Last Week's Two Tastings
Ernst Loosen, and The First Rosés of Spring
April 19, 2017
Stars from Loosen's Grand Crus, and a wide spectrum of pleasurable pinks.
Last Week’s Tastings
Tuesday: Ernst Loosen
Loosen’s Very Fine Dry Grand Crus
The stars of the dinner were the GGs, the dry great growths from the three finest Loosen vineyards Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Urziger Wurzgarten and especially Erdener Pralat They are all Alte Reben, Old Vines, in the case pf the Wehlener Sonnenuhr 100 years, planted on their own roots, not grafted.
While the wines are approachable now, to my taste they would all benefit from three to five years of aging and last for ten or more. All are recommended. They will arrive in next month.
2015 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG Alte Reben; Color: Very pale gold green; Aroma: Dry slate, lightly herbal firm, mineral spice rises in the glass, very rich; Mouth: Dry flint rather broad very, hard acid, light in body, the stone shows now; Excellent - Outstanding Reg 64, This week $55 Net
2015 Dr. Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling GG Alte Reben; Aroma: Fresh fruit more than slate, edgy, clean firm, ; Mouth: Juicy rather forward, fresh flinty acid, firm, rather clean tight acid, still young, mineral, nice acidity; Excellent - Outstanding Reg 64, This week $55 Net
2015 Dr. Loosen Erdener Pralat Riesling GG Alte Reben; Aroma: Very rich very dense, flinty, heady very dense,, heady ; Mouth: Dense rather full, very rich, very well textured, very rich, fine acid mineral astringency on the finish; Outstanding Reg 64, This week $55 Net
The Reserve wines below have an added layer of richness and depth from two years spent in bottle. They are rare wines to cellar and savor, especially the extraordinary Erdener Pralats. The 2013s will, I think mature earlier than the richer 2012 vintage and show more articulation and complexity. The 2012s are here, the 2013s will arrive in the fall.
2013 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG Alte Reben Reserve; Aroma: Lighter, fragrant, very pretty lifted, evocative elegant more than powerful, s often, hardiest, flinty; Mouth: Softer off dry elegant acid, tart, elegant, fine finely delineated, long; Excellent – Outstandiing Reg $105 Special $92 Net
2013 Dr. Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling GG Alte Reben Reserve; Aroma: Sweeter more primary, fresher more open, very pretty lifted, fresh pear, pretty lifted; Mouth: Clean firm, rather dense, flinty, fleshy, lifted and delicate, rather fine, clean long finely etched on the finish; Excellent - Outstanding Reg $105 Special $92 Net
2012 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG Alte Reben Reserve; Aroma: Rather rich r pretty, fullish., floral ripe, herbal notes, brighter fullish, a touch of reduction, both fresh and oxidative notes; Mouth: Deeper rather heady, softer rather riper acids, thick to the touch, not heavy, ample, long finer acid, fine delineated minerality; Excellent – Outstanding Reg $105 Special $92 Net
2013 Dr. Loosen Erdener Pralat Riesling GG Alte Reben Reserve; Aroma: Elegant, rather dense, very pretty rather fine, dense but lightly fresh, very pretty light peach and citric notes; Mouth: Fresh clean fine acidity, a slight austere steely backbone note, fine mineral acidity, very fine burr on the finish, rather long fine; Excellent-Outstanding Reg $175 Special $139
2012 Dr. Loosen Erdener Pralat Riesling GG Alte Reben Reserve; Aroma: Very clean steely sweet acid, heady spice, rather rich dense Light over-ripe notes; Outstanding Reg 175 Special $139
Wednesday
The First Rosés of Spring
Everybody found something to like. Although all pink, the wines showed a wide spectrum of flavors and texture.
People mentioned three wines most often as their favorites
For freshness and vivacity, the 2016 Pesquie Cotes de Ventoux
For its rich breadth of fruit, the 2015 By.Ott Cotes de Provence.
For for complexity, the 2016 La Spinetta Il Rose di Casanova.
Some felt that the 2016 Marisco Pinot Rose The Ned was so ripe as to be almost sweet., and the 2016 Iby Blaufrankisch to be very juicy.
2016 Pesquie Cotes de Ventoux; Aroma: Clean pretty rather fresh lightly herbal floral fresh; Mouth: Clean firm rounded, of a piece, fleshy; Very Good Plus 14.99; Mixed Case, 13.49; Case, 12.74
2015 By.Ott Cotes de Provence; Color: pale salmon tan; Aroma: fresh rounded , lightly mineral, pretty forward, elegant, sour citrus cherry; Mouth: fresh mineral, fruity finely delineated, broad cherry strawberry, with underlying mineral, finishes crisp; Very Good Plus15.99; Mixed Case, 14.39; Case, 13.59
2016 Marisco Pinot Rose The Ned; Color: light pinkish, orange; Aroma: crisp, rather flinty, rayher clean, lightly floral, pretty; Mouth: fruity, pretty rich, nice sweet citrus, pretty Pinot a direct acid line, very long sweet acid finish; Very Good Plus 13.99; Mixed Case, 12.59; Case, 11.89
2016 Iby Blaufrankisch; Color: Light; Aroma: Clean fresh light clean herbal; Mouth: Juicy very fresh clean bright sweet and lively; Very Good Plus 15.99; Mixed Case, 14.39; Case, 13.59
2016 Argiolas Serralori Rosato 16.99; Mixed Case, 15.29; Case, 14.44
2016 La Spinetta Il Rose di Casanova: Salmon pink with light orange reflections. Flavors and aromas of ripe peach, flowers , spice and chalky minerality. Flavorful, crisp and clean. Very Good to Excellent 18.99; Mixed Case, 17.09; Case, 16.14
Instore only 4-18 Rose Pack: Special, one each of the above wines - $88
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!
- Len Rothenberg
(c) Federal Wine and Spirits Inc. 2017
