The Annual “New Vintage Tasting" of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) led by Phil Bernstein, General Manager of MacArthur Beverages - 2021 Vintage, Germany/USA

Carl Willner, President, German Wine Society/ Washington DC Chapter: On the evening of April 14, 2023, we held the annual German Wine Society New Vintage Tasting, presented by Phil Bernstein, General Manager of MacArthur Beverages, at the Community Center in King Farm, Rockville, MD.   

 

This event was very well attended, with the best turnout of any of the four New Vintage events we have held so far post-pandemic, and indeed the second best turnout of any GWS event post-pandemic, surpassed only by the 45th Anniversary event at the German Embassy in October 2022. 

 

We had 58 people registered for the event in advance, 36 members and 22 non-members.  Almost all members of the board were in attendance.

The selection of wines, all from the new vintage of 2021 and all Rieslings, was excellent, with a sekt, a Kabinett trocken, three GGs, four Kabinett wines, and two Spatlese wines.  

 

The wines included two Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube wines, a Kabinett and a Spatlese, both of which are no longer available.  We purchased them last year shortly after the winemaker, Daniel Vollenweider, passed away, and used them for a tribute to this famed Swiss-born Mosel winemaker during our tasting.  

 

We also experienced two Donnhoff wines (both GGs, the most expensive wines of the evening), two Willi Schaefer wines (a Kabinett and Spatlese), a Carl Loewen and Karl Erbes wine (both Kabinett, low priced and delicious), a Falkenstein (the Kabinett Trocken) and a Lauer (the other GG).  

 

Phil, as always, presented very knowledgeably about these wines, and responded to many audience questions. 

 

The wines were accompanied by a tasty buffet obtained by Karen, and also very tasty dessert strudels - one for everyone - prepared by my wife Nina.

 

Invitation

 

Dear German Wine Society Members and Guests,

Every year we host a tasting to try German wines from the new vintage, with a focus on Riesling. Our host is Phil Bernstein, General Manager of MacArthur Beverages, one of the leading retailers of German Riesling in the country. Every year, Phil brings some of the best wines of the vintage and this year will be no exception.  Don’t miss this always-popular event!  There are just a few days left to register.  If you’ve already signed up and are getting this message, don’t worry - you’ll get a separate message confirming your registration next week.

 

The new vintage is 2021, the fourth in a string of very good to great vintages, with a difference. The wines tend to be lighter, fresher, and more intense than the previous three vintages. A number of critics describe them as some of the best German wines they have ever tasted. The vintage did not produce a lot of wine so this may be your only opportunity to try some of them, including a flight dedicated to the very special and recently deceased Daniel Vollenweider.

DATE:  Friday, April 14th, 2023.  Doors open at 6:30 pm; tasting begins at 7:00 pm.   Registrations are due by Monday, April 10, 2023.

Previous Years' “New German Vintage” Tastings of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter)

Taking over from Therry Theise, Phil Bernstein has been doing these annual vintage tastings since vintage 2007.

For previous years, see:

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2020 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC, USA

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2019 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC, USA

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2017 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC, USA

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2016 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC, USA

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2015 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein, USA

Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages Presents the new Vintage (2014) to the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), USA/ Germany

German Riesling - What the American Market Wants: Vintage 2013 Tasting with German Wine Expert Phil Bernstein, MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC

The Annual “New German Vintage” Tasting of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) led by Phil Bernstein - 2012 Vintage, Germany/USA

German Wine: Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages the 2011 Vintage in Washington DC, USA

The 2010 Vintage Tasting of the German Wine Society (Aaron Nix-Gomez)

Phil Bernstein’s Third Annual German Riesling Tasting with the German Wine Society, Washington DC Chapter - Rieslings With a Touch of Sweetness (Vintage 2009)

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose (Vintage 2008)

First "New Vintage Tasting" - 2007 (No posting).

Picture: Christian Schiller with Phil Bernstein Tasting the 2011 Vintage

 

Picture: Phil Bernstein and his German Wines from the 2012 Vintage 

The Annual “New German Vintage” Tasting of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) led by Phil Bernstein - 2021 Vintage

 

Vintage 2021 in Germany (Decanter)

The 2021 harvest marked a return, after a string of warm vintages, to the cool classicism of finely carved, bright, mineral-driven wines. ‘I am convinced that in ten years’ time people will recognise the quality of this vintage for its finesse, just as they did with 2004, 2008 and 2012,’ Oliver Haag said. The wines do seem to prove him right, with their firm elegance, assertive acid and well-defined aromas.

However, the quality and character delivered by 2021 were nothing producers would have taken for granted throughout the growing season. At times it looked as if disaster loomed. ‘We lost yield during flowering, to mildew,’ continues Haag. Katharina Prüm remarked that the months of April, May, July and August all saw below average temperatures with very little in the way of blue skies. In the Ruwer Valley hail struck at the end of July. It was a testing year for viticulture – and not just in the Mosel Valley. In the Rheinhessen, Oliver and Carolin Spanier confirm that more than 5,000 extra labour hours went into producing the 2021 vintage as it required intense weather watching, diligence and trust in both the team and the old vines which dominate their holdings. Frank Schönleber added that they have said goodbye to the practice of habitually picking their Grosses Gewächs last; climate change has made the growing season simply too unpredictable.

Eventually, the 2021 harvest delivered less fruit but great quality. Haag didn’t realise the quality he had when the grapes were being harvested. ‘It’s a totally different vintage to recent years […] we made 35% less than a ‘normal’ vintage, not great from a business perspective, but it’s what made the quality so high,’ he said. Oliver shares the surname and winemaking region with Lara and Niklas Haag of Weingut Schloss Lieser who corroborate his view: ‘We had to select a lot and there was no botrytis really, so we didn’t reach the top categories. We estimate that we are about 40% down in terms of quantity but because of that and because of the strict selections we have a good extract level which makes the wines very well suited to food when we think about structure and complexity.’

Valentin Rebholz suggests that Pfalz was the year’s best performing region. ‘We had no problem with ripeness and achieved perfectly healthy grapes with amazing concentration. For us it is better to have amazing quality than a big crop.’

The vintage’s challenges were also, therefore, what allowed it to deliver pure, mineral, classic wines with vibrant acidity and lower sugar levels – precision, transparency and backbone are its trademarks.

The Wines

 

Starter

 

Dr. Wagner, Riesling Sekt Brut, Mosel

 

 

Flight 1: Journey into the Mosel

 

Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken #19 Egon, Mosel

Lauer Fass 18 Kupp Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Mosel

 

 

Flight 2: Donnhoff GG Duo

 

Donnhoff Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe

Donnhoff Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe

 

Flight 3: A Pair of Kabinetts 

 

Loewen Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel

Karl Erbes Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett, Mosel

 

 

Flight 4:  Vollenweider Tribute

 

Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 

Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Spätlese, Mosel

 

 

Flight 5:  Willi Schaefer Prädikat Finale

 

Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel

Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #5, Mosel

 

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