Twin Cities Wine Tasting with John Glas
Host your own wine tasting with John Glas
WINE REVIEWS & RATINGS

 

 

 

GERMANY

German Rieslings are my favorite wines in the world because of the quality and low prices they are still at.  You can get good Spatlese for under $20.  Here are some great links for further information on German Riesling:

www.winepage.de/links.html

 

1990

1990 Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg (AP6) Auslese

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Honey, floral, mineral

Taste:  Still stunning with floral, mineral, nectar

Finish:  Medium

Evaluation:  Germany Riesling is one of the best wines to age a long time.  Tried in 08.  92 points

2000

2000 Joh. Jos Prum Wehlner Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Petrol, slate, honey

Taste:  Semi sweet with slate, honey, some petrol

Finish:  Medium, balanced, and multi layered

Evaluation:  A pleasant surprise from a bad vintage 92 points

2000 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese $$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, petrol, apricots

Taste:  Floral, petrol, apricots, sugar cubes

Finish:  Dies quick

Evaluation:  Drink up not much left 87 points

2001

2001 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Pineapple, honey, slate

Taste: Good acidity with pineapple, slate, honey

Finish:  Solid

Evaluation:  Nice wine for the price 89 points

2001 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling $$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Citrus, honey suckles

Taste:  Sweet with citrus, honey, slate

Finish:  Medium and balanced wine

Evaluation:  Great vintage from a great producer 92 points

2001 Fritz Haag #6 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese Riesling $$$$

Color:  Dark gold

Nose:  Apple, candied fruits, slate

Taste:  Wow with apples, candied fruits, peaches, and powerful slate taste

Finish:  Long and complex wine with an interweaving of flavors

Evaluation:  Wish I had more!  94 points

2001 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese Riesling $$

Color: Light gold

Nose:  Citrus, spice, mineral

Taste:  Some sweetness but more sour with spice, mineral, and citrus notes

Finish:  Light wine for a Spatlese

Evaluation:  No flaws but lacks intensity 89 points

2001 Dr. Loosen Erdener Pralat Auslese Riesling $$$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Lemon, candied fruits, sour apple

Taste:  Minerals, lemon, honey, peach, and floral notes

Finish:  Long but not intense

Evaluation:  Great Auslese that will cellar for 20 more years 94 points

2002

2002 Baron Heyl Nierstein Spatlese Riesling $$$

Color:  Dark yellow

Nose:  Honey suckles, floral,

Taste:  Sweet, honey suckles, sour, apples, candy corn

Finish:  Medium with mineral, honey suckles, apples

Evaluation:  Tried in 07 and Spatlese Rieslings can age for 20 plus years.  Solid overall.  88 points

2002 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese $$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Slate, peach, honey

Taste:  A touch of sweetness with honey, peach, slate dominating

Finish:  Medium and in perfect form

Evaluation:  Excellent wine from a sub par vintage 92 points

2002 Joh. Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese $$$

Color:  Light Gold

Nose:  Floral, honey, mineral

Taste:  A blend of sweet and sour (balanced).  Honey, mineral, pear, peach

Finish:  Long with peach, pear, honey, mineral, and a little butter scotch

Evaluation:  One of the best Spatlese I have tasted.  93 points

2002 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese $$$$

Color: Medium gold

Nose:  Honey, slate, peach

Taste:  Peach cobbler, honey suckles, nice sour component

Finish:  Medium and concentrated with honey, slate, peach, and floral.  Super balanced wine

Evaluation: Wonderful wine from a great producer 94 points

2002 Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese $$$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose: Clean nose with candied fruits, petrol, minerals, peach, lime

Taste:  Sweet and refreshing with slate, honey suckles, peach cobbler, lime, rose petals

Finish:  Medium and smooth with nice balance

Evaluation:  Light wine with tons of flavor!  93 points

2003

2003 Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlossel Rieslaner Spatlese Riesling $$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose: Floral, ginger, golden apples

Taste:  Little petrol with floral, ginger, spices, and minerals

Finish:  Medium with some powerful flavors

Evaluation:  Great wine from the Pfalz region 92 points

2003 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Kabinett $$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Vanilla, mineral

