Here are the notes from the annual Klitzekleine ring in Traben-Trarbach in September-2009. The vintage on display was the 2008. A vintage that was difficult in Mosel. It gave low Oechsle-weights compared to all earlier vintages of the decade. The wines were lighter, but the best with a great refreshing quality from their natural high acidities. The worst are too light in concentration. Trouble came also for those who picked too late with rain and rot. Therefore this is a kabinett and spätlese-vintage. The best wines were from the usual suspects; Daniel Vollenweider, Weingut O., Martin Müllen and Weiser-Künstler. With honorable mentions to Staffelter hof, the Bergrettung-wines of Der klitzekleine ring and Weingut Melsheimer.


Weingut Richard Böcking

Riesling V trocken 2008
Simple wine. Some apricot and slate. Dry and little concentration in the mouth. High and cleansing acidity. Quite refreshing style. Modest quality.

Riesling Sturmnacht 1792 trocken 2008
A little fuller and a little more concentration here. Still slim style. Hint of slate, rocks. Simple. Clean, mineral style. Again refreshing acids. Decent.

Riesling alte reben feinherb 2007
Mineral and lightly fruity nose with a touch of acetone. More power in the mouth and a light sweetness. Flowers, apricot. Again on the simple side. Some minerality. Fine acidity again. Decent.

Trarbacher Ungsberg Riesling kabinett feinherb 2008
More closed wine here. A little more fruit. Prettier in the mouth. Crisp style with better concentration and a finer minerality. Still a slim wine. Crisp acidity, good length. Good. The best wine from Böcking.

Trarbacher Ungsberg Riesling spätlese feinherb 2007
More intensity on the nose. Riper and a little touch of botrytis. Perfume. Fuller in the mouth with a light sweetness. I find surprisingly much earthy notes. Takes a little of the focus of the fruit away. Also gives it a little bitterness on the finish. Fine acidity. Not sure I like this completely. Seemed far better last year. Decent?


Weingut Johann Lenz

Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling spätlese trocken 2007
Lightly slatey nose with hints of some apricot. Hard and lightly bitter wine in the mouth. Simple and with medium concentration. Uncharming. Not good.

Pündericher Marienburg Riesling kabinett halbtrocken 2008
Light and mineral on the nose. Some sweeter fruits. Quite slim in the mouth. Lacking concentration. Quite refreshing. Still a slight bittertone in the finish. Modest.

Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling kabinett feinherb 2008
Quite sulphury nose. Showing slate-ntoes underneath. Slim and quite dry feinherb in the mouth. Again low in concentration. But fine slate-notes. Simple and refreshing. Better balance here. Good.

Pündericher Marienburg Riesling kabinett 2008
Light fruity on the nose with hints of slate. A light kabinett with clear notes of slate and a light fruitiness. Simple. But fine and refreshing balance. A little thin. Decent.

Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling auslese 2006
Earthy nose. Botrytis and unclear style. Sweet, again earthy style with noticeable botrytis. Evovled. Low acids. Short taste. Modest quality.


Weingut Melsheimer

Reiler Mullay-Hofberg “Langenback” Riesling kabinett trocken 2008
Pretty nose. Mineral, slate. Light, dry and refreshing kabinett in the mouth. Simple, but fine balance. Nice stuff. Good.

Reiler Mullay-Hofberg Riesling kabinett feinherb 2008
Again mineral and slate on the nose. But a touch of flowers. Slim feinherb in the mouth. Crisp, mineral style. Light sweetness. Light flowers in the fruit. Fine minerality and depth. Fine acidity and length. Good wine.

Reiler Mullay-Hofberg ”Kellerchen” Riesling spätlese trocken 2008
Riper on the nose. More flowers. Hints of slate, minerality. Pretty wine in the mouth. More concentration. Clear mineral and slatey style. Riper acids. Not that high. Nice trocken. Good.

Reiler Mullay-Hofberg ”Pfefferberg” Riesling spätlese feinherb 2008
Underripe flowers. Some vegetal notes. Lots of slate, minerality. More power in the mouth. Some sweetness, pretty balance. Very fine acidity. Still round for a 2008. Nice minerality and depth. Very good.

Reiler Mullay-Hofberg ”Schäf” Riesling spätlese 2008
Flowers and a ligth touch of botrytis on the nose. Slate, minerality. Again well-balanced and focused in the mouth. Lighter than normal. More flowery and perhaps a little simpler than the Pfefferberg? Perhapstime will prove it differently. Fine acidity and length. Very good wine.

Reiler Mullay-Hofberg Riesling auslese 2008
Botrytis and light earth on the nose. Fat and thick auslese in the mouth. Big auslese from this year. Botrytised and earthy. Not the clearest style. Mushrooms. Fine acidity and balance. Long taste. But I am unsure about the fruit here. Decent.


