Rich Riesling

1990 Carl Schmitt Wagner
Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Auslese
$42.99
Shane’s Notes

This was a modified blind taste test for Jen. Since this was a pricey one, I wanted to use the proper wine glass which meant that Jen knew it was either a Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc.

Shane’s Notes – It has the deep, yellow color of an aged Riesling. There is a slight Kerosene smell and a very sweet aroma. The palate is extremely concentrated. It is rich, slightly syrupy and honeyed. It has a long, spicy, tangy finish. I was expecting a more complex palate – I wonder if it is a touch oxidized.

Jen’s Notes – It is a Riesling. There is a slight gasoline aroma and a mineral aroma. The palate is creamy and sweet. There is a slight spritziness. It is also tangy and minerally with tropical fruits, guava. It has to be an Auslese and is probably from Mosel. It probably has 10 years of bottle age. There is some botrytis – it is focused but not complex. It costs around $35.

As you can see, Jen did really well on this one. She even got the region! We both agreed that this one got much better about 20 minutes after we stopped our note taking. It just really needed time to open. Rich, tropical fruit flavors came to the forefront causing us to revise our “lack of complexity” comments. It had moderate complexity, and we really enjoyed it. It was definitely worth the money. German Rieslings are my favorite, single varietal wine.