Angela J.S.S.

Merkelbach 2001 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese 012 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Wine turned up past ten on the volume control, but here it’s not a bad thing. Green herbs and ultra-ripe apple, with metal in abundance. Still very, very young. (4/09)

Berres-p-e-c-t

CH Berres 1998 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese 06 99 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Faint at first, but it grows into itself a bit. Yet it never quite reaches the rung it should grasp, remaining dusty and drying, despite good length. There’s a lack of presence, and also of the texture and mineral-spice of older riesling. A closed stage, then? Perhaps. (9/08)

The Würz of times

JJ Christoffel Erben 2001 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett 005 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Sharp, gravelly, with a soda-water finish. A little disjointed. OK, a lot disjointed. But there’s spice, and…oh, hell, I don’t know what to make of this wine. It doesn’t seem to want to help, either. (3/09)

Berres do it, bees do it

CH Berres 2001 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese 12 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Raw iron and light petroleum, perhaps some aluminum. Shockingly primary (almost raw, actually); this not only is far from maturity, it’s not even close to closing up yet. (12/08)

The Berres necessities

Christoffel Berres 1996 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Creamy and rich, though I don’t find much complexity yet, with the requisite spice somewhat tamped down by palate weight. It’s a little shorter than I’d like, as well, though that’s a nitpick. Still, there’s much to enjoy, and a little more time might help things move in one direction or another. (8/07)

The Würz of times

Merkelbach 2006 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Beerenauslese 011 07 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Sulfur. Luscious, with creamy makrut lime and some nicely-preserved acidity. For a BA, however, it’s medium light, and the finish is a little abrupt. It could just be too young, though. (4/08)