Phd Wine Education

The wine world needs more people like Terry Theise, the man I call the Shakespeare of Terroir.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the stuffy, over-intellectualized world of wine geekery, where people endlessly debate the smallest aspects of winemaking or vintage ratings. All of us who spend enough time talking, thinking, and reading about wine get sucked into that world occasionally. But I find myself attracted to those who fall into that trap with the least regularity.

As luck would have it, there are several simple cures for me readily at hand whenever I forget that wine is first and foremost, fun. One of them arrives in two volumes every year with the name Terry Theise boldly printed across the top, usually accompanied by a pretty picture.

Theise is one of the genius-fools of the wine world, who despite their immense knowledge and experience, manage to talk and write and think about wine with the boundless and pretensionless enthusiasm of a beginner. Picking up a Theise catalog is like opening one of the crazy manifestos that some Berkeley radicals mimeographed and sold in independent bookstores in the Sixties. Part rant, part poetry, part reference manual, and part literature, Theise’s catalogs are simply a hoot.

Case in point, one of my favorite of his many descriptions of terroir:

“Soil…is a wine’s DNA. It is the fundamental building block of that wine’s identity. Elvis is Elvis. Some years it rained and he was thin Elvis; some years it was hot and he was fat Elvis. He was sometimes drunk Elvis, sometimes sleepy Elvis, or cornball, sleazy, charismatic or horny Elvis. In fact it’s safe to say that he was every imaginable variety of Elvis his temperament could contrive. But always, he was Elvis.”

Theise is madly passionately in love with wine and it shows in everything he writes — he may well be my favorite wine writer, and he doesn’t even get paid for it.

Theise has been bringing German and Austrian wine (and Champagne) to the States since… well, it seems like since before time immemorial. I actually don’t know exactly when he started doing his thing, but his name has become synonymous with the highest quality wines from both countries. It is not fair to compare two unique and talented individuals, but a shorthand that helps me explain Theise to some people often suggests that he’s the Kermit Lynch of Germany and Austria.

Now, about the wines.

I had a chance to attend a tasting on Monday of many of his selections from the much heralded 2008 vintage. Now, I haven’t been carefully following vintages in Germany and Austria for many years years, so you’ll have to take my commentary on the vintage as a whole with a grain of salt and look elsewhere for authoritative pronunciations of the soundness of the year. Having said that, 2008 pretty much looks like it rocks across the board. The wines are rich, bold, and have a depth to them that is quite striking.

Sadly I was time pressured at this tasting so I didn’t get to taste everything I wanted to — I tried to focus on the Kabinett and Spätlese wines, as those tend to be what I drink, and I threw in some Gruner Veltiners and an occasional Scheurebe just for fun.

As usual with these wines, some of my favorites are really smashing deals, and if I didn’t have to buy new brakes for my car, I’d be plunking down for a couple of cases of this stuff. Yummy!

Enjoy.

Austria

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2007 Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein, Kamptal, Austria. $43. Where to buy?
2007 Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein “Lyra”, Kamptal, Austria. $40. Where to buy?

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2008 Alzinger Riesling Hollerin Smaragd, Wachau, Austria. $65
2008 Bründlmayer Riesling “Kamptaler Terrassen”, Kamptal, Austria. $28
2007 Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel, Kamptal, Austria. $39
2008 Hirsch Grüner Veltliner Heiligenstein, Kremstal, Austria. $28
2007 Hirsch Grüner Veltliner Lamm, Kremstal, Austria. $54
2007 Hirsch Riesling Heiligenstein, Kremstal, Austria. $54
2008 Salomon Undhof Riesling Pfaffenberg, Kremstal, Austria. $20

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2007 Hirsch Riesling Gaisberg, Kremstal, Austria. $52
2007 Nikolaihof Riesling Vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau, Austria. $80
2008 Salomon Undhof Sal’mon Riesling, Kremstal, Austria. $21
2008 Salomon Undhof Riesling Kögl, Kremstal, Austria. $28
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Renner, Kremstal, Austria. $41
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Gaisberg, Kremstal, Austria. $39

