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Top Values: Rieslings of Germany
The 2007 vintage produced ripe, complex and fresh whites with consistent excellence across regions and quality levels
The 2007 vintage for German Riesling is one of the greatest in a string of successful harvests dating back to 1988. These white wines are fresh and balanced, exhibiting ripe, complex fruit flavors, elegance and density, and a mineral streak that manifests itself from the first sip. Quality is consistently high across all of the country's major regions.
The character of the 2007 wines is best defined by the long, growing season; the Riesling grapes remained on the vine for one to two months longer than usual. With the perfect weather of an Indian summer at harvest, the late-ripening Riesling stayed healthy and matured fully. Wine after wine featured the structure, depth and harmony that will allow them to be enjoyed for a few years after release and develop for decades in the bottle.
For my full report in the April 30, 2009 issue of Wine Spectator, I blind-tasted more than 700 German Rieslings from 2007. More than 55 percent achieved outstanding scores (90 to 94 points), with another 49 wines rating classic (95 to 100 points)—attesting to the consistency and excellence in all major regions and at all quality levels.
Value-seekers and those looking to try these tasty German wines for the first time will be pleased to hear that quality is very high among the lower-priced estate Rieslings, at the QbA level. These wines range from dry to off-dry in style.
At the higher prädikat levels (categorized by the grapes' natural level of ripeness at harvest, in ascending order), the vintage is at its best at the kabinett, spätlese and auslese levels. The delicate profiles of the best kabinette are heightened by their ripe, bright acidities. At the spätlese level, the wines deliver added richness, yet retain the verve and snap that makes them so appealing. Though even richer in residual sugar and more concentrated, the auslesen remain light-weight and mouthwatering, with a sweet fruitiness midpalate.
WineSpectator.com members can use our Top Values tool to find great buys from Bruce Sanderson's tastings: More than 160 wines that cost between $11 and $25 and rated 87 points or higher.
View the full list of German Riesling Top Values.
