On September 23d 2011 the 124th VdP Mosel-saar-Ruwer prädikatsweinversteigerung took place in the Europahalle in Trier. The auction, known as the Grosser ring, showed the best 2010-selections from the top VdP-growers on the Mosel. As the vintage was a very small one, it was less cuvees than normal for this auction. Most producers decided to have to cuvees at the auction: one spätlese and one auslese goldkapsel. Here are our notes on the wines that we tasted at the pre-tasting before the auction:

Weingut Willi Schaefer

Graacher Domprobst riesling spätlese 2010
Ripe nose. Tropical, citrusy with some hints of slate. Fullbodied and acidic in the mouth. Tropical fruits. Ripe style, but fine fruit. Some slate and minerality. Very high acidity. Refreshing citrusy finish. Very good spätlese. Auction: 36,41 € (0,75 L) / 115,31 € (1,5 L).

Graacher Domprobst riesling auslese goldkapsel 2010
Again ripe fruits on the nose. Mmore honeyed and botrytised here. But fine botrytis. And tropical fruit-elements. Eiswein-like on the nose. Also tastes like an eiswein. Loads of fruit-concentration and loads of acidity. Pure, fruity style. Ripe, tropical fruits. Fine botrytis-notes. Very high acids. Shows more depth and complexity than the spätlese. Great wine, if you can handle the ripe notes. Auction: 77,68 € (0,375 L) / 123,81 € (0,75 L) / 436,97 € (1,5 L).


Weingut Schloss Lieser

Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr riesling spätlese 2010
Pure and more mineral style in the mouth. Fine fruit, not as ripe. Lightly flowery. Fullbodied and acidic wine in the mouth. Loads of concentration. Lots of sweetness, but the very high acids keeps the wine tasting quite slim. Pretty balance and a fine fruit. Long citrusy finish. Great spätlese. One of my favorites this year. Auction: 48,55 € (0,75 L) / 424,83 € (1,5 L) / 485,52 € (3 L).

Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
This shows quite some botrytis on the nose. Honey and rich fruit. Richer and thicker in the mouth. Clear and fine botrytis-notes. Fine fruit. Some riper notes and honey, but also minerality. Again very high acids. Great wine, but perhaps the spätlese is more impressive in its style. 121,38 € (0,375 L) / 358,07 € (0,75 L) / 400,55 € (1,5 L).


Weingut Clemens Busch

Pündericher Marienburg riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
A bit shy on the nose. Shows botrytis, forest-floor, slate. Some tropical notes. Thick, intense and sweet-sour in the mouth. Lots of sweetness, but more acid. Quite tropical ripe fruits, but also some slate and forest floor. Lots of botrytis. High acids. Very good, more than great. Auction: 109,24 € (0,375 L).


Weingut S.A.Prüm

Wehlener Sonnenuhr riesling auslese goldkapsel #37 2010
Shy on the nose. Some honey, lots of botrytis, earthy style. Heavy style in the mouth. Thick and sweet. Lower acids than normal for the vintage. Honeyed fruit. Botrytis, earth. Fruit seems a bit dull. Lacking grace and depth. Some fine slate-notes. Not particularly successful. Auction: 60,69 € (0,375 L) / 121,38 € (0,75 L) / 242,76 € (1,5 L).


Weingut Dr.H.Thanisch – Erben Thanisch

Berncasteler Doctor riesling spätlese 2010
Smokey nose. Hints of bacon and flowers. Quite greenish and not too ripe. Fullbodied spätlese in the mouth. Acidic, but well balanced wine. Fine fruit. Not too ripe. Shows its typical smokey minerality. Flowers and slate. Very good spätlese. 36,41 € (0,75 L) / 92,25 € (1,5 L).


Weingut Fritz Haag

Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr riesling spätlese 2010
Mineral nose. Hints of snow, white fruits. Sweet in the mouth. High acids, but mild for this vintage. Fine fruit. Not too ripe. Lots of minerality, snow, white fruits. Citrusy finish. Good length. This shows very good. Almost as good as the spätlese from Schloss Lieser. Auction: 48,55 € (0,75 L) / 206,35 € (1,5 L) / 279,17 € (3 L).

Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
A lot riper on the nose. Honey, more yellow and tropical elements. Botrytis. Powerful in the mouth. Sweeter and thicker. Yet with very high acids. Almost eiswein-like feel. Lots of ripe fruits and high acids. Cleansing citrusy finish. Great wine. Will be interesting to follow. Auction: 127,45 € (0,375 L) / 248,83 € (0,75 L) / 740,42 € (1,5 L).


Weingut Dr.Loosen

Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling spätlese goldkapsel 2010
Typical aromatic and spicey nose as this always has. Quite ripe, some botrytis showing. Fullbodied and loaded with ripe fruits in the mouth. High acids. But more fruit and also quite some botrytis for a spätlese. A very good spätlese, lacking a little elegance and grace. Auction: 48,55 € (0,75 L) / 97,10 € (1,5 L).