Taste:  Mineral, vanilla, off taste

Finish: Short and not tasting like a Kabinett

Evaluation:  Disappointed 80 points

2003 Dr. Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Spatlese $$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose: Mineral, peach, pear

Taste:  Light Spatlese with mineral, peach and pear

Finish:  Mild sweetness with good acidity

Evaluation:  Not bad from an OK Vintage 88 points

2003 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Spatlese $$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Slate, peach

Taste:  Light with slate and some fruit

Finish:  Short and light

Evaluation:  Not impressive for a Spatlese 86 points

2003 Joh Joh Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese $$$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Pineapple, slate, honey, minerals

Taste:  Peach, slate, pineapple, honey

Finish:  Medium and intense with slate, peach, honey, pineapple

Evaluation:  Incredible wine and a steal at $35.  94 points

2003 Langwerth von Simmern Hattenheimer Mannberg Spatlese $$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, light honey

Taste:  Floral, and really bitter

Finish:  Short and disappointing

Evaluation:  Poorly made.  78 points

2004

2004 Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Pfalz Spatlese $$$$

Color: Light gold

Nose:  Floral, citrus, mineral

Taste:  Very  different then the Loosen with spice, floral, wet rock not much sweetness as it is a drier styled wine

Finish:  Medium and balanced

Evaluation:  If you like sweet then try the Spatlese wines from the Mosel as the Pfalz tend to be produced with a drier style 92 points

2004 Joh. Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese $$$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Honey, tropical fruit, mineral, Intense!

Taste:  Wow.  Honey, slate, peach, pear, and really balanced

Finish:  Long and intense.

Evaluation:  A treat to say the least.  94 points

2004 Joh. Jos Prum Wehlner Sonnenuhr Auslese Riesling $$$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  A little funk that blew off, slate, peach, apple

Taste:  Wow really intense with slate, honey, peach

Finish:  Long and super balance wine

Evaluation:  94 points with room for improvement

 

2004 Dr. F. Weins Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Pear, apple, mineral

Taste:  A touch of sweetness with sour apple, pear, mineral, and citrus fruit

Finish:  Medium with a hint of sweetness along with apple, pear, mineral, and citrus fruit

Evaluation:  Very well made and a balanced wine from a pretty solid vintage.  88 points

2005

2005 Alfred Merkelbach Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese Riesling$$

Color:  Light

Nose:  Floral, acidic, mineral

Taste:  Rich and bright with crisp fruit

Finish:  Short with mineral and fruit

Evaluation:  Nice and should drink well without food.  88 points

2005 Donnhoff Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Floral, honey, mineral

Taste:  Semi sweet compared to Kabinett and beyond.  Honey, mineral, floral, apple

Finish:  Satisfying with mineral, honey, pear, apple, and floral

Evaluation:  For under $20 a must try.  90 points

2005 Bollig Lehnert Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese $$

Color  Light gold

Nose:  Peach

Taste:  Peach, mineral, grass and some sweetness

Finish:  Short and not strong

Evaluation:  Simple wine but decent 85 points

2005 Prinz von Hessen Rheingau Riesling $$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Slate, peach,

Taste:  Acidic with slate, peach, chalk

Finish:  Starts out strong and then becomes very light

Evaluation:  Due to a weak finish and a high alcohol percentage for a German Riesling not a good wine in my opinion 82 points

2005 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Auslese $$$$

Color: Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, apple, peach

Taste:  Intense with floral, apple, peach, pear, slate

Finish:  Long for a Riesling with complex character.  Incredible balance between acidity and sugar levels.

