Sam Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 Towards the end of August, I was in Germany for the Rudesheim wine festival and brought home three Rieslings I tried there and absolutely love them. (I don't know if they are actually good wines, but they taste great to me!) I asked all of the wineyards if they export to the US and they do. I was wondering, if all I have is the bottle and label to work with, who would be the best wine merchant to talk with in the hopes of ordering a case? Perferrably VA (Arlington, Alexandria areas) or DC? Thank you so much in advance for any help anybody can provide! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan7147 Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 Towards the end of August, I was in Germany for the Rudesheim wine festival and brought home three Rieslings I tried there and absolutely love them. (I don't know if they are actually good wines, but they taste great to me!) I asked all of the wineyards if they export to the US and they do. I was wondering, if all I have is the bottle and label to work with, who would be the best wine merchant to talk with in the hopes of ordering a case? Perferrably VA (Arlington, Alexandria areas) or DC? Thank you so much in advance for any help anybody can provide! I would check wine-searcher.com to see what stores in the area might have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 Towards the end of August, I was in Germany for the Rudesheim wine festival and brought home three Rieslings I tried there and absolutely love them. (I don't know if they are actually good wines, but they taste great to me!) I asked all of the wineyards if they export to the US and they do. I was wondering, if all I have is the bottle and label to work with, who would be the best wine merchant to talk with in the hopes of ordering a case? Perferrably VA (Arlington, Alexandria areas) or DC? Thank you so much in advance for any help anybody can provide! What are the names of the wines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 Towards the end of August, I was in Germany for the Rudesheim wine festival and brought home three Rieslings I tried there and absolutely love them. (I don't know if they are actually good wines, but they taste great to me!) I asked all of the wineyards if they export to the US and they do. I was wondering, if all I have is the bottle and label to work with, who would be the best wine merchant to talk with in the hopes of ordering a case? Perferrably VA (Arlington, Alexandria areas) or DC? Thank you so much in advance for any help anybody can provide! If it was in Rudesheim, it could be Josef Leitz you're talking about. Go to page 144 of this document (note, it's page 144 on the actual document, but on my .pdf reader it shows up on page 152). It amuses me that Terry Theise "renamed" the Drachenstein vineyard "Dragonstone" - purely for marketing purposes! Cheers, Rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 15, 2005 Author Share Posted October 15, 2005 What are the names of the wines? The one I really like is Scholl, a 2003 Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Kabinett. It come in 1L bottles (green with a screw top), not the usual 750ml. Looks like maybe made by Eduard Scholl. 2nd one is Kunger 2002 Riesling Kabinett, Rudesheimer Kirchenpfad. Made by Franz Kunger. Brown bottle with red seal. Third is a leitz, 2004 Rudesheimer Bischofsberg. I like all three and would be happy with a case of any of them, but I really like the first one the best. I find it to be a nice table wine. I don't have a great knowledge of wine, although I would like one. I am just going off of the fact that I think it is good. Riesling is my all time favorite wine, so the more of it I can have in the house, the better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 15, 2005 Author Share Posted October 15, 2005 If it was in Rudesheim, it could be Josef Leitz you're talking about. Go to page 144 of this document (note, it's page 144 on the actual document, but on my .pdf reader it shows up on page 152).It amuses me that Terry Theise "renamed" the Drachenstein vineyard "Dragonstone" - purely for marketing purposes! Cheers, Rocks. Well, I just found this in that document you linked. Guess that answers my question on one of them. Thanks for the link though-it looks very interesting! 