Peters, Riesling Auslese, 2007, Martha’s Weinberg, White wine from Germany

7,5 points

Some time ago I posted two reviews about Johannes Peter’s Scharzhofberger Riesling. You can find a lot of information about the winery at: https://avdwineandfood.net/2015/05/11/peters-schwarzhofberger-riesling-spatlese-2007/ and https://avdwineandfood.net/2015/08/01/peters-scharzhofberger-riesling-spatlese-2012/.

This particular wine, Martha’s Weinberg, actually does not appear on Peter’s website. Johannes Peters writes: “Martha’s Weinberg represents the high end of our product line, and thus is produced only in certain years. The caprices of nature have precluded this in the last few years. 2015 has proven overall to be well-balanced and on a high level, but a substantial distinction in terms of quality would be missing. The several weeks of dramatic rainfall this year also point in the direction of no „super year“ for 2016.”

Gay_Head_cliffs_MV.jpg

The English translation of Martha’s Weinberg is Martha’s Vineyard. Martha’s Vineyard is a popular and famous island on the south end of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. There is no vineyard on this island. I believe the name was coined by Native Americans and probably has nothing to do with wine.

In reality the wine comes from Wiltingen on the Saar river – not too far away from Mosel.

Wiltingen-Sommer-Panorama.jpg

Getting back to the wine: because it is a Riesling Auslese, I expected a semi-sweet wine. I was totally wrong! It’s dry, powerful, and elegant! A real surprise: truly, very good. Strong and rich but at the same time light and tangy. The wine is still so fresh, uncanny in its intensity.

Kiwi, passion fruit, peach and apricot. Summer herbs. Typical petrol, characteristic for any top Riesling from the Saar area, a little bit creamy, with a very balanced minerality. Wonderful finish with great lingering flavors.

Of all the wines made by Johannes Peters that I’ve tasted so far, this is by far the best one. Once again, another great example of how long German white wine can really mature. This wine is of such quality that it could age another ten years, I suspect. Unfortunately, I doubt that it’s possible to buy this wine anywhere. Perhaps at the winery they still have a bottle or two. You can find them at: http://peterswein.de/.

Alexander Seiser, Sommelier of Berlin Weinbar Rutz just recently has been electrified by another Saar Riesling: von Hövel, Oberremmeler Hütte, Saar Riesling Auslese, 2007! Although this wine does not come from exact the same vineyard it is very close. Nonetheless it seems the vintage of 2007 has been pretty good and / or becomes very nice now. (see here: https://www.facebook.com/WeinsinnSeiser/photos/a.482497335142565.109437.481938371865128/1098857483506544/?type=3&theater)

This wine is so excellent that I would drink it alone, even without food.  But of course it would also go well Asian food, as well as with any kind of light meal or charcuterie.