Riesling is a fantastic wine for summer.  The German versions are typically a touch sweet (unless labelled “trocken” – dry), balanced with acid tartness, full of fruit, and great chilled.  So, it was with some small anticipation that we opened this Riesling from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region.  Spätlese means “late harvest”, and the grapes are left on the vine for a while longer than when they are initially ready for picking.  Usually, this results in a wine with more prominent fruit flavors and body.

Mosel wines are typically characterized by floral, fruity aromas and fall fruit flavors – apples, pears, quince – their lighter body buoyed up by their aromas and tantalizing tartness on the palate.  Beneath the fruit, a mineral component should be present, a clean minerality like a good artesian water.

Unfortunately, this particular wine did not deliver the goods.  While it delivered solid fruit flavors, it lacked in other areas.  Admitedly, at $11 a bottle, this isn’t a top example of the style, but I’ve had $11-12 QbA wines (unclassified vintages) that have provided more classic Riesling profiles than this QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat).

Details:

Name: Adolph Mueller 2007 Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spätlese
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Piesport
Grapes: 100% Riesling
Price: $11

My score: 83 points (out of 100) – some good, some bad, doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

Notes:

Nose: Tight out of the bottle.  Not much coming through.  After a good long swirl, there’s some apricot, citrus, and pear there.  There’s an odd green component – I want to say green bell pepper, but that’s not quite right.  Not getting the typical Riesling floral notes, which doesn’t bode well for a Spätlese.

First Taste: The initial sense is sugar.  Rather sweet, but with lots of fruit.  There’s apricot, pineapple, and pear (Theresa agrees on the pineapple).  I’m missing the acidity.  It’s not so lacking as to merit the term “flabby,” but it’s noticeably out of balance.

Second Taste: I’m letting the wine warm up in the glass a bit, and the balance of sweetness and acidity seems to improve a little.  Of course, it could just be my palate getting used to the sugar level.  The nose is still fairly tight, but a little honeysuckle note creeps in – maybe this was that odd green scent I picked up earlier developing as the wine warms.

Impressions: With a little more acidity, this becomes a much more interesting wine.  As it stands, it’s tiringly sweet, better suited to a small glass with fruit for dessert.  A good Riesling plays well with seafood – this would overwhelm it.  Pass on this – for the same price, you can likely find an unclassified Riesling that’s more satisfying.

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Posted in Drink, Wine , Tags German, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, review, Riesling, spätlese, Wine