Erdener Prälat Riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
Rich and honeyed nose with lots of botrytis. Thick and botrytised fruit in the mouth. Very rich, ripe and thick for a 2010 Mosel-riesling. High acids and long taste. This shows a lot of powerful fruit, which is typical for this producer and probably a good thing in this vintage. But the fruit is very ripe. Great wine, but where will it go from here? Auction: 224,55 € (0,375 L) / 443,04 € (0,75 L).


Weingut Joh.Jos Prüm

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling spätlese 2010
Apples and minerality on the nose. Light Prüm-stink, but this is more open than usual. Fullbodied and slim spätlese in the mouth. Mineral approach and fine fruit. High acids. Refreshing and citrusy character. But this shows good depth and fine minerality. Great spätlese in this difficult vintage. A lot more impressive than the standard spätlese. Auction: 78,90 € (0,75 L) / 218,48 € (1,5 L).

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling auslese 2010
The nose here is more shy and reductive. Some fine mineral hints. Seems quite pure and fine in style. Not too ripe. Light botrytis-notes. Sweet and acidic wine in the mouth. Young and again quite mineral approach. Hints of yellow apples and botrytis. Shows a riper than the spätlese, but fine fruit still. Perhaps not much more depth. High acids and long refreshing taste. Great wine, but perhaps not as impressive as the spätlese. Auction: 55,83 € (0,375 L) / 127,45 € (0,75 L) / 248,83 € (1,5 L).

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling auslese goldkapsel 2010
This is also lightly shy on the nose. Shows more honeyed fruit and botrytis-notes. Again some fine minerality. Thicker and richer in the mouth. More sweetness and more ripeness. More apparent botrytis. Honeyed and riper fruits. But again this shows good depth and fine minerality. Fine acids, high and refreshing. Great wine with a future. Very fine 2010. Auction: 97,10 € (0,375 L) / 242,76 € (0,75 L) / 631,18 € (1,5 L).

Graacher Himmelreich Riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
Sweeter on the nose. Riper fruits and more botrytis. Again lightly shy nose. Fullbodied in the mouth. This shows a lot of botrytis and thickness upfront. But this has higher acids and becomes slim and refreshing towards the finish. The fruit is ripe with tropical notes. Fine botrytis. Lacking a little the minerality of the previous wine. Long taste. Great wine, but I prefer the previous wine to this. Auction: 182,07 € (0,375 L) / 388,42 € (0,75 L) / 910,35 € (1,5 L).


Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein

Winninger Uhlen Roth lay Riesling auslese goldkapsel 2010
Deep colour for such a young vintage. Intense nose. Honey, botrytis, some earth. Hints of flowers and blackcurrant. Very rich style in the mouth with loads of acid. Intense and ripe fruit. Very open and giving. Quite a lot of botrytis. Some earthy elements. But mostly honeyed and ripe fruity style. Very high acidity. Long taste. A blockbuster, more than elegance. Very good. Auction: 78,90 € (0,75 L).


Weingut Karthäuserhof

Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhof Riesling auslese #43 2010
Pretty nose. Typical. Hints of forest floor, slate, flowers and botrytis. Fullbodied, rounder acids than in many other wines. Pretty fruit. Fine notes of flowers and forest floor. Some slate. Perhaps lacking a little depth? Refreshing acids on the finish. Very good, more than great. Auction: 26,70 € (0,375 L) / 59,48 € (0,75 L) / 151,73 € (1,5 L).


Weingut von Hövel

Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling auslese goldkapsel 2010
Yellow fruits and minerality on the nose. Fine minerality and good depth. Some botrytis-notes. Fullbodied and thick wine in the mouth. Quite botrytised character. Flowery fruit with fine minerality. High acids, but does not take the depth. Refreshing and long taste. Citrusy finish. This is great and a nicely tuned auslese from 2010. Auction: 43,70 € (0,375 L).


Le Gallais

Wiltinger Braune kupp riesling auslese goldkapsel 2010
Great nose. Minerality, botrytis. Fine and transparent style. Some honey-notes and ripeness. Powerful and thick wine in the mouth. Great concentration. Fien fruit. Mineral, transparent style, snowy feeling. Yet it shows that there is substancial botrytis here. High acids. Refreshing finish. Tremendous wine. Classical Müller style and one of the best Le Gallais I have tasted. Auction: 115,31 € (0,375 L) / 230,62 € (0,75 L) / 400,55€ (1,5 L).


