The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting | Wine writing competition

VDP 2011s – Mosel, Saar & Ruwer

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Michael Schmidt gives us an overview of this stunning vintage in Germany's 2011s – truly exceptional. See also the notes on Nahe, Rheingau & Rheinhessen and Pfalz & Franken. We will be reviewing many more German 2011s. 

Producers are in alphabetical order, and wines are listed in the order tasted.

CLEMENS BUSCH

Nose presently dominated by the flinty-herbaceous expression of...

Cask sample. Grown on grey slate, and not shy to express its...

Cask sample. Clemens Busch can also do classic Kabinett, but...

Cask sample. 2011 marks the return of exotic fruit after the...

Cask sample. What sets the Goldkapsel apart from the ordinary...

Cask sample. It is often assumed that Auslese has to be superior...


GRANS-FASSIAN

Still yeasty, with just a hint of flint on the nose. Minerality...

When less means more! In 2011 the crop from the old vines of the...

A gentle citrus fruit aroma emerges from the mists of...

Still in transition from yeasty aromas to an attractive scent of...

The Goldtröpfchen Spätlese is oozing with fruit bordering onto...

Tropical fruit, a dash of fresh honey and notions of caramel and...


FRITZ HAAG

The nose may be gentle, but the palate pulls no punches with a...

Oliver Haag, and his father before him, could well be described...

Despite some remnants of post-fermentation trauma, the Juffer...

The label does not indicate a style, but the residual sugar...

The Juffer adds its own distinctive contribution of spice and...

Delicate floral notes mingle with gentle citrus fruit aromas. A...

Still quite restrained on the nose and with a mere herbaceous...

Fine aromas of citrus fruit and spices open the curtain to an...


WILLI HAAG

Pear drops pure on the nose, very much still fermentation...

Very closed on the nose. The palate is focused on minerality...

Green and yellow fruit on the nose is given a slightly flinty...

Apple and pears spiked with a few cloves result in an attractive...

In my mind very much in a transitional phase. With lashings of...


REINHOLD HAART

Light floral aroma mingles with notes of stone fruit. On the...

Cask sample. A real alternative to the previous trocken, the...

Cask sample. Herbaceous aromas of spontaneous fermentation, even...

Cask sample. Very restrained at this early stage, but the palate...

Cask sample. Despite the constraints of infancy, the Ohligsberg...

Cask sample. A fine fragrance of almost tropical fruit and...


KARTHÄUSERHOF

With just a weeny remnant of pear drops, more attractive green...

What a difference a year makes! If 2010 was like Audrey Hepburn...

As sure as bears live in the woods, the Karthäuserhof can...

The Tyrell’s Edition obviously set out with a different goal...

The top Ruwer estates have always been suppliers of some of the...

Local fruit is joined by citrus fruit aromas, and, though on the...


DR LOOSEN

Clean and fresh expression of citrus fruit is supported by juicy...

Aimed at the trocken light market, 11 g/l RS make the Satyricus...

On the flinty side and almost medicinal, the Lay is quite...

A gentle fragrance combines aromas of pear drops and citrus...

A plethora of fruit aromas from Bramley apple to some quite...


REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT

Attractive gentle green fruit aromas occupy the olfactory...

Gentle fragrance of green fruit is well supported by an...

The nose is still very restrained, but on the palate the old...

Delicate green fruit and citrus aromas find a fresh and lively...

Whereas the fruit is still fresh and green, with ripe appley...

The magic of Scharzhofberger tends to favour its scores, but...

Apple, pear and peach aromas enter a delightful arrangement with...

2011 has come up with a very generous Scharzhofberger at the...


SCHLOSS LIESER – THOMAS HAAG

Clear expression of green fruit on the nose, a hint of...

Fresh green fruit is well complemented by a gentle flowery touch...

Spontaneous fermentation still showing its herbaceous hand, but...

Although a little cream cheese still exerts a gentle lactic...

A most gentle remnant of herbaceousness is succeeded by an...

Through the mist of spontaneous fermentation rises the aroma of...

Not quite as spicy as the Niederberger Helden, the Juffer...

Nose still quite restrained, very gentle notes of lanolin or...


SCHLOSS SAARSTEIN

Floral notes mingle with a gentle aroma of green fruit. On the...

Still a little yeasty on the nose, the Grauschiefer once again...

44 hl/ha was quite a generous yield for the 70-year-old vines...

Delicate apple and pear aromas precede a perfectly pitched sweet...

Sweet Bramley apple and fresh citrus fruit aromas set the scene...


ST URBANS-HOF 

Benefiting from a particularly hot micro-climate, the...

Floral aromas mingle with citrus fruit and a gentle chalky note...

The customary spices of the Bockstein add a little extra...

Slightly sweeter and richer than the Bockstein, the...

Still quite herbaceous and reluctant to show its fruity side. On...

The zest of grapefruit peel mingles with a fine dusting of...

Generous fragrance of ripe yellow fruit issues an open...

Delicious concoction of peach and apricot aromas with the merest...

An exquisite fragrance of exotic fruit raises expectations of...


DR H THANISCH, ERBEN THANISCH
I apologise for the harshness of my comments and scores. All wines were cask samples and simply did not show...
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