*** This is a review of the 1999 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese ***

The Riesling Capital of the World
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For many people, German wine is a "hit or miss" affair. You really don't know what you're going to get -- it could be something dry, something sour, something herbaceous, or something very sweet -- so you have to be a very careful shopper. German wine labels are confusing, so it helps to know a few basics about grapes and vinting before purchasing.

One of the most popular grape varieties in Germany is the white Riesling, which is grown principally in the Mosel and Rhein River regions of central Germany. Germany is the world's largest Riesling wine producer.

Riesling wines range in style, depending upon the grape harvest, from "very dry" to "very sweet" (dessert wines having up to 25 percent residual sugar). These wines are usually very fragrant, fruity (featuring apple, peach, apricot, pineapple, Mango, grapefruit and herb flavors) and most have a sweet, floral bouquet. Riesling grapes are slow to ripen and are generally harvested late in the year -- usually in October or November, when the weather begins to turn cold in Germany.


Wines Produced From This Grape
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Kabinett: Driest -- unsugared -- and least expensive wines
Auslese: High natural sugar content; grape is harvested late
Spätlese: Late gathered grapes, stronger and sweeter than Kabinett

"Noble Rot" wines:
Beerenauslesen: Extremely sweet wine; grapes gathered very late, grape bunches are hand-picked
Trockenbeerenauslesen: Sweetest and generally most expensive. Made from withered grapes, which are hand selected, which accounts for some of the added cost.
Eiswein: Rare and expensive. Wine made from frozen grapes (usually harvested in January, February of the year following the wine's vintage date). The water (in the form of ice) is rejected, leaving grapes with high flavor and sugar concentrations.

The Mosel River Wine Gebiet (Region)
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This wine is vinted in the village of Graach in the Mosel River area of Germany. The town itself was once colonized over 2,500 years ago by the Celtic tribe of "Treverer." The German word "Himmelreich" literally means "Kingdom of Heaven," and one could argue that wines produced in this famous wine region of Germany are, indeed, "heavenly."

Winegrowing started in this area about 200 years ago, when a new class of landowners (revolution was sweeping through France and Germany at the time, so the social structure was turned upside down in places) began planting Riesling vines.

The Graach vineyards in the Mosel is home to some of the finest Riesling wine producers:

» Bernkasteler Doktor
» Badstube
» Graacher Dompropst
» Himmelreich
» Wehlener Sonnenuhr
» Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
» Schloßberg

These vineyards are located on a stretch of a mountainside that faces towards the south-west, providing good afternoon sun. The soil in this range is predominately comprised of freshly weathered clay and slate. (Yes: to grow good Riesling grapes, you need some bad mountainous soil, heavy with slate.)


The 1999 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese
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This 8% alcohol by volume Riesling pours with a very pale yellow color with some faint greenish tones. It is very fragrant, and in the glass it presents a sour grape and apple nose.

This wine is high in acid, and the initial taste will wash your tongue with a splash of fresh green apples. It is a very vibrant and bright wine that will wake up your mouth when you first taste it. This wine, because it is produced from grapes that are harvested late and are heavy with sugar, is rather sweet. This wine most predominately features a bright Granny Smith apple nose and flavor that lingers through the finish, rounding with honey, pineapple and pear flavors. Although this wine is light at only 8% alcohol by volume, it does exhibit "full body" flavors, complex character, and is well structured. Don't serve too cold!

I really like this wine with roast chicken served with a side dish of white asparagus in cream sauce. The asparagus that I particularly like being those harvested from the sandy-soil farms of Griesheim (near Darmstadt) or Schwetzingen (near Heidelberg) Germany. Fantastic. This Spätlese would also make for a fine apéritif.

This really is a beautiful Riesling and one that I would confidently recommend to friends. It is also available at a value price. I purchased a 750 ml bottle for $7.50 at Trader Joe's Market in California. I have seen this wine offered at twice this price, so I'd recommend the purchase if you see it at your local wine merchant's shop for $10 or so. This is a beautifully structured wine that is light on the budget, sweet on the palate, and sunshine for the soul. Because the wine is high in acidity, it will also age well -- an unusual characteristic for most white wines. Wine of this type can store for 10 years or more.


Recommended: Yes

Year: 1999
Winery Name: Graacher Himmelreich
Varietal: Riesling
Designation: Mosel - Saar -Ruwer
Country: Germany
State or Region: Mosel River
County or Appellation: Germany
Price: 8.00
Wine Rating Scale: A must - sensational