case price of $44.99 as people will not want to keep their hands off of this incredible wine. GG's of this quality level are normally priced at $80-100+ a bottle in the States - they are the best dry white white wines in Germany. This is almost a perfect dry Riesling. The complexity is off the charts. Where Am Schwarzen en Hergott is powerful, this wine, while not bashful is so harmonic and balanced, it almost boggles the mind. It takes over your mouth with waves of fruit yet is balanced by what I called in my notes, "an oyster." Riesling on limestone gives a very unique minerality not seen in other areas of Germany with more slate or sandstone. It is brighter and more powerful. That is the vibrating minerality that is so ever present in this wine.The finish is like the best, most saline, sweetest, balanced oyster you have ever had. It's so distinctive that I kept going back and back to it. You want this in your mouth. The texture and vivid precise flavors are like clouds passing through on your palate due to the incredible finesse. But the volume and amplitude of 2015 are there every step of the way to remind you of its greatness. With extreme care to the land and an expert attention to detail, H.O Spanier has created a monument to the 2015 German dry wine vintage. This is your one shot at this one.
Keller's Kirschspiel, Abtserde and Morstein, Rebholz's Kastanienbusch, Schafer-Frohlich's GG' (all of them), Burklin Wolf Kirchenstuck are amongst the wines I would say that the 2015 Frauenberg is on the same level qualitatively. This is a unique distinct expression of Riesling that Riesling geeks will swoon over, but this is also a wine that even the budding wine geek can really get into. This wine is on the same qualitative level as the great white wine producers of the world - it's only because it's German and it's bought direct that it costs this little. If you rarely spend $50 on a bottle, make it this bottle. This wine is normally allocated to longstanding German private clients and distributors - I was only able to secure a small parcel because Carolin and H.O. wanted to reward my customers for their purchases of the 2012/2013/2014 wines.
As a side note at a recent tasting given my list favorite, John Haeger, who has written a wonderful book called Riesling Rediscovered, we tasted all Rieslings that are from limestone soil and Battenfeld Spanier Frauenberg was the wine that moved everyone in the room and was a favorite of everyone there. It had stiff competition with Wittman, Dreissigacker, Von Winning, Ravines, and Huber from Austria. It really showed me that Battenfeld is a step above the rest.
Up next I have what I can only assume is what they serve in God's waiting room is the 2015 Battenfeld Spanier "Prime" Riesling (formerly known as Eisbach and had to be changed because of a copywright situation) for as little as $19.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. Carolin, described this wine as dangerous because a bottle can be emptied so quickly that it is a dangerous wine. I love that type of danger. Because of the dangerous situation regarding this wine I will offer a special case discount of $18.99 a bottle. This is essentially a souped up Estate Riesling. Between an estate wine and a village wine. What it is is an insane value and one of the few under $20 bottles I sell. It is 2015, in a nutshell. If 2015 had a business card this bottle would be it. It has the density and quality of a very good $30 village Riesling. The 2013 is rich, powerful and loaded with fascinating flavors of mint and herbs. As I have said before, sometimes estate wines are more about minerality than fruit. Not this wine. It is dry as the sky is blue but has the fruit and minerality that usually village level dry Rieslings have for the price of an estate wine. Who doesn't like more for less? So clean and refreshing and just cool. It is a case worthy purchase as it tows that line between wine geek wine and something that will please anybody.
No comments:
Post a Comment