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Germany 2007 Part 1
Pt 1: One of the oft-acknowledged joys of wine is that each year we have a new vintage to get acquainted with, making wine itself an eternally developing obsession, one that should never become stale or monotonous. But another joy, one that is perhaps more obvious and yet conversely also less frequently extolled I think, is that in each vintage we are offered a smorgasbord of possibilities. If one region entices us a little less than usual, due to the vagaries of the local climate, it is almost certain that elsewhere the weather gods will have been more kind. A look sideways, rather than backwards, can yield wonderful results.
So it is with 2007. In April I travelled to Bordeaux to taste the wines of a vintage which is either a washout or a huge success, depending on whether you identify most with the group of people who demand that a wine stands up and perform for you, in all its points-endowed substance and glory, or alternatively with those who acknowledge that many estates have salvaged something surprisingly drinkable given the terrible rain and rot that hovered over the vineyards for much of the summer. Whichever of these two groups suit you, the vintage was certainly very variable and a questionable buy en primeur. It has forced the Bordeaux-obsessed to look backwards, buying up older vintages. The phrase in common use is 'back-filling'.
Those with broader tastes, however, can revel in the knowledge that elsewhere
in Europe there are wine regions that have basked beneath favourable skies in
this vintage. For Germany, 2006 was the questionable vintage full of
ups-and-downs, perhaps the equivalent of 2007 in Bordeaux. One year on from that
difficult year and we have something that is not only much more homogeneous and
perhaps easier to 'get to grips with', but also the quality is extraordinarily
good. The vintage started with early budbreak and, notably, the earliest
flowering in recorded history for Germany; as with everywhere else in Europe, the
vineyards of Germany are displaying the effects of climate change most
transparently. Having acknowledged that there then came a prolonged and cool
summer, with the sunny days hugely outnumbered by the cloudy and the wet.
Thoughts of an early harvest were forgotten, as the fruit ambled slowly towards
full ripeness. Although some estates began picking in September, perhaps
motivated by the arrival of Autumn rains, many held off, delaying the harvest
through October and even into November. With the benefit of hindsight this was a
good decision. Once the rains had passed the weather remained favourably dry for
many weeks, the days warm and the nights cool, and the acidities slowly fell to
more palatable levels. When the time came to harvest it was a relatively relaxed
affair, bringing in ripe fruit full of extract and acidity in dry conditions.
Having had the opportunity to assess a selection of the wines at the Grossering tasting in 2008, a year which marks the 100th anniversary of the VDP, the 2007 vintage for Germany is in my opinion a highly successful one. It is not quite up there with 2001 I think, although I feel it is very close. Where it sits with 2005 is a matter of opinion; that vintage was an extraordinarily rich one, which will surely be regarded as one of the greatest when we reflect on it, two decades from now, over a glass of Spätlese or Auslese. In 2007 we might not have such overt, fleshy sweetness, which helps the Kabinetts to look more like Kabinetts I think, but we do have wines of considerable substance, wines that build in presence on the palate, with knock-out acidity in many cases, and fabulous, lingering finishes. Many display great minerality, and the fruit characters are plainly displayed too, frequently ripe and juicy pears, but with occasional appearances by melons, limes and herbs. In short there is a wealth of great wines from this vintage; the drier Kabinetts will be popular with some, at the Spätlese level the wines are very fine, and many Auslese are very good although not displaying the fatness that we have often seen over the last decade (some might just be thankful for that). I also found a number of trocken and feinherb wines to be very palatable indeed, something that surprised me, this comment referring in particular to the trockens.
From my admittedly small sampling of estates dotted along the Mosel, Saar, Ruwer and Nahe there are many great wines to choose from in this vintage. Outside of these regions, not only Rheinhessen and Rheingau, but also Franken, Baden, Ahr and so on, I can not comment. I will publish my notes in two instalments, starting here with those of the Nahe (a map of some of the major vineyards is above), and in part two the wines of the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer. (24/6/08)
Germany 2007: Nahe - Tasting Notes
These wines were tasted at the Grossering Tasting in June 2008. They are
presented according to estate of origin. Click
to locate
stockists.
