German 2010 Kabinett Riesling

The 2010 vintage in Germany caused a lot of heated discussions. An unusual growing season resulted in grapes with both high sugar and acidity levels. Growers who picked early in 2010 ended up with highly acidic wines, but those who were willing to take the risk and leave the grapes on the vines longer were rewarded with a warm and dry October, picking grapes with both high acidity, extract and sugar.

Based on the 2010 Rieslings I have tasted so far I would describe this vintage as a year where wines particularly within the entry-level and Kabinett categories sometimes struggle with the acidity. On the other hand, wines from vineyards whose mesoclimate allows to ripen grapes with higher must-weights (or, in some cases, specific parcels of such vineyards) show a sublime balance and excellent aging potential.

The twelve Rieslings we tasted were of good quality, yet only a handful really stood out. A few even showed a surprisingly muted character and probably should be granted some time in the cellar first before they are opened. The tasting made a point that decanting is recommended in general for 2010 Rieslings from Germany as quite a few of the wines had changed their character slightly during the event with less focus on acidity.

2010 German Riesling Kabinett

A.J. Adam 2010 Hofberg Riesling Kabinett

Very lively aroma of citrus, pear and sulphur, with a strong mineral overtone. Off-dry on the palate, high acidity. Ripe apple flavors, solid mineral structure and medium(+) length. Very good.

Reinhold Hart 2010 Erdener Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett

Medium intensity on the nose, nice earthy aroma, slightly perfumed. Medium dry on the palate, with good acidity, but shy on the mid-palate. Very ripe fruit flavors, but somewhat closed and muted. Medium length. Good.

Schloss Lieser 2010 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett

Lean and refreshing nose of citrus fruit and minerality. Off-dry on the palate. High acidity. Concentrated, dried apple flavor with an almost tannic mouthfeel. Medium length. Good.

Carl Loewen 2010 Klostergarten Riesling Kabinett

Light, floral and perfumed nose. Off-dry on the palate, medium(+) acidity. Apply flavors, slightly bitter. Medium length. Good.

Dönnhoff 2010 Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett

Sulphured nose with citrus and pear aroma. Medium sweet on the palate, medium acidity. Ripe apple flavors, but tasting a bit heavy, lacking freshness. Bitter finish. Average.

Maximin Grünhäuser 2010 Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett

Earthy, mineral nose. Off-dry. Light and fruity - simple, but well balanced. Medium length. Good.

Weiser-Künstler 2010 Ellergrub Riesling Kabinett

Medium intensity of dried apple aroma. Off-dry on the palate. Medium acidity. Medium(-) intensity of apple flavor. Overall a bit thin with relatively short length. Average.

Willi Schaefer 2010 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett

Medium intensity of a perfumed pear aroma, very lively and vibrant. Off-dry on the palate, medium(+) acidity. Somber fruit flavors with a mineral finish . Medium length. Good - very good.

Emrich-Schönleber 2010 Monzinger Riesling Kabinett

Very vibrant and mineral aroma, ripe fruit with an earthy character. Medium sweet, medium(+) acidity. Light fruit flavors with a strong mineral touch. Medium length. Good - very good.

Schäfer-Fröhlich 2010 Bockenbauer Riesling Kabinett

Light and fruity aroma with noticeable burnt matches smell. Yet very focused on the fruit aspect. Sweet on the palate, high acidity. Lots of fruit, vibrant and young. Medium length. The aroma shows where the wine is going to be in a few years, but right now it tastes restless and needs a few more years in bottle. Good - very good.

Peter Lauer 2010 Riesling Senior Fass #6

Noticeable spontaneous fermentation aroma over bright citrus fruit on the nose. Off-dry on the palate. Very muted and almost hollow tasting, if such a thing exist. The alcohol was noticeable and the flavor reduced to bitter quince. A badly behaving young kid, but who knows, it may mellow over the next few years. Average.

Hiedler 2010 Riesling Perfume

This tasting's easter egg, from Austria. Ripe stone fruit and tangerine aroma. Off-dry on the palate, a bit too alcoholic and overall rather unbalanced. Short mid-palate and short length. Alcoholic finish. Poor - average.

Weingut Familie Rauen 2010 Riesling Halbtrocken

Simple and pleasant aroma of light stone fruit. Off-dry on the palate, medium(+) acidity. Steely and slightly alcoholic tasting. Short length and overall rather thin. Average.

And then there was also...

Karthäuserhof 1990 Riesling Auslese

Aged nose with a medium aroma of blackberries and petrol, quite elegant. Sweet on the palate, with somber berry flavors, vibrant and still young tasting. Perfectly balanced. Long length. Drink now through 2020. Excellent.