Weingut Moog

Trabener Kräuterhaus riesling kabinett trocken 2008
Artificial, tutti-frutti-notes on the nose. Slim and dry. Simple fruit. Light. Very modest quality.

Trabener Schlossberg riesling qualitätswein trocken 2008
Equal nose, but with a hint of slate. Light, slim and refreshing riesling in the mouth. Again simple mostly tutti-frutti-notes. Some slate. Modest quality.

Trabener Schlossberg riesling kabinett halbtrocken 2008
Confected and artificial tutti-frutti again on the nose. Some green flowers. Light sweetness in the mouth. Fresh and light wine. Grren flowers. Slightly more depth here. Modest quality.

Trabener Gaispfad riesling kabinett 2008
More shy nose here. Finer. More minerality and slate. Less of the confected style. Slim and lightly sweetish riesling in the mouth. Citrusy and refreshing style. Some minerality. Decent quality.

Trabener Gaispfad riesling auslese 2007
Some more evolved notes. Acetone, botrytis. Sweetish riesling in the mouth. Some fatness. The fruit is lightly earthy and to be honest - not very pretty. Lacks focus and precision. Medium acidity and length. Very modest quality.


Weingut Martin Müllen

Trabener Würzgarten riesling kabinett trocken 2008
Lightly aromatic and spicey nose. Round and quite spicey also in the mouth. Aroamtic riesling as this vineyard always gives. A little on the rustic side. Good acidity. Decent quality.

Trarbacher Hühnerberg riesling spätlese trocken 2008
Very different style. Mineral, some apricot. More power in the mouth. Again on the rustic side with a high and refreshing acidity. Fine mineral depth. Good acidity and length. Very good.

Trarbacher Hühnerberg riesling spätlese "8,8" 2007
Lots of wild spontaneous yeasty notes. Flowers, mienrality. Complex. Powerful in the mouth. Concentrated, yeasty and mineral wine with great depth. Complex and typical Müllen-style. Fine acidity and length. Great wine.

Kröver Paradies riesling kabinett feinherb 2008
Lightly flowery, slate and minerality on the nose. A touch earthy. Light and a touch rustic in the mouth. Acidic balance. Refreshing. Good 2008.

Trarbacher Hühnerberg riesling spätlese 2008
Slatey, mineral nose. Some flowers. Quite light vintage of this wine in the mouth. Mineral and clear fruit. Round and delicious. Refreshing. Very pretty. Very good.

Trarbacher Hühnerberg riesling auslese 2007
Closed and muted on the nose. Some botrytis and petrol. Fullbodied and lightly fat riesling auslese in the mouth. Pretty and clear fruit. Citrusy, flowery and slate-notes. Noticable botrytis. Clear and fine. Fine acidity and length. Great balance. Great wine.


Weingut O.

Trabener Kräuterhaus riesling kabinett trocken 2008
10,5% alc/vol, 5 g/L residual sugar and 9,3 g/L acidity. Now we are talking trocken! Citrus and spice on the nose. Light slate. Very refreshing and acidic wine in the mouth. Dry and citrusy. Lots of spice and hint og slate. Long citrusy finish. Very cleansing acidity. Out of balance? I would not say so. There's uses for such a wine. Very good.

Trarbacher Ungsberg riesling QbA fast trocken 2008
10,5 g/L residual sugar. More flowers and slate on the nose. More minerality. Again quite acidic wine in the mouth, although nowhere near the previous monster. Lightly flowery, slatey fruit with a fine minerality. Some depth. Refreshing finish. Good length. Great.

Trabener Kräuterhaus riesling kabinett fineherb 2008
Simpler wine on the nose. Slate, flowers and the typical spicyness. Slim wine in the mouth. Crisp. Aromatic fruit. Spicy, flowery. Quite pretty, but lacks the depth of the previous wine. Very good.

Trabener Kräuterhaus riesling spätlese 2008
More intensity here. Again aromatic riesling. Spicy, flowery. Very clear, aromatic also on the mouth. Rounder and more behaved. Nice mouthfull. More fruit. Good acidity and length. Very good Kräuerhaus.

Trarbacher Ungsberg riesling spätlese 2008
A deeper minerality. Slate, flowers, citrus. Citrusy and more acidic balance in the mouth. Fine minerality and depth. Interesting wine. Acidity well-balancing the sweetness. Great wine.

Trarbacher Ungsberg riesling auslese 2008
Riper notes on the nose. But again fin notes. Slate, minerality, sweeter flowers. Sweeter and thicker wine in the mouth. Same fine depth and minerality. Fine acidity and well-balancing the sweetness. Good length. Another great wine ends this very fine selection.


Weingut Staffelter hof

Riesling Magnus trocken 2008
Slatey nose. A little anonymous. Dry, light sweetness. Slatey. Very light aromatics. Simple and light wine. Decent.

