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1971 German Dessert Wine

harman/kardon

harman/kardon

From the Fatherland
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1971 "Ihringer Winklerberg" Ruländer Trockenbeerenauslese

Last evening I opened a bottle of wine which I considered not to be drinkable anymore. It is a sort of German Sauternes, called "Trockenbeerenauslese." A Ruländer is a German white wine. Look at the colour of this one!!!

I opened carefully, smelled the cork, decanted, poured the wine into the glass, smelled - and then tasted! Wow! This wine was still alive although it's peak had obviously been exeeded a couple of years ago. What an outstanding fragrance anyway!

In 0,7 liter bottles, and correctly stored, a "Trockenbeerenauslese" may live 100 years and more. In small 0,375 liter bottles (this is one) the shelf life is much shorter. I got this Ruländer ten years ago - so I do not know how it was stored in earlier decades.

However this was a great experience. The grapes of this wine riped when I was nine years old!

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I once took a chance on a 50 year old wine from a estate sale, it was the best $5 bottle I ever had. Was surely about 10 years past its prime but was still better than it had a right to be because the cork fell to pieces when removing so I decanted it and removed the floating pieces of cork. Some wines are built for aging with lots of tannin and alcohol but most white wines are meant to be drank sooner than later. Gotta love it when you run across something like this but dont be surprised if you have to pour a couple of bottles down the drain before you find a good one.
 
I am a bit of a Riesling hog. TBA I do not have but plenty of Aus, Spate and Kab. I do have a couple older ones ‘64, ‘67, ‘79 and of course a few ‘71 BA. ‘71 was a spectacular vintage. 2001 is close second but time is needed. I am drinking my 2001 Kab and Spates now. Hope to open the Aus in another 10+ years.

I also have some Troken wines that are amazing. 1996 in particular.

All told I likely have 200 bottles I guess? Every one from 1992 on bought on release and stored in professional storage. Now in my home climate controlled cellar in basement. 58 degrees 24/7/365.
 
I enjoyed doing tastings along the Mosel when I was stationed at Spangdahlem from '92-'95. The wines I shipped back with my household goods are long since consumed however.:beerchug:
 
Interestingly, the American Rieslings seem to darken sooner than the German ones. I have 1978 Ch. Dt Jean TBA that is the colour of your 71 and has been for years.

I still have a few older German Rieslings, but only back to the early 80s. In my experience the higher the RS level, the better the chance for long term cellaring.

I opened a 1970 and 1990 Bordeaux last weekend and no problems with condition!
 
wspohn said:
Interestingly, the American Rieslings seem to darken sooner than the German ones. I have 1978 Ch. Dt Jean TBA that is the colour of your 71 and has been for years
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I have BA from 1964 that is less dark and more golden than OP wine. I did once taste BA from either ‘45 or ‘49, I forgot which. Had a minty, herby quality unlike any Riesling I ever drank.
Will be opening half bottle of 1976 Long Goldkapsule Auction Aus from Fritz Haag but I forgot what vineyard for dessert at T-giving.
 
wspohn said:
Interestingly, the American Rieslings seem to darken sooner than the German ones. I have 1978 Ch. Dt Jean TBA that is the colour of your 71 and has been for years.

I still have a few older German Rieslings, but only back to the early 80s. In my experience the higher the RS level, the better the chance for long term cellaring.

I opened a 1970 and 1990 Bordeaux last weekend and no problems with condition!
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We recently opened a 2001 Kabinet that drank young and acidic, still had years to go if properly stored.
 
This Riesling completely dried out, no hint os Spate “sweetness “.
Clearly a great time to drink this, yet remarkably, this could still go years.

Not sure the photo expresses the color well.

Amber gold with a deep hue like a great Scotch. The nose is tons of apple and green wood and of course lots of petrol.
@harman/kardon
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Wine like this is why folks age Riesling 20-30 years when we can.

Still have a couple much older bottles like 61, 64 and a few 71, but this is last the this range. 1996, 97 next followed by my 2001-2003.
 
harman/kardon said:
1971 "Ihringer Winklerberg" Ruländer Trockenbeerenauslese

Last evening I opened a bottle of wine which I considered not to be drinkable anymore. It is a sort of German Sauternes, called "Trockenbeerenauslese." A Ruländer is a German white wine. Look at the colour of this one!!!

I opened carefully, smelled the cork, decanted, poured the wine into the glass, smelled - and then tasted! Wow! This wine was still alive although it's peak had obviously been exeeded a couple of years ago. What an outstanding fragrance anyway!

In 0,7 liter bottles, and correctly stored, a "Trockenbeerenauslese" may live 100 years and more. In small 0,375 liter bottles (this is one) the shelf life is much shorter. I got this Ruländer ten years ago - so I do not know how it was stored in earlier decades.

However this was a great experience. The grapes of this wine riped when I was nine years old!

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Just a heads up: the cork is for visual (mold), you can smell the wine in the glass and tell if it's bad. Glad it worked out.
 
I like the German dessert wines fine as long as I have 6-8 people to split a 375 ml bottle after a nice meal (a little goes a long way). Otherwise, I'm a fan of dry Rieslings and my favorite of the bunch come from the Alsace. When I lived in Germany in the 70's and 80's, I used to help pick grapes for a close friend's family who lived in Punderich on the Mosel. The vintner would pay us in bottles of the previous year's wines.
 
My folks drank a lot of wine in the early 70's in Germany. Anybody remember the wine bottles in a basket and then you would melt colored candles and they would drip.

Ah, the memories. I was like 6. Didn't drink much wine in those days myself...
 
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