2012 was a financial challenge for German winemakers, with cool & rainy weather in the early stages reducing yields. However, the best winemakers have provided 2012 Rieslings that are unlike anything to come from Germany in the past decade, and the reduced yields mean only one thing: that there are less of these great wines to go around.The beginning of Spring came quickly, as March arrived with warm weather and quickly developing vines. Cooler, cloudier conditions came in April, as bud-break occurred with little or no damage to plants. The weather remained cool, and perhaps too rainy, as May brought severe thunderstorms and variable humidity. June weather improved and flowering was successfully completed by mid June, but unpredictable weather in July caused many concerns, requiring carefully attentive spraying to prevent mildew.
What had started as a disappointing Spring and Summer completely surprised with a gloriously hot and dry August. The weather remained ideal in September and October; warm days and cool nights allowed for longer hang times for grapes, encouraging even ripening. As the majority of growers started harvesting around mid-October, they were able to pick leisurely as the grapes continued to ripen, choosing fruit at the perfect concentration.
All’s well that ends well and the only problem with the 2012 vintage in Germany is the lack of wine. Harvesting of Riesling was completed by early November and winemakers were pleased with the high quality grapes and content with a slightly smaller volume compared with the previous season. Reduced yields are more apparent traveling north, in particular the Rheingau reported a reduction in crop by 30% in comparison to 2011, whereas yields elsewhere are closer to long term averages. This can be attributed to various factors, cool, wet weather during flowering caused a marked reduction in the number of berries on a cluster, directly influencing the final yield as producers discarded unhealthy grapes to preserve the bunches. On a positive note, this early reduction in yield did ensure that the fruit remained healthy and clean, as looser clusters had better exposure to air, reducing incidence of rot. Grapes remained healthy throughout ripening and tasted delightfully fruity. Fastidious producers that had originally planned for the worst celebrated as the wines produced showed clean and bright, with high levels of tartaric acid and ripe, healthy fruit. A cool climate year unlike many of Germany’s recent vintages, 2012 Rieslings show a nice balance of healthy acidity and sweetness. Intense fruit flavors and ripe acidity are the hallmarks of the vintage, and the wines bring nerve, balance, and purity. Collectors will prize the cooler, elegant, more classical flavors of the 2012 Rieslings offered here today.
AJ Adam Dhroner Goldtropfchen GG 2012 ($99.95) $69 special 12 bottles available
Terry Theise: “Sterner stuff than the village wine; pointed intense aromas of blueberries and white iris and candied lemon. The palate is off the hinges! Entirely harmonious, rampantly exotic and rich, it’s like a Pfalz GG with more grace and less earthiness. Pink peppercorn and powder-puff, ginger and mustard-seed; stern slate on the finish after this thrill-ride of improbable elements for Riesling. The empty glass even smells a little like Savignin.”
AJ Adam Dhroner Hofberg GG 2012 ($79.95) $49 special 16 bottles available
Terry Theise: “A lot of color and a commandingly serious walnut and slate fragrance; the palate is proud, monumental and almost solemn, Riesling as Serious Business, Riesling in its fundamental mineral being. Picked “only” at 94º for elegance and drinkability (bless him!), the wine has inscrutable depth; a Doctoral thesis of slate.”
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermannchen GG 2012 ($69.95) $49 special 4 bottles available
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch GG 2012 ($74.95) $59 special 10 bottles special available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “($75) Bright aromas of white peach, acacia blossom and pine nuts. Crisp pear fruit paired with subtle saltiness gives the palate a vibrant character. Pure and clean, with a delicate spicy character lingering on the finish.”
Donnhoff Estate Riesling 2012 ($23.95) $15.90 special 8 bottles available
Donnhoff Riesling Estate Troken ($23.95) $18 special 24+ bottles available
Donnhoff Kreuznach Krotenpfuhl Kabinett 2012 ($26.95) $19 special 19 bottles available
Terry Theise: “Again almost Feinherb styling, and the usual brown-butter chocolatey cardamom thing is clear, and the wine is deft and classy. It’s in the Dellchen family of savory “dark” flavors.”
Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett 2012 ($27.95) $19 special 21 bottles available
Terry Theise: “From four parcels with an average age of 39 years, and the oldest being 55, which may be why this wine improves each year. Or seems to. In fact Leistenberg is something of a secret weapon in this cellar, but as Helmut says, “We don’t want to force every vineyard into making “important” wine; something has to give us our Kabinett.” And yet, in the last year I’ve had two insanely marvelous Leistenbergs, a `90 Kabinett last June and an `88 Spätlese a few weeks ago, each the kind of wine where you think. You can’t ask much more from wine than this. The `12 is (or was) a little brash in its mineral brliiance, and again on the dry side, but there’s a drool of pear-juice near the finish that encourages me to think it will turn out gleaming and hale as always.”
Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Troken 2012 ($34.95) $29 special 22 bottles available
Terry Theise: “This is a mostly steep site on sandy loam; call it a Cru but Dönnhoffs aren’t rushing to include it among the GGs. It seemed again to be on the austere side but so assertive in its terroir it blasts through with sheer flavor, an advancing brigade of tangy sandstone and lemon-eucalyptus.”
Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Spatlese 2012 ($37.95) $29 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “($39) A subtle honeysuckle aroma blends with hyacinth and lime on the nose. Polished peachy fruit and a refined minerality drift across the palate. Delicate and eminently drinkable.”
Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Spatlese 2012 ($39.95) $29 special 24+ bottles available
Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Spatlese 2012 ($49.95) $39 special 9 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “($51) Enticing aromas of white peach, cinnamon and lemon oil. Subtly creamy sweet berry fruit flavors was over the palate, supported by an animated minerality that provides elegance. Clear and precise on the persistent finish.”
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese 2012 ($59.95) $49 special 8 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “($60) Tantalizing aromas of papaya, cherry, sweet herbs and tobacco. A discreet but intense cherry flavor rises on the palate, brightened by understated acidity. Subtly spicy and long on the finish. I may be underrating this.”
Donnhoff Grosses Gewaches 2012 6pk ($499.95) $299 special 6 packs available
2 bottles available each of the 3 Grosses Gewachs bottlings from 2012: Dellchen, Felsenberg, Hermannshohle
Donnhoff Dellchen GG 2012 ($79.95) $49 special 24+ bottles available
Terry Theise: “I can’t give you a note here, because the wine was fiercely closed-in. Historically a late developer, it’s also historically a splendid Riesling, so I’ll defer the specifics.”
Donnhoff Felsenberg GG 2012 ($69.95) $49 special 24+ bottles available
Terry Theise: “A big, smoky and determinedly important wine; still very early days, but this made me think of a Grand Cru Alsace with the fat removed and the mineral intact. But this isn’t just mineral; it’s a swollen dialogue of stones and smoke and exotic flowers. By the way, taste this for an exegesis of porphyry flavor.”
Donnhoff Hermannshohle GG 2012 ($89.95) $41.90 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($73) Sumptuous aromas of dried apricot, blackberry and oyster shell, complicated by a smoky, herbal character. Dense passion fruit and finely polished minerality animate the palate. Rich, elegant and spicy on the persistent finish, this will certainly improve with bottle age.”
Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Eiswein 2012 375ml ($219.95) $179 special 5 bottles available
Terry Theise: “Brücke is predestined for Eiswein, as its warm situation next to the Nahe gives ripe grapes and yet the way it sits in the valley takes the sun away early in the Fall, and what has been one of the warmer vineyards suddenly becomes one of the colder ones.This wine has a fragrance that makes you want to cry, and then dance. It’s pure Dönnhoff in its sanguine Buddhist peace. The prayer-flags whip in a stiff wind and the frost clings to each bit of shade, yet on the hillside the sun is shining, and getting closer. The later picking has more lavish fruit, mellower acids and more opulence. A cuvée of the two wines will be bottled.”