2004 Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken Fluffy-leesy and spicy and splendidly well-balanced; typical brine-smoky aromas, along with the `04 wisteria and iris; this has length and salt and a caressing fruit. Virtually perfect dry Riesling. SOS: 1 (yes, this tastes sweeter than it is) (now to five years) SOMMELIER ALERT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 Well, I just found this in that document you linked. Guess that answers my question on one of them. Thanks for the link though-it looks very interesting!2004 Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken Fluffy-leesy and spicy and splendidly well-balanced; typical brine-smoky aromas, along with the `04 wisteria and iris; this has length and salt and a caressing fruit. Virtually perfect dry Riesling. SOS: 1 (yes, this tastes sweeter than it is) (now to five years) SOMMELIER ALERT! Leitz also has a Magdalenenkreuz (available locally, perhaps at Calvert-Woodley) that is seriously minerally and CHEAP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 Leitz also has a Magdalenenkreuz (available locally, perhaps at Calvert-Woodley) that is seriously minerally and CHEAP! So which other stores in DC would you say are better than average? I know of Arrowwine in Arlington, but am not as familiar with DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I would check wine-searcher.com to see what stores in the area might have it. Thanks for this tip. I didn't know about this site before and I looked up something I have been searching for (not a German wine) and found it at a local place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe H Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 http://www.winezap.com/ along with wine-searcher are both excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demetrius Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 There is a place called Central Liquor on 917 F Street, NorthWest. One of the owners is a guy named Alec Akopov and if he doesn't have it, he can get it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Riley Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Yesterday I had the pleasure of tasting with Herr Felix Bürklein, of Weingut Künstler, to my mind one of the two best estates in the Rheingau (the other being Robert Weil). Rather than drone on about technical details, I'll just post these links here for anyone interested in greater detail about the estate and its people and their wonderful wines: The winery website:http://www.weingut-kuenstler.de/content.htm Info from the U.S.A. importer: http://www.germanwine.net/estates/kuenstler/kuenstler.htm Now I'll just give you some very general overviews of how I felt about them, as I'm generally predisposed to copious amounts of quivering verbiage and I'm trying to hold myself in check somewhat. The first wine that we tasted was their Pinot Noir 2003, a light but tasty wine made in a Burgundian style, but reminding me more of a red Sancerre. I'm glad to see more Pinot Noir from Germany - the conditions are much more difficult to grow Pinot Noir in Germany than in, say, Burgundy but when it is on, it is really pretty stuff. I liked it. Around $25 The second wine was the Hochheimer Kirchenstuck Riesling Auslese (Dry) 2003. I LOVE dry Auslese Rieslings, they have a density to them that I find incredibly appealing, despite my reservations that Auslese grapes should be allowed to express their residual -sugar-at-harvest levels. It was indeed dry, but not austere. Very pretty, clean fruit. Around $70 Wine #3 was the Hocheimer Stielweg "Old Vines" Riesling 2004. This bad boy was racy and crisp, but still on the dry side. Very pretty, clean and just had me drooling as I thought about what foods to pair this with. Around $39 Wines #4 and #5 were the Estate Riesling 2003 and 2004. These wines represent the incredible value of good, solid basic but NEVER boring Riesling. The 2004 was just a touch livelier as to be expected, and I love it when basic Estate bottled Riesling reminds you of the more expensive stuff. Stel-Vin closures here, too. Around $18. Wine #6 was the Hocheimer Reichestal Riesling Kabinett 2004. NOW, we're talking! My tastes for Riesling runs towards having a touch of residual sugar on the palate, not to "sweeten" things up but just enough to catalyze the fruit flavors and this one had it in spades, with plenty of light peach notes (from what I can remember). I could drink this all night long, and probably not suffer, as I believe the alcohol was around 7% (maybe 7.5%). Around $22. Wine #7 wsa the Hocheimer Kirchenstueck Riesling Spätlese 2004. HEY now! THIS is my kinda Riesling! Lots of ripe fruit, plenty of supporting acidity, breed, length, minerals... This got me dreaming about white asparagus. Around $38. If you are a Riesling lover, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted with Künstler, because the Riesling experience is incomplete without a healthy dose of Rheingau, and it doesn't get much better than this estate (I won't even go into the VDP auction wines that we would never see here!). If you've never tried Riesling, or at least never German Riesling, then I would highly suggest starting with the Estate bottlings. They are honest wines, very true to their soils. If you are in the "Eew! All Rieslings are SWEET!" camp, then some of these are a clear refuting of that notion. Give the dry wines a try and open yourself up to a beautiful world of food-friendly, light wines that are refreshing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 The 04 Reichestal Kabinett was the first 04 German I got to taste, and needless to say it got me awfully excited about the '04 vintage after the fat of '03 and the not-as-focused-as-I-might-have-liked-except-for-the-very-best-producers 1999-2002. Seriously, seriously good. And you can drink a whole bottle