Egon Müller – Scharzhofberg

Scharzhofberger riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
Typical steely, mineral nose. This is so much Scharzhofberg on the nose. Botrytis-notes. Thick and rich wine in the mouth. Sweet and with much botrytis. Again it is very clear and transparent. Loads of minerality and depth. Very high acids, but this manages to retain the depth. Young wine that will last a very long time. Tremendous quality. My favorite wine of the tasting. Auction: 376,28 € (0,375 L) / 667,59 € (0,75 L) / 6433,14 € (3 L).


Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken

Saarburger Rausch riesling spätlese 2010
Smokey, greenish nose. Typical Rausch-minerality. Medium bodied, slim, but fine concentration. Transparent and clear fruit. Some greenish notes. Lots of smokey notes. Minerality. High acids. Refreshing finish. Very good ’10 spätlese. Auction: 36,41 € (0,75 L) / 91,04 € (1,5 L).

Saarburger Rausch riesling auslese 2010
More honey on the nose here. Still the same minerality and smokiness. Some botrytis showing. Fuller and thicker in the mouth. More botrytis apparent here. Refreshing style with fine and transparent fruit. Mineral. Loads of acidity. Long citrusy finish. Fine wine on the young side. Will be great. Auction: 61,90 € (0,75 L) / 230,62 € (1,5 L).

Saarburger Rausch riesling auslese goldkapsel 2010
More botrytis on the nose here. Intense nose. Again smokey and mineral. Honey and more ripeness showing. Concentrated in the mouth. Sweet, but almost slimmer feel due to the very high acids here. Clear and fine fruit. Transparent and fine botrytis-character. Fine minerality. Long and refreshing taste. Another great wine. Will last a long time. Auction: 49,77 € (0,375 L) / 110,46 € (0,75 L) / 327,73 € (1,5 L).

Saarburger Rausch riesling auslese lange goldkapsel 2010
This shows even more botrytis. Sweeter and more honeyed and ripe yellow fruit. But again the smokiness is there. Fine minerality. Thicker in the mouth. Lots of botrytis. Beerenauslese-style. But clear and transparent fruit. Quite ripe and yellowish, but some minerality. Great acids. High and refreshing. Long taste. Another great wine. A fine line-up from Zilliken. Auction: 121,38 € (0,375 L) / 254,90 € (0,75 L) / 521,93 € (1,5 L).


Eiswein, Beerenauslese, trockenbeerenauslese

Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner riesling eiswein 2009, Weingut Schloss Saarstein
Yellow colour. Fruity nose. Yellow fruits. Mineral, smokey notes. Somewhat evolved. Fullbodied and sweet in the mouth. Smokey and ripe fruits. Lots of yellow fruits. Clear style. Some fine mineral notes. Fine acids and structure, although not the most refreshing. Great eiswein. But does not stand out in this setting. Auction: 176,- € (0,375 L).

Graacher Himmelreich riesling eiswein #69 2009, Weingut S.A.Prüm
Loads of tropical notes on this one. Very fruity nose. A bit over the top. Too much for me. Sweet and fullbodied in the mouth. Fruity, but not much depth. Medium acids for this style. Decent quality, but unexciting. Auction: 424,83 € (0,375 L).

Wehlener Sonnenuhr riesling trockenbeerenauslese #59 2009, Weingut S.A.Prüm
Fruity TBA on the nose. Rich and ripe fruits. Tropical. Loads of pineapple-notes. Some botrytis-notes. Very thick and very sweet in the mouth. Loads of oechsle-weight here. Impressive for the pure Weight. But the fruit stays rather simple. Very tropical and ripe. Pineapple, hints of botrytis. Honey. Medium acids in the balance. Long finish, a bit cloying. Great wine. Give it a long time. Not my favorite. Auction: 788,97 € (0,375 L).

Saarburger Rausch riesling beerenauslese 2003, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken
Expressive beerenauslese. Quite tropical and intense nose. Some minerality. Some complexity and evolved character. Thick, rich and fruity styled in the mouth. Lots of fruit and concentration. Some botrytis showing. Very rich and ripe fruits. Tropical, yet clear and fine. Some depth. Medium to good acids. Fine and refreshing end. Great BA. Auction: 315,59 € (0,375 L) / 606,90 € (0,75 L) / 1031,73 € (1,5 L).

Scharzhofberger riesling trockenbeerenauslese 1999, Weingut Egon Müller – Scharzhof
Yellow towards golden colour. Smokey nose. Rich and botrytised. Clear and fine nose. Mineral, yellowish fruits. Very thick and sweet in the mouth. Weighty Scharzhofberger TBA. Fine botrytis for this vintage. Grest selection. Fine fruit. Botrytis, yellowish fruits, minerality. Steely towards the finish. Acidity not very high here. Moer medium weight, but good given the vintage. Long long sweet finish. Great TBA. Great purity. Could have used a tad more freshness. Give it 20-30 years. Auction: 2913,12 € (0,375 L) / 6433,14 € (0,75 L).



Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting notes: Sep-11


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