Julien Haart Piesporter 2012 ($39.95) $29 special 24 bottles available
Julien Haart Schubertslay Kabinett 2012 ($39.95) $29 special 12 bottles available
Julien Haart Wintricher 2012 ($59.95) $37 special 24 bottles available
Julien Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen 2012 ($69.95) $49 special 12 bottles available
Julien Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg 2012 1.5 LITER ($149.95) $99 special 3 bottles available
J Christoffel Jr Urziger Wurzgarten Spatlese 2012 ($29.95) $24 special 24+ bottles available
J Christoffel Jr Erdener Treppchen Kabinett 2012 ($24.95) $16 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($25) White peach, lemongrass and hazelnut on the nose, with a twist of acacia blossom. A crisp expression of apple and slate animates the palate. Perfectly balanced, impressively long and eminently drinkable, this is one of the finest kabinetts of the vintage.”
J Christoffel Jr Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese*** 2012 ($49.95) $39 special 22 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “Harvested at a cool 100 Oechsle in a prime sector near the Urziger Sonnenuhr, this offer a great nose of cassis and strawberry. A touch of acidity comes through on the palate, which adds depth and presence. The finish is pure and fruity, and leaves a superb sense of creamy yet electrifying sense of silkiness on the finish. Everything is nicely balanced in this beautifully racy Auslese. 2022-2042.”
J Christoffel Jr Erdener Pralat Auslese*** GK 2012 ($59.95) $39 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “($63) Rich golden yellow. Seductive scents of apple blossom, white raisin and quince are given depth by a trace of honeyed botrytis. Rich, candied papaya fruit shows a velvety texture, with an element of minty acidity keeping the palate fresh. Dense yet light on its feet, with the mineral salts providing spice on the long, elegant finish. Gorgeous!”
J Christoffel Jr Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese*** GK 2012 ($59.95) $39 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 95 points“($63) Rich golden yellow. Rich aromas of strawberry, pear nectar and nut oils, with a very subtle splash of brown spice botrytis. Tropical fruit essences and wet stone salts melt together on the creamy palate. More concentrated than the two other ausleses, showing a distinct honey-spiced personality. Incredibly rich and long on the finish, this is my call for the finest auslese of the vintage.”
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett 2012 ($27.95) $19 special 24+ bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines “This delivers a simple yet attractive nose of citrus, white peach and smoke, in which one notices a great touch of herbs and ground spices. The finish is balanced yet powerful. The sweetness is nicely framed by the structure of the wine. Now-2022.”
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese 2012 ($34.95) $24 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($39) Easygoing aromas of cling peach, sweet lime and wild herbs. The rich depth of velvety passion fruit is animated by an elegant acid backbone that gives the wine poise. Ends on a delicately spicy note.”
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese 2012 ($44.95) $31.90 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($49) Pale golden yellow. Rich, musky aromas of yellow plum and sweet herbs. Possesses good depth of rich tropical fruit, but is more noteworthy for its velvety texture and supple, pleasing style. Finishes with salty minerality and excellent persistence.”
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett 2012 ($29.95) $21.90 special 24+ bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This offers a gorgeous nose of lemon, peach, white orchard fruits and some herbs. The wine is deliciously well balanced on the palate and delivers a stunningly long and well-balanced finish. 2019-2032.”
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese 2012 ($37.95) $27 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($42) Apricot pit, lime zest and clove on the nose. The delicate nectarine fruit and creamy texture is held aloft by nutmeg and mineral salts. An element of slate provides spice on the enticing finish of this bright, lively wine.”
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 2012 ($47.95) $33 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points“($51) Pale golden yellow. Enticing aromas of raspberry, mint and sassafras mingle with a sensation of honey. Ripe and full yet discreet, this auslese is both dense and light on the palate. Finishes complex and long.”
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese GK 2012 375ml ($59.95) $39 special 19 bottles available
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese GK 2012 750ml (99.95) $79 special 11 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This offers a comparatively ripe feel on the nose as well as a long and fresh finish. The wine is quite driven by minerals and herbs on the palate and leaves an airy and smoky feel in the long and smooth finish. The wine develops a cool, zesty and minty side with airing. 2027-2047.”
