German Catalog 2006 USE THIS ONE.qxp - Michael Skurnik Wines

a Trocken fusspot. Ah NO: the Catoir was dramatically
finer in every imaginable way: sleeker, clearer, more elegant,
better balanced, longer; a perfect dry Riesling, in
The greatest estate in the Pfalz and one of the top
müller-catoir at a glance:
few in all of Germany. Brilliant primary-fruit driven
wines of supernatural steely clarity and multi-layered depth. The overused word
aristocratic perhaps best describes them.
Extremely spritzy and highly leesy—one wine made me
how the wines taste:
think of Gimonnet’s Cuvée Gastronome! At their best
they show a force of expressiveness bordering on the supernatural.
DRY WINES
fact, though Luther might have kvetched about whatever
pittance of RS it contained.
GMC-091 2005 Haardter Herzog Riesling Kabinett Trocken
The most charm and texture of three dry Kabinetts; brioche aromas; the silkiest possible
structure; herbal wash of saltiness with refined fruit; wonderful length: an elegant lady!
SOMMELIER ALERT! SOS: 0 (now-3 years, again 9-12 years)
GMC-092 2005 Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Spätlese Trocken +
This is a fiery redhead of a wine; as always it’s a little untamed, as if sachets of bouquetgarni
were dangled in the tank; it’s a glowing ultra-violet sort of palate, resolving into
a gentle sorrel-y finish; even a nip of urgestein ore.
SOS: 0 (now-3 years, again 10-14 years)
GMC-093 2005 Bürgergarten Breumel In Den Mauern Riesling Grosses Gewächs +
Starting with the 2003 vintage Martin offered three micro-Cru variations of
Bürgergarten, different parcels based on subsoils and exposure. I offered all three, terroir-lama
that I am. Then Catoir joined the VDP, and had to reduce the offering to one,
which is now included in the “Grosses Gewächs” rubric. Luckily it was the best one.
This is becoming one of Germany’s most reliably-great dry Rieslings; expressive minerally
nose; the palate is shining proof that “mineral” can be lavish and explosive; this
is an anvil of intensity compared to the filigree `04.
SOS: 0 (now-3 years, again 12-15 years)
GMC-077 2004 Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese Trocken “Breumel” ++
BREUMEL was a late harvest with much lower yields; it has significantly more solidity than
the “regular” Bürgergarten, and true Grand Cru character; focused and resolute, playing in
several levels; lemony-minty top-notes, bouquet-garni and maizey mid-notes, and stony
demi-glace-y low notes. Less a “finish” than a seemingly endless peal of mineral.
SOS: 0 ( now-3 years, again 12-18 years)
GMC-094 2005 Haardter Bürgergarten Muskateller Spätlese Trocken +
Here is how you see the contrast between `04 and `05: the `04 had 12.5% alc and was
silvery-clear and detailed. The `05 is, shall we say, not-without alcohol! It is still one of
the world’s greatest Muscats (I took a bottle to Jean Boxler, whose occasional Brand
Grand Cru is another), but this time with a roaring bellow of expressiveness allied with
the most finicky clarity of flavor; the finish is like sucking Thai-basil leaves.
SOS: 0 (now-9 years)
155
PFALZ WINES