and still be awake at the end of dinner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Wine #6 was the Hocheimer Reichestal Riesling Kabinett 2004. NOW, we're talking! My tastes for Riesling runs towards having a touch of residual sugar on the palate, not to "sweeten" things up but just enough to catalyze the fruit flavors and this one had it in spades, with plenty of light peach notes (from what I can remember). I could drink this all night long, and probably not suffer, as I believe the alcohol was around 7% (maybe 7.5%). Wine #7 wsa the Hocheimer Kirchenstueck Riesling Spätlese 2004. HEY now! THIS is my kinda Riesling! Lots of ripe fruit, plenty of supporting acidity, breed, length, minerals... This got me dreaming about white asparagus. Around $38. We are going to pour the Kabinett by the glass starting next week, we have a case of Weil KLabinett to go thru first. Dang! The Kirchenstuck Spatlese is my kind of wine, tripical, lush, balanced, insanely good. And for the price its a steal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 We are going to pour the Kabinett by the glass starting next week, we have a case of Weil KLabinett to go thru first. Dang! The Kirchenstuck Spatlese is my kind of wine, tripical, lush, balanced, insanely good. And for the price its a steal! No no no no no no no....that Weil Kabinett is....vile. You need to bring in a professional for expert disposal of that case of wine. [raises hand] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 No no no no no no no....that Weil Kabinett is....vile. You need to bring in a professional for expert disposal of that case of wine.[raises hand] While the Weil is far from vile, you'd best be in soon as it will be gone is a short while . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 I had a glass of Von Hovel Estate Riesling tonight. This is meerly a QBA from one f the best producers in the Mosel Saar Ruwer valleys. That is it is the entry level wine made from the first pick of the vineyards, the grape deemed not worth of being ripened to higher stages or wines that having been left to ripen, did not achieve the greatness that the producer looks for in their pradikat (higher level) wines. It was freaking fantastic. Loads of acisity, full minerality, apricoty and peachy flavors, it was everything I look for in a quaff. It retails for under $15 a bottle (if you can find a retailer who carried a nice selection of German wines). Last week I was tasting a bottle of Albert Mann Gewurztraminer from 2004. It is just killer! Loaded with spice and rich flavors, classic litchi fruit and more. It is dry, with a great acid backbone. It is a world class wine that retails for around $25 a bottle or less. Thwe point here is that in a world where one had to beg to get a bottle of the latest overoked cult california Chardonnay at over $100 a bottle, or decide between your kid's college education or a bottle of a Parker 98 point White Burg, one can drink wonderful rieslings, Gewurztraminers and Tocais from Alsace and Germany at prices that border on the rediculously low. In 2001 my wife and I bought a load of Albert Mann and other Alsatians. We loaded up on sseveral cases of German wines as well. We spent $50 a bottle for maybe 6 bottles out of 5 cases worth. Many were bought for $10 a bottle. Now when we crack them, we are amazed at the return on our investment. The only problem we ahve is that when one of these bottles are open, she drink over half the bottle if I don't keep track of every ounce!!! What's up with that??? And while 2001 was a great vintage, 2004 and 2005 shine far above. In fact these two vintages are amongst the best, if not the two best vintages, from these areas I have ever had (I go back to 71 in Germany and '77 in Alsace). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinDC Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 Does anyone know where to buy the riesling that Dean describes in DC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmwine Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Spot on, Dean! And I notice, with a sense of curiosity, that you aren't raving about the '03s ... When I visited Alsace last year, the producers I spoke to all had their '03s on sale, so they didn't want to say anything that would hurt the bottom line. But I could sense the indifference, and the wines themselves were uneven. But mention the '04s and their faces would light up ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Spot on, Dean! And I notice, with a sense of curiosity, that you aren't raving about the '03s ...When I visited Alsace last year, the producers I spoke to all had their '03s on sale, so they didn't want to say anything that would hurt the bottom line. But I could sense the indifference, and the wines themselves were uneven. But mention the '04s and their faces would light up ... The 03s are 03's they are highly ripe wines loaded with sugar. When they are balanced they are pretty wild. When not, they are undrinkable (to me) dross but lovers of flabby wines will adore them. I cannot make a case for going out and finding a