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2008 Hirsch Riesling Zöbing, Kremstal, Austria. $28
2008 Nigl Riesling Kremsleiten, Kremstal, Austria. $45
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Steinsetz, Kremstal, Austria. $30
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling “Gobelsburger”, Kremstal, Austria. $21
2008 Schwarzböck Riesling Pöcken, Weinviertel, Austria. $23
2008 Setzer Grüner Veltliner “8000″, Weinviertel, Austria. $49
2008 Setzer Riesling, Weinviertel, Austria. $30

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2008 Nigl Grüner Veltliner Freiheit, Kremstal, Austria. $23
2008 Nigl Grüner Veltliner “Privat”, Kremstal, Austria. $54
2008 Nigl Riesling Senftenberger Piri, Kremstal, Austria. $45

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2008 Heidi Schröck Furmint,, Austria. $26
2008 Nikolaihof Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel, Wachau, Austria. $43

Germany

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9.5 AND 10
2008 Müller-Catoir Mandelring Scheurebe Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $60.

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2008 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $69. Where to buy?
2008 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany. $24.
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Dautenpflänzer Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $30. Where to buy?
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau, Germany. $21. Where to buy?
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese, Rheingau, Germany. $24.
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Prälat Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $26.
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese* Alte Reben, Mosel, Germany. $26.
2008 Müller-Catoir Mussbach Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $39. Where to buy?
2008 Müller-Catoir Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $60. Where to buy?
2008 Strub Niersteiner Paterberg Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany. $26.
2008 Wagner-Stempel Siefersheimer Höllberg Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany. $45.
2008 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #10, Mosel, Germany. $41. Where to buy?

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2008 Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $50
2008 Dönnhoff Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $64
2008 Gysler Weinheimer Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $21
2008 Kerpen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $29
2008 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese* Artist Label, Mosel, Germany. $34
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $31
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spätlese, Rheingau, Germany. $39
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany. $21
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese*, Mosel, Germany. $26
2007 Minges Burrweiler Schlossgarten Riesling Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $30
2008 Müller-Catoir Herrenletten Riesling Spätlese trocken,, Germany. $60
2008 Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese #10, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese #12, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Schmitt-Wagner Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $28
2008 Strub Niersteiner Brückchen Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $21
2008 von Othegraven (Saar) Ockfen Bockstein Riesling Spätlese Erste Lage, Mosel, Germany. $50
2008 Weegmüller Haardter Herrenletten Scheurebe Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $36

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2008 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett, Nahe, Germany. $31
2008 Eugen Müller Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese trocken “Cyriakus”,, Germany. $40
2008 Eugen Müller Forster Pechstein Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken “Terra Cara”,, Germany. $23
2008 Geil Bechtheimer Geyersberg Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany. $24
2008 Kerpen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett feinherb Artist Label, Mosel, Germany. $25
2008 Kerpen Bernkasteler Bratenhöfchen Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $29
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Scheurebe Kabinett, Nahe, Germany. $23
2007 Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe, Germany. $24
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Binger Scharlachberg Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $31
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling trocken “Alte Reben”, Rheingau, Germany. $56
2008 Leitz Dragonstone Riesling, Rheingau, Germany. $19
2008 Loewen Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $33
2008 Loewen Thörnicher Ritsch Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $33
2008 Messmer Burrweiler Schäwer Riesling Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $43
2008 Meulenhof Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $24
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling “Rotlay”, Mosel, Germany. $23
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling “Schmitt”, Mosel, Germany. $23
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese “Anrecht”, Mosel, Germany. $31
2008 Weingart Schloss Fürstenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mittelrhein, Germany. $26

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2008 Dönnhoff Estate Riesling, Nahe, Germany. $25
2008 Eugen Müller Forster Mariengarten Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $20
2008 Kerpen Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese trocken, Mosel, Germany. $30
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $31

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2008 Biffar Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $24
2008 Geil Bechtheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $18
2008 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $36
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Scheurebe trocken, Nahe, Germany. $23
2008 Leitz Eins Zwei Dry “3″, Rheingau, Germany. $17
2008 Weegmüller Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $25

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Scharlachberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe, Germany. $26
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Riesling halbtrocken, Nahe, Germany. $23
2008 Messmer Riesling halbtrocken, Pfalz, Germany. $19

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2008 Bernhard Hackenheimer Kirchberg Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $22
2008 Weegmüller Cuvée Fleur, Pfalz, Germany. $24

More: continued here

It took me a long time in my evolution as a wine lover to truly understand the amount of money and sweat and energy that goes into building a world class winery over decades, even centuries.

