Dr. Loosen 1998 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Goldcap

We just opened--and finished--a bottle of Dr. Loosen 1998 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Goldcap.

Over the years, we've decided that Dr. Loosen does extremely well during years that gave other German winemakers fits of frustration. 1998 was no exception. This wine is wonderful.

Rieslings are often long-lived wines, taking on very different characteristics and expressing unpredictable peaks and valleys as the decades pass. With seven years behind it, this wine is still drinking like a much younger dessert wine. It may be hitting a peak right now, so enjoy it soon!

The taste is like biting into a crisp, refreshing apple, with plenty of acid to balance the sweetness. There is a decent amount of that classy Mosel slate, and just a hint of petrol. The finish has plenty of Loosen's trademark mouthwatering acidity, and the two of us were quickly encouraged to down the whole bottle (well, a half-bottle). An empty bottle, in this household of light drinkers, is the mark of a truly fine wine!