bunch of 03's because there will be many flops mixed witha few wonders. But if you happen on some Albert Mann 03 Steingrubler Gewurt, it is over the top good. But the 04 is better for aging. Since I like my Alsatians with a few to many years age on them, I go for the 04's. Does anyone know where to buy the riesling that Dean describes in DC? I don't know who stocks a really good selection of Germans, but the wines I like best are the Rudy Weist selections (I admit to being woefully ignorant of the Terry Thiese protfolio). These two protfolios are easily available in DC at the goood wine shops. Joe Riley at Ace has a great Alsatian selection IIRC. I would bet that whatever he has it is pretty damn good stuff. Ace is one of the stores with the most rigourously selected product line. Cleveland Park Wines has a stron German program but I do not know what they have in stock. Go there and tell Anthony Quinn I sent you. Macarthurs and Calvery Woodley have loads of stuff from pretty much everywhere, but with that much breadth there is some stuff that sells on reputation regardless of weather it is worth it or not. There is also wonderful stuff. Ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Riley Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 I love the Von Hovel wines, and I've spent some time with young Max, whose "six-times grandfather" began the winery. They are truly wonderful wines. I've been an Albert Mann fan for, oh, 15 years perhaps. The Bartholome brothers (the owners) are great people, and probably the tallest winegrowers in all of Europe. Maurice Bartholome sent me an incredibly kind email right after 9/11, expressing concern and support. I don't have anything from either of these growers in stock at this particular moment, but I'd be very happy for a customer to give me the excuse to buy them. Oh, and if anyone can find any 2002 Alsace wines on the market (I have a few) snap them up with all haste. It is a thrilling vintage, especially at the Grand Cru level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Oh, and if anyone can find any 2002 Alsace wines on the market (I have a few) snap them up with all haste. It is a thrilling vintage, especially at the Grand Cru level. Farkin' A right! I can say that can't I? 2001 is also a vintage worth scouting out as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Riley Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 My friend David Raines, wine director emeritus at the Gordon's chain in Waltham, Mass. sent out an email today where he posited the notion that very dry Riesling (esp. the inexpensive ones from Germany) was the answer to the increasingly-expensive Chablis from France: I’m not kidding when I say Riesling Trocken is the new Chablis. Chablis is small. As more and more people turn to that style of crisp, high acid wine, Chablis’s prices are going up.You can get the SAME dry, light, gratifyingly tart pleasures from dry Riesling. And you can get them for about 33% fewer euros. I cannot disagree. I'm one of those people who adores high-acid, crisp, racy white wines. Not austere wines, mind you, I'm not a fan of those sorts of wines that Terry Theise like to refer to as having been "raped into dryness". The wine has to have some flavor and character to it, after all. For those of you who aren't familiar with German wine label terms, the word "trocken" means dry, but not just dry, I mean SERIOUSLY dry, as in less than .9 grams per liter of residual sugar present (try finding a California Chardonnay with so little residual sugar sometime). Most German Rieslings are not that dry, but many are what I like to call "just plain dry", meaning that they aren't "sweet" but they aren't whippet-racy, live wires of acidity, either in terms of how they present themselves. Riesling, especially German Riesling, needs greater appreciation in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I mean SERIOUSLY dry, as in less than .9 grams per liter of residual sugar presentI believe the regulation is less than 9 g/L. Many trockens lack the aromatic interest of their less dry counterparts and often do not age into balance. But some trockens (from producers such as Lingenfelder and Karthauserhof) are really excellent wines. That said, I generally prefer my bone-dry riesling from either the Wachau in Austria or from Alsace (where it is a dying breed, sadly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 That said, I generally prefer my bone-dry riesling from either the Wachau in Austria or from Alsace (where it is a dying breed, sadly).Do either of these actually indicate dryness on the label, or do you just have to ask someone who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Alsace is a crap-shoot. You have to know producers. The good, bone-dry producers that are available in the US include Trimbach (frightfully well-distributed for the quality of the wines), Laurent Barth, and Charles Koehly. (Others can add more--not something I've studied that closely). Weinbach's wines tend to be sec-tendre (just off-dry) and are plenty steely in good vintages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I