Many wine lovers early in their education (and in their earning power) are often flummoxed by prices for wines that start to head north of $80 or $90 per bottle. Should they pursue their love of wine long enough to really learn (and see for themselves) what kind of work goes into some of the world’s best vineyards, and to taste the wine that they produce, such prices no longer seem outrageous.

Indeed, there are some wineries and vineyards in the world that seem to produce wines of such quality and consistency as to be nearly magical. In Europe, and especially France, such pieces of land are often given special designations, such as Grand Cru, to signify their quality.

There are very few plots of land in California that might be accorded Grand Cru status, should Americans decide to institute some method of classifying vineyards for quality, if only because many of California’s vineyards are so relatively new. There are some very few, however, that have definitively proven their distinctiveness and quality over several decades.

Unquestionably, the first vineyard on my list of such wineries and vineyard sites would be Rochioli Vineyards in the Russian River Valley. Tucked in between Westside Road and the meandering curves of the Russian River as it heads south past Healdsburg, Rochioli Vineyards produces some of the most sought after Pinot Noir in California.

Since the early part of the century, the 162 acres of flats and sloping hillsides that run down towards this particular bend in the river have been farmed by someone with the last name Rochioli. After working the land for decades, Joe Rochioli, Sr., began buying up the land, bit by bit. By the 1950’s, he had been joined by his son Joe Rochioli, Jr. and together they spent several decades growing grapes that were sold to wineries throughout Sonoma County.

It wasn’t until the early Seventies, however, that the farm produced Pinot Noir. Like many long-running family winegrowers, however, eventually the hankering to make their own wine started to germinate, and in 1976 Joe Jr. made a bunch of Pinot Noir at one of his customers’ wineries.

By the early Eighties, the Russian River Valley had clearly proven its potential for growing Burgundian varietals, and Pinot Noir in particular, and the Rochioli’s saw a gradual increase in the demand for their fruit. One small winery named Williams Selyem became a particularly good customer, and the single vineyard wines they made from Rochioli fruit rapidly made their fortunes and brought Rochioli to national and international attention.

Around this time, Joe Jr.’s son Tom had grown dissatisfied with his business career and decided to return to the family business. Capitalizing on the rapidly increasing demand for the family’s fruit, Tom helped transform the Rochioli ranch from a farm to a full working winery. With the help of another of their customers, Gary Farrell, the family produced its first vintage under the Rochioli brand in 1982, a 150 case production of Pinot Noir from a vineyard plot known as the West Block.

Within a few years, Tom had taken over as winemaker, a position which he continues to hold today, even as his father Joe Jr. continues to direct the management of the family’s vineyards.

Producing about 13,000 cases of wine each year, Rochioli produces appellation designated wines under the Rochioli Vineyards label, and single vineyard and block-designated wines under the J. Rochioli label. These latter wines, including this River Block Pinot Noir, are available only to their mailing list customers.

Tom Rochioli’s winemaking style, as well as his entire family’s philosophy of wine production are based in the traditions of Burgundy, and in particular the Cote d’Or. Exacting quality standards, clonal diversity, and vineyard management techniques produce top quality fruit, which is then babied through a traditional hands-off winemaking process that attempts to manipulate the wine as little as possible through its lifecycle.

More so than almost any other Pinot Noir in California, Rochioli wines are built to age, and do so beautifully. I have had the pleasure of drinking bottles dating back to 1990 in the past few years, and they are holding up magnificently. Whether they have the 50+ year longevity of old world Burgundy, only time will tell, but if any Pinot Noir America will likely age in that fashion, it will most certainly be Rochioli.

Whenever possible I avoid favoritism, as I believe my life and the lives of my readers benefit from a diverse exploration and recommendation of wines. However, when it comes right down to it, there are few wines in California wine that I care for more than Rochioli’s block designated Pinot Noirs, especially when they are properly aged for a decade or two.

Tasting Notes:
Medium ruby in color, this wine has a bright, bold nose of cranberry and spice aromas that you can smell long before your nose is in the glass. On the palate the wine has a gorgeous glassy silk texture that conveys an impression of coolness, while all but bursting with bright, juicy raspberry fruit and a deep complexion of mulling spices and fresh herbs that linger in a very long finish. Incredibly well balanced and poised, this wine has fantastic acidity that makes it a joy to drink now and a sure bet for a couple decades of aging.

