Dragon Phoenix Wine Blog

2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Markus Molitor

2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Markus Molitor

Appearance: green-gold, some yellow.

Nose: apples and honey (more developed than expected), some kerosene.

Palate: characteristic high acidity balancing lovely residual sugar. Refreshing, but already softening out seemingly.

Conclusion: this was more advanced in age than I expected, but it’s rash to judge from one bottle. Molitor is a very good German Riesling producer and we will ideally leave the other bottle for a good while.

Rating: 17.5/20 [but will improve]

Labels: 2004, Germany, Kabinett, Markus Molitor, Mosel, Riesling, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, white

Featured Tasting: Dr Loosen, Hilton Hotel, Beijing

Summergate brought in Ernie Loosen of Dr Loosen, the well-known German producer, whose wines are largely based in the Mosel, although he does make some wines in the Pfalz as well. The tasting was held at the Zeta Bar in Beijing's Hilton. Ernie Loosen was a lot of fun and spoke both realistically and optimistically about the China market(s).

2004 Wolf Pinot Noir, Pfalz

Appearance: medium red with orange rim.

Nose: immediate Pinot fruit in a ‘rustic style’, largely red cherry and strawberry.

Palate: high acidity, pleasant fruit, not much length, but faithful to the grape.

Conclusion: pleasant enough Pinot, if rough around the edges on the palate. Would go better with food, particularly salmon. Pretty drinkable, though.

Rating: 15/20

2005 ‘Dr L’ Riesling, QbA

Appearance: light to medium green-gold.

Nose: apples, chemical, slight tartness.

Palate: obviously high acid balanced by the sugar here which is overt in the QbA style. Pleasant apple fruit. Not bad length for this level.

Conclusion: as good a QbA as anyone is likely to find (certainly in Beijing!).

Rating: 16/20

2005 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel

Appearance: light to green-gold.

Nose: very young, but still shows apple fruit, minerality and a generally savoury nose.

Palate: closed apple fruit, more mineral notes, delicate acidity with very well-balanced residual sugar.

Conclusion: a baby of a wine, but already showing some of the characteristics of excellent Mosel Riesling from an already fabled vintage.

Rating: 17.5/20 [but will get better]

2003 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, Mosel

Appearance: medium green-gold

Nose: honey, spice, some kerosene, already mellowing apple fruit.

Palate: round mouth-feel with more honeyed aromatic fruit. Acidity is lacking no doubt owing to the 2003 heat, but this is well put together.

Conclusion: I know some German Riesling producers managed to pull something out of the hat in the difficult 2003 vintage, but although this is largely a lovely wine, I still miss the grip of acidity that was denied that year (apart from to those who rashly acidified). Nice development on the nose, however.

Rating: 17/20

Labels: 2003, 2004, 2005, Dr Loosen, Featured Tastings, Germany, Mosel, Pfalz, Pinot Noir, QbA, red, Riesling, Summergate, Urziger Wurzgarten, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, white

1990 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium, Mosel

1990 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium, Mosel

Appearance: deepish green gold.

Nose: honeyed, fading apples and pears, kerosene, some cheese.

Palate: good balance of acid to sugar, rich, good length. Pleasant honeyed fruit.

Conclusion: we’ve enjoyed the 1990 wines from Gymnasium more than the 1989s, although the 1990s have usually been Spätlesen with that extra bit of richness (not discounting the difference between vintages, however). This was a particularly good bottle.

Rating: 18/20

Labels: 1990, Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium, Germany, Graacher Himmelreich, Mosel, Riesling, Spatlese, white