Kröver Paradies riesling feinherb 2008
More citrus on the nose. Again light aromatics with fine slatey notes. Quite dry feinherb in the mouth. Slim, citrusy. Quite simple and with a fine balance. Good.

Riesling alte reben kabinett trocken 2008
More minerality on the nose here. Fine intensity. Crisp and refreshing wine in the mouth. Slatey, citrusy fruit. Fine mienerality and depth. Slim style. Good length. Very good and my favorite wine from Staffelter hof.

Riesling Old school kabinett feinherb 2008
Slate and flowers on the nose. Again quite slim wine in the mouth. Almost dry, a touch of sweetness. Sweeter and more flowery fruit. lEss exciting, but with some slate and mineral notes. Decent.

Kröver Steffensberg riesling spätlese feinherb 2008
Flowery, lightly mineral nose. A little better depth. Some slate. Sweeter and more obvious fruity in the mouth. More powerful. But again only a light sweetness. Fine acidity and balance. Good.

Kröver Steffensberg riesling spätlese fruchtsüss 2008
Sweeter and more sweet flowers noticable on the nose. Slate, apricot. Sweeter in the mouth and also light botrytis-notes. Sour-sweet style and a fine refreshing acidity. Finely tuned. Very good.


Weingut Vollenweider

Vollenweider Riesling 2008
Grapes from Enkircher Steffensberg. Sweet flowers, slate-notes. Quite simple style for Vollenweider. Crisp and dry-tasting Riesling in the mouth. Fresh and flowery fruit. Young and refreshing. Fine acidity and citrusy length. Good.

Wolfer Golfgrube Riesling 2008
Pretty nose. Clearly spontaneous and more complex. Some flowers, minerality, yeast. More powerful wine in the mouth. Pretty fruit. Again flowery, but with more depth and minerality. Milder acidity. Good length. Very good wine.

Schimbock Riesling 2008
12% alcohol, 12,5 g/L residual sugar. Spontaneous fermentation. Wilder on the nose. More spontaneous. Mineral, yeast. Some flowers. Very pretty Schimbock in the mouth. Elegant and seemless with great minerality and complexity. Young fruit. Fine acidity and good length. Great wine.

Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling kabinett 2008
Only 7% alcohol. Flowery, slatey nose. Clear bright citrusy fruit. Fullbodied kabinett. Crisp style with young clear fruit and much sweetness (almost 70 g/L residual sugar). High and cleansing acids (8,5 g/L). Great balance. Very good length. Great kabinett.

Kröver Steffensberg riesling spätlese 2008
A little more subdued on the nose. Slate-notes, riper notes of flowers, light earthiness and some sulhpure. Sweet Riesling in the mouth. Creamier style. Perhaps a little simpler than the Goldgrube kabinett. More sweet flowers and slate. Fine acidity and length. Very good.

Wolfer Goldgrube Reiler Riesling spätlese 2008
From the parcel Reiler. The nose here is a little more stinky. Yeast and sulphure and did not show it’s best this day. More complex wine. Flowery fruit. A little riper and bigger in the mouth. More depth in the fruit. More complexity. Finer minerality. This has the stuffing, but seems closed. Again great balance. Great wine that will be even better with time.


Weingut Weiser-Künstler

Trabener Gaispfad riesling kabinett trocken 2008
Slate and minerality on the nose. Focused and precise. Some spice. Dry and almost a tad rustic in the mouth. Clear and pretty fruit. Typical mineral W-K-style. Fine acidity. Very good wine. W-K on the slightly rustic side.

Trabener Gaispfad riesling spätlese feinherb 2008
Sweeter on the nose. More flowers, but slatey and much minerality. Prettier wine in the mouth. Fine balance. Acidic and refreshing. Some sweetness, but tastes quite dry. Fine minerality, good depth. Very good.

Riesling feinherb 2008
Simpler on the nose with more pronounced sweet flowery fruit. Also sweeter in the mouth than the Gaispfad. Fine balance and good refreshing qualities. Good.

Enkircher Ellergrub riesling kabinett 2008
Slatey, mineral nose. More focus, slight flowers. More citrusy in the mouth. Structured and young wine. Slatey, mineral fruit. Pure and clear. A bit drier tasting than normal. High acidity. Refreshing. Very good.

Enkircher Ellergrub riesling spätlese 2008
Fine nose. Slate, minerality. Better depth. Some flowers. Also some sulphure on the nose. Sweeter in the mouth. Yet, clear and bright wine with great focus and precision. Mineral, slate. Great acidity matching the sweetness. Good length. Great wine and my favorite from W-K.

Enkircher Zeppwingert riesling spätlese 2008
More flowers on the nose. Sweeter and with a light touch of botrytis. Slate-notes. Bigger and sweeter spätlese in the mouth. Fine citrusy and flowery fruit. Some minerality and hints of slate. Simpler than the Ellergrub. Fresh wine with again cleansing and high acidity. Good length. Great wine.

Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein

Riesling von blauem Schiefer 2008
Intense nose. Slightly spicey feel. Ripe fruits. Honey, slate. Big and dry 2008 in the mouth. Mineral, honeyed fruit. On the rustic side. Medium acidity. Alcohol a little noticeable. Decent quality.

Riesling Kirchberg 1er lage 2008
Again ripe nose of honey, but prettier than the “blauem schiefer”. Finer minerality. Again big wine in the mouth for this vintage. Pretty minerality. Good depth. But ripe fell. Honey-notes. Good acidity. Decent length. Good.

Riesling Röttgen 1er lage 2008
Again ripe notes of honey and minerality. Some slate. Rounder wine in the mouth with a touch of residual sugar. Cleaner and more precise aromatics. Again ripe and honeyed fruit. Interesting minerality. Round and kind. Very good.

Riesling Uhlen 1er lage Blaufüsser lay 2008
”slimmer” on the nose. More citrusy and slate. Fine minerality and a touch of honey. Fullbodied and dry in the mouth. Slimmer style with a more pronounced acidity. IMO a better balance. But not so deep wine. More slatey, stoney. Good length. Very good.

Riesling Uhlen 1er lage Laubach 2008
Sweeter on the nose with more flowers. Very big in in the mouth. Alcohol is showing. Some residual is noticeable. Fine mineral depth. Flowers. Some honey. The wines show an interesting depth, but they are too big for my taste. Some alcohol on the finish. Good.


Weingut Andrzej Greszta

Kröver Steffensberg Riesling spätlese trocken 2007
Lightly mineral, but quite closed on the nose. Slim, round and dry Riesling in the mouth. A little elegant, but could have used more fruit. Slatey fruit. Some citrus. Fine acidity and length. Good.

Kröver Letterlay Riesling spätlese trocken 2008
More open for business. Slatey, mineral. Again a highly slim style that could use a little more fruit. Acidic, slim and clear slatey fruit. Remains quite simple and no great depth. Refreshing and nice. Good.

Kröver Paradies Riesling kabinett feinherb 2008
Shy nose. Soem citrus, some minerality. Slim and light feinherb in the mouth. Again quite simple fruit, yet clear and precise slatey notes. Lacking a little concentration. Fine acids. Medium length. Good.

Kröver Steffensberg Riesling spätlese 2008
Slatey, mineral nose with a touch of flowers. Refreshing and a little light spätlese in the mouth. Not the greatest concentration. Fine and clear fruit. Citrusy, flowery, some slate. Fine and refreshing acids. Good length. Good.

Kröver Letterlay Riesling auslese 2007
Light botrytis on the nose. Hint of mint and pine-needles. Evolved and a little odd. Sweetish Riesling in the mouth. Better concentration here. But again a little odd fruit. Pine-needles and mint. Some botrytis. Where is this going? A phase? Good acidit and length. Hard to judge.


Der Klitzekleine ring

Bergrettung Riesling kabinett trocken 2008
Pretty nose. Slatey and some flowers. Acidic and dry riesling in the mouth. Refreshing and very nice. Acidic and long taste. Very good.

Bergrettung Riesling kabinett feinherb 2007
Prettier and a little sweeter nose. Hints of flowers and slate. Slim and pure wine in the mouth. Very pretty and well-focused. Fine acidity and length. Very good wine and the best of these three dry wines.

Bergrettung Riesling QbA fast trocken 2006
Riper and botrytised nose. Lots of botrytis. Hints of apricot, some earth. Very powerful and fat Riesling in the mouth. Botrytised style. Quit dry and with very high alcohol. The fruit has turned more earthy with time and has not evolved that positively. The acidity is low and the alcohol is high on the finish. This was better in its youth. Good.

Bergrettung Riesling spätlese 2008
Fresh young Riesling on the nose. Hints of flowers and citrus. Clean, bright and citrusy wine in the mouth. Refreshing acids and good length. Very bright and refreshing wine. Well-made spätlese from 2008. Very good.

Bergrettung Riesling auslese 2007
A bit closed on the nose. Some citrus and slate. Sweetish and a more powerful wine in the mouth than the ’08. As with many ‘07s this is moving into a closed stage. Yet this shows that it is a great wine. Fine minerality. Citrusy and refreshing. Some minerality on the finish. Great wine. Give it 5 years.

Bergrettung Riesling auslese 2006
The nose shows ripe fruits. More botrytis and hints of apricot. Thick and creamy wine in the mouth. Very rich styled auslese. As typical with this vintage the fruit shows lots of botrytis and rich ripe notes of apricot. But quite clear and precise. The acids are lower. Good length. Nice wine from ’06. Very good.



Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting notes: Sep-09

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