Yesterday I got out of hospital where I had been spending the past week. I suppose this blog is a bit of a home for florid expressions of excess, so let me just say that pancreatitis is without a doubt the most painful thing I have experienced in my life. Moreover, such was the woeful condition of the hospital beds I could hardly sleep and spend most of the time in hospital colourfully psychotic. I have left the place with a case of diabetes with which to remember the occasion.
On to the wine. This wine is part of a small sample I scored from Leon Stolarski Fine Wines. I have some experience with this grower and I know he is pleased as chips with his small holdings of some top-flight vineyards and he treats them with the respect they deserve. I am very pleased that his pricing policy is not to charge the earth.
[image image_id=”5464″ size=”medium” align=”left”]Riesling Spatlese Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2009, Dr Weins-Prum
This kind of nose is why one pops German Rieslings young; it is charged with peachy, Muscatty fruit that seems deliciously ripe and attractive. There is a good dose of minerality here, but perhaps this nose is not charged with the very most dimensionality I’ve ever experienced. That being said, it is a gloriously ripe example of a 2009 that could have little more allure. The palate is distinctly sweet for a Spatlese with loads more of that gorgeous fruit. Again there is a good mineral tang but it could have a shade more I feel. Acid levels are pretty much there, but it is not one of those wines that makes your teeth fizz. I like them. This is a very good Spatlese which is a great example of the vintage, albeit not the most thrilling and exciting Riesling you might ever try. I will be ageing my other bottle as it clearly merits the compliment of cellar time.
Glad to hear you are out of hospital and that you found something suitable to celebrate with. I have had some stunning wines from Sonnenuhr.
David – Glad to hear that you are OK, following your unscheduled stay in hospital. Pancreatitis can be very nasty indeed – so much so that it very nearly killed my cousin – so look after yourself. That said, a nice Riesling has to be just what the doctor ordered – in my book, at least! So I’m pleased to see that you liked the Weins-Prum W-S Spatlese and Kabinett. By the way, you must try the Kurt Hain wines sometime – less delicate than the Prum wines, but with lovely concentration and lip-smacking acidity.
Thanks for bearing with me during the order hiatus, Leon. The Kabinett was an entity of raw pleasure, there may be finer wines in this world but I could hardly stop myself from keeping topping that glass up. Top bunny kit! I would love to try the Piesporter G wines you sell, I am convinced it is a vineyard of the very highest order. Sadly next week’s fun tokens have already been used up on some more of that Clusel-Roch…