Crusius Traiser Weissburgunder Qualitätswein Trocken 2007: This
Pinot Blanc has a very clean and minerally nose, with a very direct, stony, well
defined character. At first it is attractive and light, with well defined
character like the nose, but it firms up through the midpalate and shows a lot
of substance towards the end. This has force and power, and an appealing,
slightly juicy-sour edge to the finish. Good. 15.5-16+/20
Crusius Top of the Rock Riesling Trocken 2007: This is a blend of
three vineyards, each classified as grosse gewachs. It is not so expressive as
the Weissburgunder, perhaps surprisingly, although it does have a slightly herby
and talcy character on the nose. The palate shows lots of structure and bite,
with a bright and firm style underpinned by good acidity. Balanced, with good
substance. Good. 15.5-16+/20
Crusius Traiser Rotenfels XIII Riesling Spätlese 2007: This is quite
pure and minerally on the nose, lifted although a little talcy-chalky. The
palate offers a lot of character, a very balanced and pure style, with bright
acidity. Great finesse, despite the sweetness and considerable depth to the
wine. This will remain a firm but increasingly complex wine I think. 16.5-17+/20
Crusius Traiser Bastei Riesling Spätlese Goldkapsel 2007: This wine
has an appealing nose of honey-tinged but stony fruit. On the palate it offers a
soft melding of elements, an attractive fatness and texture with a bright and
tingling acidic backbone. This has a delicious, appealing style with a nicely
poised freshness. 17.5-18+/20
Crusius Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Auslese 2007: Another wine of fine
character here, a bright and stylish wine with minerality, spice and depth. It
has a fleshy substance, with plenty of punch and character. There is a
suggestion of good fruit complexity here too. This has excellent potential for
the cellar. 18-18.5+/20
Dönnhoff Riesling Qualitätswein 2007: This is an aromatic wine, with a
chalky and talcy aroma. From the outset on the palate there are some good acids,
although these fade a little through the midpalate where it is a touch fatter
and softer. It has an appealing, juicy finish though. Great length too. This has
really good style. 15-15.5/20
Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2007: This has a
herby nose, with a pure, green and leafy fruit character albeit with a creamy
edge, if that is feasible. The palate makes a very good impression, pure with a
lovely weight, rich but well balanced. Bright with well defined, lifted flavours
and a fleshy substance. Moderate length. Very good indeed. 17-17.5+/20
Dönnhoff Felsentürmchen Riesling Spätlese 2007: This has gorgeous,
well-defined fruit on the nose, which is just dripping with honey and has a
delicious style. The palate is fresh and balanced, and it has a lovely substance
and purity. There are rather youthful sherbet elements to it, but there is
genuine breadth and nascent complexity here too. Excellent. 17.5-18+/20
Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 2007: This has a
very minerally, pure and lifted nose, but underneath this very well defined
character there is a depth of sweet, dried, slightly candied fruits. The palate
is hugely impressive, supple and textured, building through the midpalate,
showing great depth. It carries flavours of lime and melon, and it always
displays a fresh style and deep mineral core despite the wine's rich and fleshy
substance. Put simply, this is fabulous. 18.5-19+/20
Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese 2007: Another wine
displaying great purity of fruit here; if there is ever a wine that truly is
captured light in a glass, this is it. It is gentle but creamy, finely texture,
balanced, and so finely poised. Overall a divine composition that transcends
words as a description. Wonderful. 18.5-19+/20
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheim Riesling Trocken 2007: This has a quite
stylish, refined nose, showing pure and elegant lifted fruit. It is rather
herby, but on the palate it has a nice, filled out substance, with good acidity
and lovely freshness. Balanced, well defined, with a punchy style towards the
finish. I like this. 15.5-16+/20
Schlossgut Diel Eierfels Riesling Trocken 2007: This has a lovely
nose, much more expressive than the Dorsheim Trocken, with stylish, lifted notes
of limes and honey. It is delightful! It combines a good flesh with sharp,
incisive acidity and a creamier midpalate. Elegant, with good flavour, but a lot
of substance. For a style that in the past hasn't always appealed, I find this
really very good indeed. 16.5-17+/20
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheim Pittermännchen Riesling Kabinett 2007: This
has a rather caressing nose full of softly ripe fruit, and on the palate it has
a very pure, fresh character. There is a gentle fleshy character, ripe but well
endowed with defined and reserved fruit. Fine acidity, and a long, long finish.
Very good indeed. 16.5-17+/20
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheim Goldloch Riesling Spätlese 2007: Light and
minerals here, delicate fruit and a crystal-like purity. There is flesh here,
style, and a good acidity underneath. It is fresh, with sweet pear and pepper
flavour, and a bright, acid, mineral-infused finish. Really, very good indeed.
17-17.5/20
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheim Goldloch Riesling Auslese 2007: This has a
very pure, rocky nose, and it has a great presence. A precise definition, with
some evident richness. This is a finely poised wine, carrying a lot of fruit but
also with a fine, mineral-tinged character. Great finish. Excellent. 17.5-18+/20
- See part two for my Mosel, Saar and Ruwer notes.
