WCC Riesling Blind
at Plum Blossom Restaurant, Troy, NY (5/26/2005)


The WCC met at one of the better local Chinese restaurants, Plum Blossom in Troy, NY, to taste a range of rieslings from around the world. (OK, Europe and NY State.) The food was delicious, and in general a good match to the wine.

The wines were blind to the group, but I had a general idea what was what since I had made up the flights.

Flight 1: Dry Riesling

1.1 1992 Trimbach Cuvée Frederick Emile Alsace {10,0,0,0,0}
Lovely, fragrant nose of peaches and slate. Very dry. Too dry by itself, but very good with shrimp spring roll. 89 points

1.2 1990 Trimbach Cuvée Frederick Emile Alsace {8,2,0,1,0}
Muted lemony nose. Very similar palate to 1.1. Softer with shrimp spring roll. 89 points

1.3 2002 Hermann J. Wiemer Reserve Dry Finger Lakes {5,5,0,0,5}
[This wine won the Governor's Cup as the best NY wine of vintage.] Lovely, steely nose. Soft, smooth, long, balance. Better by itself than with food. 90 points


Flight 2: Alsatian Riesling

2.1 1994 Zind-Humbrecht Gueberschwihr Alsace {10,0,0,0,0}
Ripe peach nose with a touch of kumquat. A bit sour on the finish. So dry on the finish, especially compared to 2.2. 90 points

2.2 1994 Zind-Humbrecht Clos Windsbuhl Alsace {3,9,3,0,0}
Monster nose of ripe peaches, apricots and brown sugar. Massive in the mouth. Expansive and exciting. A mind blowing wine of incredible intensity and length. The finish goes on for over a minute. Hard to believe this is Riesling and not Pinot Gris. Wow, what wine! 97 points My WOTN along with 5.1. Group 3rd WOTN.


Flight 3: Young Spatlese

3.1 Didn't make it to the tasting.

3.2 2002 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese MSR [3-529-290-039-03] {7,4,0,2,0}
Mild peach-custard nose. Crisp, soft, and delicious. A very tasty wine. 93 points

3.3 2002 Hermann Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Spatlese Nahe [77730101403] {1,25,7,1,2}
Hugely aromatic. Perfect balance in the mouth. Acid and sweet need resolution, but the balance is perfect. A great bottle of Riesling! Such complexity, such a range of fresh fruit flavors! 96 points. My 3rd WOTN. Group WOTN by a wide margin.


Flight 4: Older Spatlese

4.1 1995 Hermann J. Wiemer Semi-Dry Finger Lakes {10,0,0,0,0}
Sweet peaches and caramel. Really tasty. Still sweet and tart. Needs more time. Some say it�s a little corked. As it warms up, I do taste some cardboard. 93 points?

4.2 1990 Franz Kunstler Hochheimer Herrnberg Spatlese Reingau [40-060-116-91] {5,5,1,1,0}
Smells just like a gas station! Wow, talk about petrol. Sour in the mouth. Yuck! 68 points.

4.3 1988 Otto Dunweg Trittenheimer Apotheke Spatlese MSR [2-594-323-011-89] {4,6,0,2,2}
Caramel and fresh mint(!) in the nose. Warm by now. Really tasty! 94 points.

4.4 1983 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese MSR [3-542-013-41-84] {9,1,0,0,1}
Sweet liqueurous nose. Sour finish. Disappointing after the nose. 88 points.

4.5 1988 J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese MSR [2-576-511-10-89] {10,0,0,0,0}
Sweet and smooth nose. Complex in the mouth. Balanced and tasty. Mineral, tea. Great length. Another wow! 95 points.


Flight 5: Dessert

5.1 1983 Hermann J. Wiemer Individual Bunch Selected Late Harvest Finger Lakes (2 half bottles) {2,16,1,5,3}
I had bought several bottles of this wine on closeout at less than $10 back in the late 1980s. I once mentioned to Hermann at an event that I still had a few bottles of this. He immediately offered to buy them from me. Now I know why!
First bottle: Dark amber color. Caramel, honey, botrytis nose. Exquisite, complex botrytis flavors in the mouth with great balance and length. Ranks with the best Beerenausleses I've ever had! Wow! Wow! Wow! 97 points. My WOTN with 2.2.
Second bottle: Same color. Similar nose and palate, but not as sweet, a hint of sour and a touch bitter. Very similar, but not as good. 93 points.
Group 2nd WOTN by a clear margin, based on 7 people who had from the first bottle, 5 who had from the second. I was the only one who had from both bottles.


Wines by Group Rank (with total points)
  1. 2002 Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Spatlese (25 points)
  2. 1983 Wiemer Individual Bunch Selected Late Harvest (16 points)
  3. 1994 Zind-Humbrecht Clos Windsbuhl (9 points)
  4. 1988 Dunweg Trittenheimer Apotheke Spatlese (6 points)
  5. 2002 Herman J Wiemer Reserve Dry (5 points)
  6. 1990 Franz Kunstler Hochheimer Herrnberg Spatlese (5 points)
  7. 2002 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese (4 points)
  8. 1990 Trimbach Cuvée Frederick Emile (2 points)
  9. 1983 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese (1 point)

 

 

 


All original content © Ken Vastola