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2012 375ml ($29.95) $19 special 19 bottles available
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2012 750ml ($39.95) $31.90 special 24+ bottles available
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2012 1.5 LITER ($119.95) $89 special 1 bottle available
Stephen Tanzer 91(+?) points“Crisp aromas of passion fruit, nut oils and cinnamon. Rich, sleek and invigorating, but with creamy tropical fruit flavors remaining light and ethereal. Well-balanced, elegant and impeccably long. This does not have the depth of the auction wine, but at present more it offers greater drinkability.”
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2012 375ml ($29.95) $21.90 special 24+ bottles available
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2012 750ml ($49.95) $39 special 24+ bottles available
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2012 1.5 LITER ($149.95) $89 special 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points ” Pale golden yellow. Candied papaya, persimmon, clove and a vague hint of smoky botrytis on the nose. Luscious, creamy peach nectar flavor is nicely framed and accented by a splash of salty minerality. Richer and denser than the spätlese, showing excellent length, but not necessarily much better.”
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2012 375ml ($69.95) $44 special 21 bottles available
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2012 750ml (119.95) $71.90 special 8 bottles available
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2012 1.5 LITER (249.95) $179 special 6 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This offers a deliciously rich and soft feel of flowers, herbs and ripe fruits, in which a hint of apricot, mango and also honey come through on the palate and in the finish. The wine is quite rich and smooth and leaves an airy and spicy feel in the long aftertaste. It lives from the fascinating botrytis complexity and it will be fascinating to see how it will develop in the coming decades. 2022-2042.”
JJ Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese 2012 ($47.95) $33 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “($51) Pale golden yellow. Lively aromas of peach pit, honeysuckle and candied lemon. Bright and spicy, with sweet, plush papaya fruit showing a velvety texture and a note of creaminess. Herbal essences heighten the pleasing finish. Not a show reserve, but a lovely auslese.”
JJ Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2012 ($99.95) $69 special 11 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “Made exclusively from the parcel forming the original Sonnenuhr, this delivers a great fresh nose of bergamot, quince and mango which turn into more botrytized and homeyed flavors of exotic fruits including passion fruit and pineapple on the palate. The zesty and fruity finish makes one magically go for another sip. This is gorgeously made. 2022-2042.”
Karthauserhof Spatlese Old Vines 2012 ($39.95) $29 special 24 bottles available
Karthauserhof Schieferkristall Kabinett 2012 ($27.95) $19 special 25 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “Schieferkristall refers to the Kabinett-styled wines at the Estate (the reference to Kabinett is pushed to the back label). A whiff of wild yeasts gives quickly way to a very attractive and floral bouquet of rose-water, grapefruit and mint. The round and fruity feel from the residual sugar (20 g/l) is nicely balanced by some zesty acidity and a pure and spicy feel in the long finish. This is a deliciously fresh and lively off-dry Riesling made with a small 9.5% of alchohol. 2014-2020”
Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Spatlese 2012 ($34.95) $24 special 24+ bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points“This Wine is quite open and expressive at this early stage and explodes with juicy flavors of yellow peach, quince and some flowers on the palate. This offers everything one could expect from a juicy Spatlese. The fact that it does deliver the goods without too much richness (it has technically less than 60 g/l of residual sugar) makes it utterly delicious also at this ealrly stage. 2017-2032”
Karthauserhof Edition Tyrell Spatlese 2012 (49.95) $33 special 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Enticing aromas of apricot pit and lemon blossom with a hint of oyster shell. Lively and refreshing but nonetheless dense, with crisp peachy fruit and vibrant acidity on the finish. For the region this is a very well-made dry wine.”
Keller Trocken 2012 (21.95) $17 special 24+ bottles available
Peter Lauer Barrel X 2012 (21.95) $14 special 24+ bottles available
Peter Lauer Senior Fass 6 2012 ($29.95) $19 special 22 bottles available
Leitz Rudesheimer Klosterlay Kabinett 2012 ($18.95) $14 special 24+ bottles available
Terry Theise: “The `12 richness and weight gives a lot of middle to a wine that’s sometimes almost constricted by its Altoid mintiness; this really is the best vintage ever, loads of lemon and eucalyptus but with a dense doughy mirabelle cream and saltiness. Vinous and rich.”