Food Pairing:
I’d love to drink this wine with a crostata of goat cheese and sauteed chanterelle mushrooms with fresh thyme.

Overall Score: around 9.5

How Much?: $85

This wine is available for purchase on the Internet.

More: continued here

The wine world needs more people like Terry Theise, the man I call the Shakespeare of Terroir.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the stuffy, over-intellectualized world of wine geekery, where people endlessly debate the smallest aspects of winemaking or vintage ratings. All of us who spend enough time talking, thinking, and reading about wine get sucked into that world occasionally. But I find myself attracted to those who fall into that trap with the least regularity.

As luck would have it, there are several simple cures for me readily at hand whenever I forget that wine is first and foremost, fun. One of them arrives in two volumes every year with the name Terry Theise boldly printed across the top, usually accompanied by a pretty picture.

Theise is one of the genius-fools of the wine world, who despite their immense knowledge and experience, manage to talk and write and think about wine with the boundless and pretensionless enthusiasm of a beginner. Picking up a Theise catalog is like opening one of the crazy manifestos that some Berkeley radicals mimeographed and sold in independent bookstores in the Sixties. Part rant, part poetry, part reference manual, and part literature, Theise’s catalogs are simply a hoot.

Case in point, one of my favorite of his many descriptions of terroir:

“Soil…is a wine’s DNA. It is the fundamental building block of that wine’s identity. Elvis is Elvis. Some years it rained and he was thin Elvis; some years it was hot and he was fat Elvis. He was sometimes drunk Elvis, sometimes sleepy Elvis, or cornball, sleazy, charismatic or horny Elvis. In fact it’s safe to say that he was every imaginable variety of Elvis his temperament could contrive. But always, he was Elvis.”

Theise is madly passionately in love with wine and it shows in everything he writes — he may well be my favorite wine writer, and he doesn’t even get paid for it.

Theise has been bringing German and Austrian wine (and Champagne) to the States since… well, it seems like since before time immemorial. I actually don’t know exactly when he started doing his thing, but his name has become synonymous with the highest quality wines from both countries. It is not fair to compare two unique and talented individuals, but a shorthand that helps me explain Theise to some people often suggests that he’s the Kermit Lynch of Germany and Austria.

Now, about the wines.

I had a chance to attend a tasting on Monday of many of his selections from the much heralded 2008 vintage. Now, I haven’t been carefully following vintages in Germany and Austria for many years years, so you’ll have to take my commentary on the vintage as a whole with a grain of salt and look elsewhere for authoritative pronunciations of the soundness of the year. Having said that, 2008 pretty much looks like it rocks across the board. The wines are rich, bold, and have a depth to them that is quite striking.

Sadly I was time pressured at this tasting so I didn’t get to taste everything I wanted to — I tried to focus on the Kabinett and Spätlese wines, as those tend to be what I drink, and I threw in some Gruner Veltiners and an occasional Scheurebe just for fun.

As usual with these wines, some of my favorites are really smashing deals, and if I didn’t have to buy new brakes for my car, I’d be plunking down for a couple of cases of this stuff. Yummy!

Enjoy.

Austria

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2007 Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein, Kamptal, Austria. $43
2007 Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein “Lyra”, Kamptal, Austria. $40

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2008 Alzinger Riesling Hollerin Smaragd, Wachau, Austria. $65
2008 Bründlmayer Riesling “Kamptaler Terrassen”, Kamptal, Austria. $28
2007 Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel, Kamptal, Austria. $39
2008 Hirsch Grüner Veltliner Heiligenstein, Kremstal, Austria. $28
2007 Hirsch Grüner Veltliner Lamm, Kremstal, Austria. $54
2007 Hirsch Riesling Heiligenstein, Kremstal, Austria. $54
2008 Salomon Undhof Riesling Pfaffenberg, Kremstal, Austria. $20

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2007 Hirsch Riesling Gaisberg, Kremstal, Austria. $52
2007 Nikolaihof Riesling Vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau, Austria. $80
2008 Salomon Undhof Sal’mon Riesling, Kremstal, Austria. $21
2008 Salomon Undhof Riesling Kögl, Kremstal, Austria. $28
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Renner, Kremstal, Austria. $41
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Gaisberg, Kremstal, Austria. $39