believe the regulation is less than 9 g/L. Many trockens lack the aromatic interest of their less dry counterparts and often do not age into balance. But some trockens (from producers such as Lingenfelder and Karthauserhof) are really excellent wines. That said, I generally prefer my bone-dry riesling from either the Wachau in Austria or from Alsace (where it is a dying breed, sadly). I think what you need to look for when it comes to dry German Riesling is Spätlese Trocken, i.e., a Prädikat wine with the requisite ripeness and backbone, but with less residual sugar than a traditional Spätlese would have. These wines first became fashionable in the late 80s and early 90s as more Germans began to drink wine with food, which is traditionally not how Germans have enjoyed wine. They can be marvelous, full wines with the characterstic Riesling nose and body but still dry. A good one is a match for Chablis Premier Cru any day. Back in its day, Schloss Vollrads specialized in this style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Do either of these actually indicate dryness on the label, or do you just have to ask someone who knows? Olivier Humbrecht of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht puts an index number from 1 to 5 on his labels to indicate the sweetness levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Olivier Humbrecht of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht puts an index number from 1 to 5 on his labels to indicate the sweetness levels.1 being driest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 1 being driest? Yes. 5 is the sweetest. (Sorry). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm212 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 1 being driest?I am no expert, but Whole Foods have some great Reislings you can sample in their Fair Oaks tasting room. Without the bottle, I cannot remember the exact name, but there is a bottle about $25 that I enjoyed so much I bought a case about a month ago.Taste, Sample and buy what you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 I received an e-mail from The Vineyard today that may be of interest to Riesling lovers. They are having a sale on a boatload of Terry Thiese selections from Germany and Austria (too many to list here) and: <snip> We have two excellent tastings again this weekend including some of the highest rated Rieslings from the new Robert Parker Wine Advocate issue<snip> Look in on us at www.thevineyardva.com or come for a visit, you‘ll be impressed. We are located at the beautiful Palladium building at 1445 Laughlin Ave off Chain Bridge Rd. in the new downtown Mclean, VA with easy access from Washington DC, Montgomery County, and all of northern Virginia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine Guy 23 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 are there any new DAC's in austria. besides the 3 that are there now traisental weinvertal burgenland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 are there any new DAC's in austria. besides the 3 that are there now traisental weinvertal burgenland Politics takes time. Kremstal? Ja. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I had the opportunity to sample the 2013 Domaine Weinbach Cuvée Ste. Catherine L'inedt Schlossberg Riesling Alsace Grand Cru last night. That was a mighty fine wine. Especially with really good goat cheese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I had the opportunity to sample the 2013 Domaine Weinbach Cuvée Ste. Catherine L'inedt Schlossberg Riesling Alsace Grand Cru last night. That was a mighty fine wine. Especially with really good goat cheese. Sure glad to hear that given how long that name is. I'm not a wine expert but know a little and what I like. Probably a rookie thing to say but feel like the industry might be better served to simplify naming. Realize it'll never happen but may partly explain why millions of neophytes and amateurs can never remember the "great red" they had at some restaurant last week.If Apple or Disney operated vineyards, the wines would suck but the names would rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Sure glad to hear that given how long that name is. I'm not a wine expert but know a little and what I like. Probably a rookie thing to say but feel like the industry might be better served to simplify naming. Realize it'll never happen but may partly explain why millions of neophytes and amateurs can never remember the "great red" they had at some restaurant last week. If Apple or Disney operated vineyards, the wines would suck but the names would rock. well, according to their website, Domaine Weinbach produce 5 different Rieslings depending upon where the grapes are grown. "L'Inédit" ("the original one") is from the most beautiful plots. It is only produced when Riesling reaches an exceptional maturity. This choice cuvée is suave, delicate, and wonderful on its own, or with a lobster, or even with scallops. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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