This time: One of the best German sparklings, two amazing Rieslings, something from a new winery at the Loire and Lopez de Heredia in 3 variants.
The Schlossgut Diel 2009 Sekt Brut Nature Cuvee MO (4th batch) is for sure one of the best sparklings in Germany. Blind served you think it is a Champagne. It is composed of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc and it was on the lees for 133 month. So, you get a very complex and fascinating sparkling with brioche, blossoms, rosted notes, a very fine perlage and a Burgundian structure. It has so much extract sweetness that you never would think of a Brut Nature. 18.8/20 points.
The J.B. Becker 2011 Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Auslese trocken is from a very traditional winery, so the wines always need a lot of time and aeration. This wine is typical complex and puts a spell on you with honey, flowers, linoleum, lime, slightly sweetness, a medium-body, balance, a medium to long finish, mineral, complexity and potential for minimum two decades. 19.3/20 points.
Molitor is rightly regarded, independent of the grape variety or sweetness level: The Molitor 2011 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** trocken (white capsule) is very modern with toasted notes, vanilla, blossoms, a medium to full body, a typical Riesling acidity, high extract, a long finish, character, mineral, creamy, density, complexity and potential. This wine tastes like a young Riesling. Molitor's best dry Rieslings always needs time to evolve, in this case 11 years. 19.3/20 points.
Domaine Belargus is a new winery at the Loire which only produces wine from Chenin Blanc. Their first vintage was 2018. The Belargus 2019 Savennieres Clos des Rucheres is one of the most elegant Chenin Blanc which we every tasted. The wine has floor wax, herbs, jasmine and other blossoms, a full-body, a medium to long finish, density, a high mineral like crushed rocks and seems almost filigree. It is never heavy and demands the next glas. 19.3/20 points.
Normally the classical Riojas of Lopez de Heredia need decades to reach their peak but the Lopez de Heredia 2009 Bosconia Reserva is already drinkable now with plaka, blueberries, blackberries, red fruit, a medium to full-body, slightly animalistic, a little bit acidity, balance, structur and young tannins. The wine benefits from further aging. 18.5/20 points.
The Lopez de Heredia 2008 Tondonia Reserva start with a fantastic nose with cocoa powder and mocha, but it needs time and air to open up. It has a medium-body, tannin, structure and a lot of potential but currently it is a bit too young. 18.5/20 points.
The Lopez de Heredia 1976 Bosconia Gran Reserva shows us that classic Riojas are so durable, but also need decades to evolve: The wine has initially slightly potato sack which fades away with aeration. It has red fruits, cassis, cherry and the typical Tempranillo sweetness of a great Rioja. The wine is complex and balanced and has medium- to full-body. 18.8/20 points.