Evaluation:  One of the best German wines to date 95 points

2005 St. Urbans-Hof Mosel-Saar-Ruwer  Piesporter Goldtropfchen Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Light almost clear

Nose:  Explosive crisp smell with mineral, tropical fruit.  Acid present

Taste:  Medium sweetness with citrus, floral and little acidic element

Finish:  Medium with citrus and minerals

Evaluation:  Tremendous value.  A wine that can be drunk alone or pair with food.  A crowd pleaser at one of my tastings.  90 points

2005 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling $$$

Color: Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, minerals, honey

Taste:  Sweet honey, mineral, floral, and sour

Finish:  Long with honey, mineral, floral, and pear

Evaluation:  Wonderful wine made in the sweet style.  90 points

 2005 Kesseler Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Yellowish hue

Nose:  Mineral

Taste:  Mild sweetness, floral and thick texture

Finish:  Medium with floral and mineral

Evaluation:  A nice inexpensive riesling from the home of riesling 87 points

2005 Baron Knyphausen Erbacher Steinmorgan Spatlese Riesling $$$

Color:  Dark gold

Nose:  Citrus, flint, honey

Taste:  Wow!  Super balanced wine featuring nice acidity and citrus, lemons, flint, honey.  Of course a little sweet but it was a perfect balance to the acidity.

Finish:  Long and pleasing.  Complex wine that went over really well with non white drinkers.

Evaluation:  A stunner at $22!  94 points

2005 Studert-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling $$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Intense floral notes, honey, melon, mineral

Taste:  Sweet, floral, melon, minerals, good acidity

Finish:  Initial burst of flavors but overall short

Evaluation:  Well made and acceptable for the price.  Only flaw is the finish.   87 points

2005 Weber Riesling $

Color:  Clear

Nose:  Mineral and acidity

Taste:  Sweet, fruit and mineral

Finish:  Short and not much there

Evaluation:  Weak finish but for the price it is drinkable.  82 points

2006

2006 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Urziger Wurzgarten $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Peach, mineral, floral

Taste:  Sweet with huge slate, floral, orange peel, honey, peach

Finish:  Floral dominates the finish with hints of slate, orange peel, honey

Evaluation:  What an interesting wine.  A lot going on.  90 points

2006 Fritz Haag Qba Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Mineral, floral, honey

Taste:  Mineral, floral, honey, more sour then sweet

Finish:  Medium and balanced

Evaluation:  Fritz Haag is one of my favorite producers 89 points

2006 Von Hovel Oberemmeler Hutte Kabinett Riesling $$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Honey, melon, mineral

Taste:  Little sweet and sour with nice mineral, melon and honey

Finish:  Good acidity on this medium finish

Evaluation:  Nothing spectacular87 points

2006 Dr. Loosen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Beerenauslese $$$$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Candied fruits, spice, mineral, floral

Taste:  Big and sweet with a variety of elements

Finish:  Medium to long

Evaluation:  This dessert style wine is not as intense as many but overall nice 92 points

2006 Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese Riesling $$$

Color: Light gold

Nose:  Slate, peach, pineapple,

Taste: Sweet with peach, pear, slate, honey

Finish:  Medium with good acidity but a little to floral for my taste

Evaluation:  Inexpensive Auslese that shows 85 points

Tried a week later and improved to a 90 point score

My experience with 06 Germans is to open and let sit for a few days or cellar for some time.

2006 Pfeffingen Pfalz Gewurtraminer Spatlese $$$

Color: Dark

Nose:  Floral, spice, figs

Taste:  Sweet with floral, spice and a pleasant, sharp bitter taste

Finish:  Medium with mineral, spice, floral

Evaluation:  Solid Gewurtraminer made in the Spatlese style 89 points

2006 Joh. Jos Prum Wehlner Sonnenuhr Auslese Riesling $$$$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Peach, mineral, pear, floral

Taste:  Great balance of sweet and acidity with peach, mineral, floral

Finish:  Long and full of fruit

Evaluation:  93 points

2006 Urban Mosel Saar Ruwer Riesling QBA $$

Color:  Pale yellow

Nose:  Intense, mineral, straw, pear

Taste:  Sweet, mineral, straw, little spice, Balanced acidity

Finish: A balance wine with mineral, sweetness, straw on this medium finish

Evaluation:  Well done and a great everyday wine.  87 points

2006 St. Urbans Hof Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, mineral, honey suckles

Taste:  Sweet with floral, honey, tropical fruit, mineral, and the acidity is well balance

Finish:  Medium and sweet with floral, tropical fruit and mineral

Evaluation:  Balanced wine that pairs really well with smoked gouda cheese.  88 points

Sample March 08

Color:  Dark gold

Nose:  Honey, mineral, floral

Taste:  Well balanced between acidity/sweetness.  This is a thick wine with honey, mineral, tropical fruit, and floral notes

Finish: Medium with pleasing character

Evaluation:  This wine has improved since the last sample in 07.  91 points

2006 St. Urbans Hof Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese Riesling  $$

Color:  Dark gold

Nose:  Mineral and honey suckles

Taste:  Thick wine with honey, floral, and mineral notes

Finish:  Balanced wine with a satisfying finish.

