WTN: 07 Kerpen Kabinett

With an assortment of leftovers, the 2007 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling. I had ordered a couple as part of a mixed case from a store on LI, but haven't picked up. So threw in one on a mixed case from a NJ store (that was being delivered) to get discount. Overall I must say I was seriously underwhelmed. There's absolutely nothing wrong here, but I can't say that there was anything of interest to me either. Sweet lime fruit, light body, only a hint of slate. Quite sweet for '07 Kab, but there is some bracing acidity. I actually can't pick out a fault here, it just strikes me as dull - maybe it was me, just a bad night to be tasting, but I can't say I'm thrilled to have more coming. Just strikes me as simple and uninteresting. B-/C+

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
 

Thanks for the note Dale. A bit disappointing to read the description; I remember the 06 Kerpen WS Kabinett was a real beauty with surprising elegance and lightness and from your descriptors it sounds like the 07's a step down from that.

Interestingly enough - just had an 07 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett as well earlier, this one from Max Ferd. Richter, and it was quite similar to what you describe as well - very sweet lime/apple-y fruit, hints of slate but felt a bit simple and not particularly exciting.

[David M. Bueker]

Salil - I am glad you responded to this thread because my assessment is that the Wehlener Sonnenuhr might be a bit too warm for the precision and focus that Mosel wine fans crave.

This is one of the reasons I buy Rieslings from sites like the Graacher Himmelreich and Zeltinger Schlossberg these days, over the Wehelner Sonnenuhr. Overall warming likely accounts for the good press that the Ockfener Bockstein is getting in recent vintages.

my assessment is that the Wehlener Sonnenuhr might be a bit too warm for the precision and focus that Mosel wine fans crave..

Except from Prum of course!

[David M. Bueker]

my assessment is that the Wehlener Sonnenuhr might be a bit too warm for the precision and focus that Mosel wine fans crave..

Except from Prum of course!

Like Trimbach, Prum is somehow able to buck the trends. I asked Katherina about this & she wouldn't give me a straight answer.

Salil - I am glad you responded to this thread because my assessment is that the Wehlener Sonnenuhr might be a bit too warm for the precision and focus that Mosel wine fans crave.

This is one of the reasons I buy Rieslings from sites like the Graacher Himmelreich and Zeltinger Schlossberg these days, over the Wehelner Sonnenuhr. Overall warming likely accounts for the good press that the Ockfener Bockstein is getting in recent vintages.

In the recent freakish vintages, drainage has probably as much if not more to do with the performance of Graacher Himmelreich and Ockfener Bockstein than sun exposure. Graacher Himmelreich is (almost) as damn hot as the Wehlener Sonnenuhr but has better water retention. The best cask of Auslese at Schaefer in 1959 and 1976 are not by coincidence from the Graacher Himmelreich. The same is also true for the Ockfener Bockstein vineyard which is known to do well in hot vintages. In addition, both vineyards have higher earth content which make richer wines which are better suited to "abosrb" / 'hold up to" botrytis (cf. 2006).

On the Schlossberg, I read your account on your preference for the regular Schlossberg stuff and I can see your logic as such wines comes mostly from the bendy part of the schlossberg (oriented towards the east) which sees less energy during the year.

[David M. Bueker]

In the recent freakish vintages, drainage has probably as much if not more to do with the performance of Graacher Himmelreich and Ockfener Bockstein than sun exposure. Graacher Himmelreich is (almost) as damn hot as the Wehlener Sonnenuhr but has better water retention. The best cask of Auslese at Schaefer in 1959 and 1976 are not by coincidence from the Graacher Himmelreich. The same is also true for the Ockfener Bockstein vineyard which is known to do well in hot vintages. In addition, both vineyards have higher earth content which make richer wines which are better suited to "abosrb" / 'hold up to" botrytis (cf. 2006).

On the Schlossberg, I read your account on your preference for the regular Schlossberg stuff and I can see your logic as such wines comes mostly from the bendy part of the schlossberg (oriented towards the east) which sees less energy during the year.

Thanks for the info Jean. Was 2007 all that warm and dry? I thought it was just a really long season with one hot month, so that drought stress was not an issue.

