St. Nikolaus Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 2019

St. Nikolaus Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese is made from 100 percent Riesling. 

"Sonnenuhr" means sundial. The vineyard is facing the small town of Wehlen, located in the middle of a long steep curved slate slope on the Mosel, with a south-southwest exposure.
The wine exhibits a fresh fruity bouquet of peach and apricots with honey and spicy notes. Strong, sweet and long flavors. Elegant, full bodied and luscious wine with good minerality and acidity on the palate.

The vineyard consists of 0.7 hectares (1.7 acres) and the soil type is light Devonian slate. 
The Sun exposition is south-southwest with an inclination of 50 %. 
The yield was 50 hl/hectare.

No Oak. Fermentation took 2 months and the wine was left on the lees for 3 months before bottling.

Review:

- Wine Enthusiast (January 2020), 92 pts

"Sonnenuhr" means sundial. The vineyard is facing the small town of Brauneberg formerly Dusemond. It's a steep slate slope on the Mosel, with a south-southeast exposure.

Full-bodied Riesling with typical Devonian slate qualities. Luscious fruit; nice minerality, length and acidity.

A late harvest Riesling with fruity sweetness and great aging potential, aromatic bouquet of honey, melon, ripe fruits. Grapes come from Brauneberger Juffer and Juffer-Sonnenuhr - one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Mosel winegrowing region. The vineyard faces south and provides the best conditions for growing Riesling.

Pairs well with pâté, Asian cuisine.

Review:

"Possessing a richer, off-dry style, yet still clean and balanced, the 2015 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese offers terrific notes of crushed rocks, dried herbs, and sugared citrus to go with a medium to full-bodied, textured, layered style on the palate that makes it incredibly drinkable. As with the other Riesling from this estate, it’s impeccably made and is going to shine on the dinner table."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 91 pts

Hansen-Lauer Bernkasteler Graben Riesling Spätlese was grown on grey devonian slate and comes from a vineyard overlooking the picturesque town of Bernkastel-Kues located in a bend of the Middle Mosel. The wine shows everything that makes a classic Mosel Riesling, minerality, acidity and fruit nicely balanced.
The ageing potential of this wine is 15 years.

The grapes were hand-picked at the end of October. The fermentation took two months at low temperatures to preserve some residual sugar. The young wine was left sitting on the fine lees for another three months afterwards giving a rounder balance. 

Bottling occured seven months after harvest.

This is a full-grown wine which doesn't need any accompanying dish, but if you are looking for one try to pair it with Roquefort cheese (blue cheese), foie gras or desert like fruit cake.

Review:

"A step up, the 2015 Bernkasteler Graben Riesling Spätlese offer more complexity in its sugared peach, honeyed minerality, and subtle petrol aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, with bright acidity, it’s a winner as well as about as easy-drinking as it gets.”
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 90 pts

Bastgen Berncastel-Cueser Weisenstein Riesling Spatlese Trocken is made from 100 percent Riesling. 

Bright, clean, fresh and zesty. Grapefruit like flavors. Fruity aromas and a nice minerality, typical of the Riesling grape grown on blue slate soil. Round, rich and a very long finish.
The grapes for this wine are vigorously selected. Botrytis is not tolerated. At harvest the grapes are fully ripened, have a golden color, and a soft tartness. After a long spontaneous fermentation in a traditional 1000L barrel, the wine just reaches the dry stage. This gives the wine a creamy structure that interplays with ripe yellow and exotic fruit aromas. A delicate wine that yet has power and fullness, predestined to go with food. 111 cases made.

 Review:
"Fragrant yellow peach and melon notes are accented by earthy whiffs of crushed mineral and slate in this full bodied, luscious Riesling. Ripe yellow peach and apple flavors are rich and penetrating, offset by brisk acidity and a sleek, stony finish. A hedonistic wine to enjoy now through 2030. - Anna Lee C. Iijima"
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine (February 1st, 2019), 92 points

Bastgen Berncastel-Cueser Weisenstein Riesling Spatlese Trocken is made from 100 percent Riesling.

Bright, clean, fresh and zesty. Grapefruit like flavors. Fruity aromas and a nice minerality, typical of the Riesling grape grown on blue slate soil. Round, rich and a very long finish. The grapes for this wine are vigorously selected. Botrytis is not tolerated. At harvest the grapes are fully ripened, have a golden color, and a soft tartness. After a long spontaneous fermentation in a traditional 1000L barrel, the wine just reaches the dry stage. This gives the wine a creamy structure that interplays with ripe yellow and exotic fruit aromas.

They meticulously tend 4.5 ha (11.11 acres) of which 80% is Riesling. The soil is made of slate. Their vineyards are located in Kesten and Brauneberg, on a steep terrace, and planted to 50-year old vines. Fortunately for Bastgen, they own part of the famous Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr. The vines produce very small, ripe berries that are very tasty.