Evaluation:  A solid example of a Spatlese Riesling.  87 points

2006 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Auslese $$$ (better after opened for 3 days)

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Honey, floral

Taste:  Sweet with slate, honey, slight petrol quality peach cobbler

Finish:  Medium with slate, honey, peach, and mineral

Evaluation:   A light Auslese with some aging potential 91 points

 

2006 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Auslese $$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose: Honey, must, slate

Taste:  Sweet with golden apples, intense floral notes, honey, minerals

Finish:  Short and light

Evaluation:  Not the most impressive Auslese as the finish is weak 87 points

 

2006 Dr. Loosen Wehlner Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling $$$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Mineral, honey, apple

Taste:  Slate, honey, nice acidity, crisp

Finish:  Medium with slate, honey, sour apples

Evaluation:  Slate as in Terroir here.  A great before dinner sipper or try with some fresh fish.  92 points

2006 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Estate Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Slate, honey

Taste:  Crisp, acidic, honey suckles, apple

Finish:  Medium with a nice balance to the wine.

Evaluation:  Buy a six pack for your next party.  88 points

2006 Polka Dot Pfalz Riesling $

Color:  Light not the best clarity

Nose:  Mineral, honey

Taste:  Sweet but the sour component is disjointed.  Not concentrated

Finish:  Mineral and unbalanced

Evaluation:  A very poorly made wine.  78 points

2006 Urban Mosel Saar Ruwer Riesling QBA $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Peach, mineral, pear

Taste:  Sweet with mineral, pear, and peach

Finish: Medium and balanced

Evaluation:  Summer time wine.  88 points

2006 Villa Wolf Pfalz Gewurztraminer $

Color: Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, mineral

Taste:  Dry wine with floral, mineral, nice fruit

Evaluation:  Solid and nice dry example of Gewurztraminer 86 points

2007

2007 Gysler Weinheimer Rheinhessen Kabinett $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Floral, mineral

Taste:  Too sweet with floral and mineral

Finish:  Sweet out of balance

Evlauation:  Much better out there 85 points

2007 St. Urbans Hof Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese Riesling $$

Color: Medium gold

Nose:  Straw, honey, pinneapple, slate

Taste:  Sweet with mineral, peach, honey, pear, straw

Finish:  Complex but short with a variety of pleasing flavors featuring peach

Evaluation: Great Vintage and another solid effort from Urbans Hof 93 points

2007 St. Urbans-Hof Mosel-Saar-Ruwer  Piesporter Goldtropfchen Kabinett Riesling $$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, slate, Petrol

Taste:  Sweet, slate, floral, petrol, peach

Finish: Short with a heavy slate quality

Evaluation:  Not in the same league as the 07 Spatlese from Urbans 87 points

2007 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Mosel Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Apple, pear, mineral

Taste:  Apple, pear, slate, honey

Finish:  Great acidity with peach, pear, slate, honey

Evaluation:  Wonderful wine!  90 points

2007 Paul Anheuser Kreuznacher Scheurebe Riesling $$

Color:  Light gold

Nose:  Mineral, peach, honey

Taste:  Semi sweet with peach, slate, and graham cracker

Finish:  Medium with slate, peach, and a nice, crisp acidic quality

Evaluation:  Solid everyday Riesling 88 points

2007 Villa Wolf Ffaltz Pinot Gris $

Color:  Light

Nose:  Mineral, orange peel

Taste:  Light with mineral, orange peal, nut

Finish:  Light and refreshing

Evaluation:  Better then most Italian Pinot Grigios 88 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

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