Posts Tagged ‘German’

Adolph Mueller 2007 Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spätlese

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Adolph Mueller Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling, 2007, SpätleseRiesling 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

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