The 2nd International Riesling Symposium took place on May 26 and 27, 2014, at Schloss Rheinhartshausen in the Rheingau. Riesling experts from around the world - top winemakers, representatives from the trade and restaurant sector, and journalists – gathered to celebrate, discuss and taste the arguably most noble white grape in the world - Riesling.
I have already provided an overview about the 2nd International Riesling Symposium event: The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
This posting focuses on one particular event, a spectacular tasting, led by Giuseppe Lauria: The Grand Cru Couple from VDP.Grosse Lage – Riesling Grosses Gewächs and Riesling Spätlese.
Riesling in the World
There are about 47000 hectares planted with Riesling worldwide. Germany – with 22500 hectares – accounts for about half of the total. The second and third largest Riesling producer are the US (mainly Washington State and Finger Lakes Region) with 4800 hectares and Australia with 4100 hectares. But this is only about 1/10 of the total. Alsace follows with 3500 hectares. Alsace, Ukraine and Austria follow with 3500 hectares, 2700 hectares and 1900 hectares.
Overall, Riesling is really a niche wine, accounting for less than 1 percent of total wine production in the world - but a very special niche wine. In terms of quality wines, Riesling is usually included in the top three white wine varieties, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Riesling is highly terroir-expressive, meaning that the character of Riesling wines is clearly influenced by the wine’s place of origin.
VDP.Grosse Lage, Grosses Gewächs and Spätlese
Although many people think that there is only one wine classification system in Germany – the classification system of the Law of 1971 – this is not correct. True, the classification system of the Law of 1971 with its pyramid of ripeness of the grapes at harvest (Qualitätswein, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese …) at the center is the standard classification system in Germany and the vast majority of winemakers in Germany use this approach. A large number of winemakers, however, have moved away from the standard, in particular the producers of premium and ultra-premium wines.
Importantly, the powerful group of German elite winemakers – the VDP (Verband Deutscher Praedikatswein Produzenten) – has conceived its own classification system and is developing it further.
Following their colleagues in the Bourgogne, the terroir principle has taken center stage in the VDP classification. Effective with the 2012 harvest, the VDP classification has the following 4 quality layers (In brackets, the equivalent quality classes in the classification system of the Bourgogne):
• VDP.Grosse Lage (Grand Cru in Burgundy)
• VDP.Erste Lage (Premier Cru in Burgundy)
• VDP.Ortswein (Village level in Burgundy)
• VDP.Gutswein (Bourgogne régional in Burgundy)
The ultra-premium wines are those that come from a VDP.Grosse Lage. Dry wines from these top vineyards are called Grosses Gewächs: Grosses Gewächs wines are the finest dry wines from Germany’s finest vineyards. Wines that are not fully fermented and exhibit residual sweetness from these finest German vineyards are called VDP.Grosse Lage Kabinett, or Spätlese or Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein, depending on the sugar level in the finished wine.
The Tasting
Giuseppe Lauria, from the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland (responsible for the Rheingau), took us through a tasting of 12 Grand-Cru wine couples: always the same input (same vineyard, same grape varieties, same ripeness level of the grapes), but 2 different outputs - one wine fully fermented as Grosses Gewaechs and one wine not fully fermented to produce a Spätlese (in the VDP definition). In other words: what we had in the glass was the same grape material in 2 different interpretations. This was a blind tasting.
Geheimrat J.Wegeler, Mosel, 2012 Bernkastel Doctor, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG - very acid, shows cool minerality, citrus and apple aromas. The Spätlese - a quite elegant wine, also with strong minerality.
Schloss Lieser, Mosel, 2012 Niederberg Helden, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – spontaneous fermentation, long contact with lees, strong minerality, shows were the wine comes from. The Spätlese – fruit is very upfront, aromas are more difficult to detect, needs more time to open up, 90 grams RS.
Grans-Fassian, Mosel, 2012, Trittenheim Apotheke, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG - not a big wine, fragile, not as much in balance as the previous two GG wines.
Dönnhoff, Nahe, 2012, Niederhausen Hermannshoehle, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – prototype for the region, earthy notes, pronounced acidity, still a very young wine. The Spätlese – apricots, white peach, quite balanced, quite long in the mouth.
Emrich-Schoenleber, Nahe, 2012, Monzingen Hallenberg, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – got power, but remains elegant, really good structure, quite monolithic in its style. The Spätlese – wonderfully balanced, is full of energy, great drinkability.
Wagner-Stempel, Rheinhessen, 2012, Siefersheim Heerkretz, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – fermented in wood, very mineral. Daniel Stempel: The Spätlese – only a few bottles were made of this wine, basically for the export market.
Toni Jost, Mittelrhein, 2012, Bacharach Hahn, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – explosive Riesling fruit, ripe, peaches, a fruit – forward wine, fermented in stainless steel, with 10% botrytis. The Spätlese – 50% botrytis, also fermented in stainless steel.
Oekonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz, 2011, Birkweiler Kastanienbusch, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – herbal, spicy, only fully ripe grapes without botrytis were used. The Spätlese – 70 grams RZ, quite complex, big potential.
K.F. Groebe, Rheinhessen, 2011, Westhofen, Kirchspiel, GG and Spätlese
Robert Weil, Rheingau, 2011, Kiedrich Gräfenberg, GG and Spätlese
Giuseppe Lauria: The GG – mango, yellow fruits, also lots of minerality.
Josef Spreitzer, Rheingau, 2009, Oestrich Lenchen, GG and Spätlese 303
Leitz, Rheingau, 2009, Rüdesheim Berg Roseneck, GG and Spätlese
Thanks
Thanks Guiseppe for a great tasting.
Postings about the 2014 International Riesling Symposium on schiller-wine
This posting is part of a series about the 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany. Here is a list of the Postings already published and those still coming.
The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
A Tour through the Rheingau - Visits of 3 Prestigious, Historic Rheingau Wineries: Weingut Wilhelm Weil, Kloster Eberbach and Schloss Johannisberg
Rieslings from the New World – More Traditional than Rieslings from the Old World? A Tasting at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium, led by Stuart Pigott, Germany
The Grand Cru Couple from VDP.Grosse Lage – Riesling Grosses Gewächs and Riesling Spätlese. A Tasting at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium, led by Giuseppe Lauria, Germany
2. International Riesling Symposium: Tasting with Cornelius and Fabian Lange Rieslings from Danube, Rhine, Nahe and Moselle: The European Riesling Route
2. International Riesling Symposium: Tasting with Caro Maurer Aged Rieslings from around the World: Riesling and its Aging Potential
German Riesling Producers at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
American Riesling Producers at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
Austrian Riesling Producers at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
New Zealandian Riesling Producers at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
Australian Riesling Producers at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
Canadian Riesling Producers at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
schiller-wine: Related Postings
3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux
New Developments in German Wine - Annette Schiller at the German Wine Society in Philadelphia, USA
The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
1st International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany
Aging Potential of Riesling – A Wine Tasting at the 1st International Riesling Symposium in Germany Led by Jancis Robinson
The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA
Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany
When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose
German Wine Basics: Sugar in the Grape - Alcohol and Sweetness in the Wine
Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA
Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World – Snooth 2012
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
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