Have you had the opportunity to try the 2007 Selbach Schlossberg 'Schmitt' Spatlese? It may very well be my favorite wine of the vintage.

That is a good tip David...>

This is one of the reasons I buy Rieslings from sites like the Graacher Himmelreich and Zeltinger Schlossberg these days, over the Wehelner Sonnenuhr. Overall warming likely accounts for the good press that the Ockfener Bockstein is getting in recent vintages.

Perhaps a bit off topic but has anyone been able to compare the '07 Selbach Schlossberg Schmitt with the Schlossberg* ? I know that the Schmitt is from a particular parcel... is the * a fuder selection?

[David M. Bueker]

Perhaps a bit off topic but has anyone been able to compare the '07 Selbach Schlossberg Schmitt with the Schlossberg* ? I know that the Schmitt is from a particular parcel... is the * a fuder selection?

The 'Schmitt' is far and away the best of all the kabinett and spatlese Selbach produced in 2007. The Schlossberg* is a selection (no idea if it's a single fuder of wine), but I find the Schmitt better.

Thanks... I'll try to grab some before it disappears.

In the recent freakish vintages, drainage has probably as much if not more to do with the performance of Graacher Himmelreich and Ockfener Bockstein than sun exposure. Graacher Himmelreich is (almost) as damn hot as the Wehlener Sonnenuhr but has better water retention. The best cask of Auslese at Schaefer in 1959 and 1976 are not by coincidence from the Graacher Himmelreich. The same is also true for the Ockfener Bockstein vineyard which is known to do well in hot vintages. In addition, both vineyards have higher earth content which make richer wines which are better suited to "abosrb" / 'hold up to" botrytis (cf. 2006).

On the Schlossberg, I read your account on your preference for the regular Schlossberg stuff and I can see your logic as such wines comes mostly from the bendy part of the schlossberg (oriented towards the east) which sees less energy during the year.

Thanks for the info Jean. Was 2007 all that warm and dry? I thought it was just a really long season with one hot month, so that drought stress was not an issue.

Have you had the opportunity to try the 2007 Selbach Schlossberg 'Schmitt' Spatlese? It may very well be my favorite wine of the vintage.

On average must degrees, 2007 is up there in the "out of range" category with the biggies: 03-05-06 and 76. It was a rather contrasted growing season: very hot and dry in the beginning and then average as of August (I am over-simplifying). So no wonder. 1959 BTW was also not that dry (unlike 2003).

I thought I had the Schmitt but then I have no TN on it ... so I probably missed it. Too bad for me.

On average must degrees, 2007 is up there in the "out of range" category with the biggies: 03-05-06 and 76. It was a rather contrasted growing season: very hot and dry in the beginning and then average as of August (I am over-simplifying). So no wonder. 1959 BTW was also not that dry (unlike 2003).

The dry heat of 2007 was in April. After that everything was cooler and wetter than normal in recent years, unless my memory is very mistaken. The autumn was dry enough and warm enough for a long harvest, where one could wait for the perfect picking time, although many lost their nerve and picked too early. October was far warmer in 05, and picking was far quicker in 06. I seriouly doubt the theory that 07 Himmelreich is better than WS because of water shortage in the WS. Did any grower suggest this? What about Domprobst? Ist that water retention not as good as Himmelreich? Kerpen's Domprobst feinherb ist very good. Schaefer's Dobrobst 07s are beyond dispute...

Peter

Salil - I am glad you responded to this thread because my assessment is that the Wehlener Sonnenuhr might be a bit too warm for the precision and focus that Mosel wine fans crave.

Me thinks this is not what Dale's note suggests wrt the Wine in question. I rather suggest the Kabinett was picked too early for good aromatic devlopment. The must weights were there, the acidity was highish (so leave more RS), but the aroma development was not what it might have been, had he waited a bit longer...

Peter

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the perspective Peter. Since they don't put picking dates on the labels (Ravenswood in the USA used to do that...they may still do it) there's no way to know exactly exactly what happened (short of talking with Martin Kerpen).

That being said, I am still gravitating more and more to ostensibly "cooler" sites for my wine choices.