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2008 Hirsch Riesling Zöbing, Kremstal, Austria. $28
2008 Nigl Riesling Kremsleiten, Kremstal, Austria. $45
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Steinsetz, Kremstal, Austria. $30
2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling “Gobelsburger”, Kremstal, Austria. $21
2008 Schwarzböck Riesling Pöcken, Weinviertel, Austria. $23
2008 Setzer Grüner Veltliner “8000″, Weinviertel, Austria. $49
2008 Setzer Riesling, Weinviertel, Austria. $30

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2008 Nigl Grüner Veltliner Freiheit, Kremstal, Austria. $23
2008 Nigl Grüner Veltliner “Privat”, Kremstal, Austria. $54
2008 Nigl Riesling Senftenberger Piri, Kremstal, Austria. $45

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2008 Heidi Schröck Furmint,, Austria. $26
2008 Nikolaihof Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel, Wachau, Austria. $43

Germany

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9.5 AND 10
2008 Müller-Catoir Mandelring Scheurebe Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $60

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2008 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $69
2008 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany. $24
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Dautenpflänzer Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $30
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau, Germany. $21
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese, Rheingau, Germany. $24
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Prälat Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese* Alte Reben, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Müller-Catoir Mussbach Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $39
2008 Müller-Catoir Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $60
2008 Strub Niersteiner Paterberg Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany. $26
2008 Wagner-Stempel Siefersheimer Höllberg Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany. $45
2008 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #10, Mosel, Germany. $41

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2008 Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $50
2008 Dönnhoff Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $64
2008 Gysler Weinheimer Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $21
2008 Kerpen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $29
2008 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese* Artist Label, Mosel, Germany. $34
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $31
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spätlese, Rheingau, Germany. $39
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany. $21
2008 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese*, Mosel, Germany. $26
2007 Minges Burrweiler Schlossgarten Riesling Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $30
2008 Müller-Catoir Herrenletten Riesling Spätlese trocken,, Germany. $60
2008 Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese #10, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese #12, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Schmitt-Wagner Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $28
2008 Strub Niersteiner Brückchen Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $21
2008 von Othegraven (Saar) Ockfen Bockstein Riesling Spätlese Erste Lage, Mosel, Germany. $50
2008 Weegmüller Haardter Herrenletten Scheurebe Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $36

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2008 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett, Nahe, Germany. $31
2008 Eugen Müller Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese trocken “Cyriakus”,, Germany. $40
2008 Eugen Müller Forster Pechstein Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken “Terra Cara”,, Germany. $23
2008 Geil Bechtheimer Geyersberg Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany. $24
2008 Kerpen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett feinherb Artist Label, Mosel, Germany. $25
2008 Kerpen Bernkasteler Bratenhöfchen Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $29
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Scheurebe Kabinett, Nahe, Germany. $23
2007 Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe, Germany. $24
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Binger Scharlachberg Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany. $31
2008 Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling trocken “Alte Reben”, Rheingau, Germany. $56
2008 Leitz Dragonstone Riesling, Rheingau, Germany. $19
2008 Loewen Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $33
2008 Loewen Thörnicher Ritsch Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $33
2008 Messmer Burrweiler Schäwer Riesling Spätlese, Pfalz, Germany. $43
2008 Meulenhof Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $24
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling “Rotlay”, Mosel, Germany. $23
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling “Schmitt”, Mosel, Germany. $23
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese “Anrecht”, Mosel, Germany. $31
2008 Weingart Schloss Fürstenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mittelrhein, Germany. $26

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2008 Dönnhoff Estate Riesling, Nahe, Germany. $25
2008 Eugen Müller Forster Mariengarten Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $20
2008 Kerpen Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese trocken, Mosel, Germany. $30
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany. $26
2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $31

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2008 Biffar Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $24
2008 Geil Bechtheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $18
2008 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany. $36
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Scheurebe trocken, Nahe, Germany. $23
2008 Leitz Eins Zwei Dry “3″, Rheingau, Germany. $17
2008 Weegmüller Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany. $25

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Scharlachberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe, Germany. $26
2008 Kruger-Rumpf Riesling halbtrocken, Nahe, Germany. $23
2008 Messmer Riesling halbtrocken, Pfalz, Germany. $19

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2008 Bernhard Hackenheimer Kirchberg Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany. $22
2008 Weegmüller Cuvée Fleur, Pfalz, Germany. $24

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