Leitz Rudesheim Roseneck Katerloch 2012 ($39.95) $33 special 15 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points“($42) Discreet aromas of white peach, sage and smoked almond. Glossy, dense apricot pit fruit with sweet herbal inflections animate the palate. The sheer depth and spicy juiciness of this wine ensure an impressively long finish. Has poise and potential.”
Leitz Rudesheimer Kaisersteinfel 2012 (49.95) $39 special 6 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “($48) Sumptuous aromas of white peach, melon, pineapple and lemon oil. Delicately sweet passion fruit is framed and lift by bracing saline minerality. A delicately woven bacon spice animates the long finish of one of the finest off-dry rieslings of the vintage.”
Leitz Rudesheimer Rottland 2012 ($49.95) $39 special 15 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points“($48) Rich herbal aromas of dried apricot, toasted hazelnut and bacon fat. Highly concentrated, unctuous yellow fruit flavors communicate an ideal balance of flesh and juiciness as well as noteworthy depth. Finishes with impeccable balance and formidable length.”
Loosen Bros. “Dr. L” QbA Mosel 2012 ($11.95) $8.90 special 12 bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 points “A succulent white, filled with plush red peach, cherry and white currant flavors that are supported by zesty acidity. Long and creamy on the finish, offering plenty of spicy overtones. Impressive for the category. Drink now through 2016.”
Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese 2012 ($34.95) $29 special 8 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points“This wine, made from parcels in Trogelchen and Stablay, offers a great nose of fresh white flowers and some apple paired with great fresh notes of spices. An electrifying acidity comes through on the palate and brings tension and depth to the wine. In fact, this is a gorgeous wine in the making which shares some similitude with 2010: it is that lively!”
Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese #5 2012 ($44.95) $33 special 17 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points“($46) Strawberry, oyster shell, licorice and nut oils on the nose. Fruit essences and mineral salts animate the rich yet delicate palate. Crisp, clean and delicious already.”
Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Auslese #4 2012 ($59.95) $44 special 16 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points“This cask made from clean fruit only was so different from the AP09 that Christoph and Willi Schaefer decided to bottle this beauty separately. And what a beauty it is. This is all about energy and purity. It starts off with some undercooled and subdued scents of fruits, before white flowers as well as smoke come into play on the palate. But what sets this wine apart is the utterly brilliant balance and aromatic depth. This is just breathtakingly good and all lovers of delicate Auslese that retain a great drinking side should plunge onto this offering. 2022-2042.”
Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Auslese #9 2012 375ml ($59.95) $44 special 20 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($51) Pale golden yellow. Enticing aromas of raspberry, mint and sassafras mingle with a faint hint of spicy botrytis. Ripe and full yet discreet, this auslese is both dense and light on the palate. Finishes complex and long.”
Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Auslese #14 2012 375ml ($59.95) $44 special 18 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “($56) Pale golden yellow. Pear, peppermint and vanilla on the seductive nose, complicated by a hint of nut oil. Glazed apricot and honey provide a luscious texture that’s stimulated by bright acidity and insistent slate. Luxuriant but nonetheless elegant, with a pronounced spiciness on the extremely long finish, this is one of the great ausleses of the vintage.”
Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Auslese #11 2012 ($69.95) $59 special 1 bottle available
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This offers a fresh and playful nose of fruits and spices. The wine is intense and refined on the palate and leaves a glorious feel of passion fruit, apple and pineapple in the finish. This should age beautifully well. 2022-2042”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Kabinett Trocken 2012 ($24.95) $16 special 24+ bottles available
Importer notes “Great wine, more like a dry Spatlese”
Selbach- Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese 2012 ($31.95) $21.90 special 24+ bottles available
Importer notes “Full-bodied and rich, with minerals and lemony finish”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2012 ($34.95) $24 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points“Lovely floral, peach and hazelnut aromas, with a twist of acacia blossom. Delicate apricot on the palate, enlivened by a bracing citrus character. Finishes alluringly, with slate, lemon oil and a hint of clove and excellent length.”
Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2012 ($49.95) $29 special 24+ bottles available
Importer notes “Very fine, elegant and long finish.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese 2012 ($49.95) $29 special 24+ bottles available
Selbach- Oster Pinot Blanc 2012 ($34.94) $21.90 special 16 bottles available
Importer notes “Exotic and outstanding, from best vineyard parcels, fermented in a new barrel, vanilla and rich fruit, still elegant with 13% alc., very limited”
Von Hovel Scharhofberger Kabinett 2012 ($27.95) $21.90 special 24+ bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “Everything seems infused in this wine as there is nothing loud or dominating. Superbly fresh scents of anise, gooseberry, white peach, lime, mint and grass give this wine an immediate elegant feel: nothing is out of place, too dominating or screaming A remarkable feel of extract on the palate makes the wine appear almost lean in structure yet it retains a great playful side thanks to some intense zesty flavors of grapefruit. The finih is very long and pure. This is a wonderful Scharzhofberg bottling! 2017-2027.”
Von Hovel Scharzhofberger Spatlese 2012 ($34.95) $29 special 24+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Aromas of white peach, ripe cherry and apple blossom. Refined and poised, with a mouthwatering juiciness and lush finish. Nice balance and a saline minerality generate an weightless quality. A persistent wine for hedonistic drinking.”
Von Winning Estate Riesling 2012 ($21.95) $16 special 6 bottles available
Terry Theise: “This sits next to Dönnhoff as the zenith of quality at the estate-Riesling level. It’s unchaptalized, and has a delicate note of cask. It’s perfectly dry because it isn’t brutally dry. It’s sexy and spicy in that gingery Pfalz way, and it’s juicy in the way of the vintage. It has some of the angular charm of Meßmer’s Muschelkalk bottling, but with even more finesse and curvaciousness. It’s amazingly seductive. Your customers will love you for pouring this, or putting it into their shopping baskets.”
Von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten 2012 ($29.95) $26 special 8 bottles available
Terry Theise: “This was literally astonishing. I never anticipated such quality from this site, which sits above the Leinhöhle just below the woods- perhaps an advantage in the new climate era? I mean serious WOW; soursop and ginger and talc in an enticing bouquet; explosively expressive on the palate, like some cool spice-drenched pudding; perfectly balanced and insanely attractive.”
Von Winning Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad 2012 ($44.95) $39 special 11 bottles available
Terry Theise: “The appetizer for the main course(s) to follow. It isn’t mineral, but rather smoky, belly-rich and robust, corporeal and mouth-filling and butterscotchy, spicy and generous, and yet solid and refined even with its big open bones.”
Von Winning Kalkofen GG 2012 ($69.95) $59 special 10 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “($80) Bright aromas of white peach, sage, resin and lemon oil. Bright, penetrating apricot pit fruit and chalky minerality are nicely entwined on the juicy, pliant palate. The wine’s depth and spice rise above the austerity that this site often shows in its youth.”
Von Winning Kieselberg GG 2012 ($69.95) $59 special 9 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “($80) Apple blossom, persimmon, nut oil and a smoky earthiness on the nose. Glossy, dense nectarine fruit with sweet herbal inflections animate the palate. The opulent depth, spicy juiciness and twist of clove ensure a compelling finish. Excellent potential!”
Von Winning Langenmorgan GG 2012 ($69.95) $59 special 12 bottles available
Terry Theise: “It’s the manly side of Pfalz Riesling, and we debate whether this is a Grand or just a Premier Cru; yet the wine is articulate, herbal and peppery, cedary and woodsy, long, studious and spicy, with an almost urgestein minerality, suave even while it’s rural, and gentle even as it prods with its leafy message.”
Von Winning Pechstein GG ($119.95) $89 special 11 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 (+?) points “($110) Exotic aromas of apricot pit, muskmelon, nutmeg and lemon oil. Rich and dense in texture, with pleasing depth to its peach pit and smoky spice flavors on the mineral lattice typical of the site. With its tantalizing herbal lift on the finish and impressive length, this is certainly the estate’s best dry riesling this year.”
Von Winning Kirchenstuck GG 2012 ($149.95) $109 special 9 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($144) Rich scents of white peach, toasted almond, lemon zest and mint. Bright star fruit and spicy minerality give shape to the luscious flavors. Full-bodied yet graceful, this riesling ends on cool spices, with pleasing length.”
