Clemens Busch

Tasting of Clemes Busch 2002-vintage

To sum up the visit at Clemens Busch. I was most impressed with his sub-plot wines which show more interest than most other wines. Each sub-plot has it’s own style that is defined. For those that know Daniel Vollenweider will find that Vollenweider has adopted this part of Clemens Busch’ philosophy. Also Clemens Busch makes some great auslese-styled wines from 100% botrytised grapes. The edelsüss wines are very good buys. The non-dry” kabinetts and spätlesen where not impressive.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling kabinett trocken 2002

Nice elegant nose. Powerful for a kab trocken and quite mineral with nice acids.

Pündericher Nonnengarten riesling kabinett trocken 2002

Was a much more rustic effort. More earthy fruit and with more acids. Good structure, boring fruit.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling spätlese trocken** 2002

Slightly honeyed nose with blackcurrant. Broader style. Still elegant and harmonious taste. Very fine. Interesting.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling spätlese trocken*** 2002

This was much more closed than the above. Slight honeyed and perhaps more mineral, but with less acid and balance in the mouth. This needs time. I still preferred the 2-star.

Pündericher Marienburg Fahrlay riesling spätlese 2002

From a south-facing sub-plot straight above the village of Pünderich with blue slate-soil. This showed a lot of slate with some honey. Dry and structured in the mouth. Very good.

Pündericher Marienburg Fahrlay-terrassen riesling spätlese 2002

From a terrassed sub-plot in the Fahrlay with older vines. This was the most mineral effort of the day. Complex and with great acids. Very interesting.

Pündericher Marienburg Weissenberg riesling spätlese 2002

From a south-east facing sub-plot in the Marienburg with red slate-soil. This showed more herbacious nose and was fuller in the mouth (from more restsugar). But not as minerally interesting as the two Fahrlays.

Pündericher Marienburg Falkenlay riesling spätlese 2002

These vines are placed between the Fahrlay and the Weissenstein-vines and soil is red and grey slate. This was the ”biggest” of the sub-plot wines with more botrytis and honeyed nose. Powerful in the mouth but with nice matching acids. The most impressive wine for me together with the Fahrlay-terrassen. There is also a ”Fels-terrassen” sub-plot which I did not get the chance to taste.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling spätlese halbtrocken 2002

More honey and blackcurrant-leafy style. Off-dry round in the mouth. Not minerally interesting.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling kabinett 2002

Earthier style for the Marienburg. Some tropical notes. Simple and more rustic in the mouth. Not impressive.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling spätlese 2002

Honeyed nose. Powerful in the mouth. ”Thick” entrance and long taste. Good structure. But again not as interesting as the dry sub-plot wines.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling auslese** 2002

Much botrytis in the mose. A bit closed wine. Thick entrance and impressive length and structure. Can be very good.

Pündericher Marienburg riesling auslese*** 2002

Very concentrated wine. Practically a BA. Botryrised and powerful with some tropical notes. A lot thicker than the 2-star but again with great acids and length. At 29,- Euro for ½ bottle this is a very good buy.