Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1399
20 / the tasting panel / july 2009 Steven Spurrier's Letter from London PHOTO: DECANTER T he Germans came to London in early June, or at least the VDP. The Prädikatsweingüter Grosser Ring producers from the Mosel- Nahe-Saar-Ruwer, whose members' historic vineyards contain what are considered to be the grands crus of their respective regions, to present the 2008 vintage. 2008 was a truly typical German vin- tage: pretty cool, miserable weather, but just what Riesling vines and top German producers like. The fl owering was perfectly normal, near the end of June, the vintage beginning in mid- October, interrupted by intermittent rain, the grapes slowly being brought in parcel by parcel. The extended hang-time produced wines with beau- tifully pure aromas with green apple, white peach and stone fruits dominat- ing the palate and with higher acidity than in either 2007 or 2006—a fresh- ness that clearly favours the Kabinett and Spätlese styles. With the exception of white Burgun- dy (another region with patchwork vineyards and a single grape variety), Germany is unique in that one accepts the varietal as a given, allowing its ex- pression to come from the vineyard. Add to this the incredible diversity of soils and subsoils and the possi- bility each year to produce three or more different wines from each site, and the offer becomes kaleidoscopic. Below are my favourites, rated 17.5 (out of 20) and above, from this very attractive vintage that will only need a little time in bottle to show well and, like most hand-crafted, cool-climate Rieslings, has at least a decade in front of it. Clemens-Busch Riesling Marienburg Spätlese Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juff er Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Willi Haag Brauneberger Juff er Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese Gehermrat J. Wegeler Bernkastel Doctor Riesling Spätlese Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese Egon Müller-Scharzhof Wiltinger Braune Kupp Riesling Kabinett, Le Gallais Riechsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett Dr Wagner Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese Dr Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett (also Spätlese and Auslese) Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Reisling Spätlese Moving onto reds, fêted winemaker Hans Vinding-Diers and his partner, Contessa Noemi di Marone Cinzano, presented for the fi rst time a verti- cal from their fi rst 2001 vintage to 2007 of Noemia, a 100% Malbec from 70-year-old vines deep in Argentina's Patagonia. A cult wine that sells for over £100 in the U.K., the 2004 took my vote until coming to the 2007, which had the fragrance and fresh- ness of Ausone allied to great depth and earthy power. Cult wines do not always live up to their reputation, but Noemia, which put Patagonia on the map, certainly does. My meal of the month was Tim (Juvenile's in Paris) Johnston's 60th birthday party at London's Atlas Pub, which is run by his nephews. A clas- sic English Sunday lunch of grilled asparagus and roast sirloin of beef took a back seat to the wines: mag- nums of Champagne Dieblot-Vallois from Cramant, Shaw & Smith 2007 M3 Chardonnay from Australia's Adelaide Hills, then back to France for A. Clape1988 Cornas, A. Clape 1986 Cornas (magnums), Lynch-Bages 1985 and Clos Urulat 1990 Jurançon that appeared around tea-time. Bon anniversaire, Tim!