I may be in the minority, but I really enjoy a good Scheurebe from the likes of Darting, Muller Catoir or Bernhard. I have consumed most of this full case, as this wine has never closed up, and I continue to wait for my 2001 Rieslings to mature.

The nose gushes with sweet pink grapefruit aromas with a hint of sage. It reminds me of the scent of fresh Florida citrus when I visit my parents. The sage adds a nice touch of complexity as well.

This wine has the weight of an Auslese and good richness. More flavors of pink grapefruit emerge with some earth notes and some sage for good measure. Medium in length and with a good round finish. A very good QPR.

A bottle of the 1998 opened a month ago was also showing well.

I enjoy a good scheurebe as well, but they age about 1/2 as long as rieslings and rieslaners. About 3 years ago I bought a case of a 1989 or 1990 based on Vino Me's recommendation in the WS Forum. I bought a case since the shipping from Sam's for 2 bottles was almost as much as the cost of wine. The wine was over the hill and I ended up pouring every bottle I opened down the drain. I threw away the ones that I did not open. Later on I found out that Vino Me had not even tried it.

I probably like a good Scheurebe more than anyone else here, but it's not an ager like Riesling. Most good scheurebe at spatlese and above can go about 10 years or so in solid shape. They never really change much over that time. The 2004 Darting Scheurebe Ungsteiner Honigsackel Scheurebe Auslese is a real winner that has the richness of a BA, but with a little more spine. Great stuff, but I'll drink my 3 bottles between now and 2010 just to enjoy the fresh character.

I like a good Scheurebe, too. I always use the rule of thumb that wines that don't age well do not change much during the drinking period. They are pretty constant, then they go downhill fast.

Interesting comment on d'Yquem vs German dessert wines. I have always enjoyed German (and Austrian) dessert wines more than Sauternes. I have greatly appreciated the generousity of forumites who have served the best Sauternes (usually d'Yquems), but I find them to be cloying and have a slight aftertaste that remind me of sweetened medicine. I'm sure it is a personal thing, but I could be spoiled by the cleaness (and the acidity and balance) of the German sweet wines.

Another great post, GATC. I especially like your words, "the cleaness (and the acidity and balance) of the German sweet wines."

Eiswein is just so elegant, especially those that are made with no influence of botrytis. There is a worrisome trend in Germany to vinify Eiswein from botrytis affected grapes. I find most of those wines to end up with a scorched honey character.

Now the ones from pure, rot-free grapes (e.g. the Eisweins of Selbach-Oster, and freqeuntly the aforementioned Mr. Darting) are the ultimate window into the vineyard in my opinion. Additionally, without hte botrytis masking they show so much great varietal character. Many botrytis dessert wines end up tasting more like botrytis than any specific grape/blend to me.

And Board_O, if you like Scheurebe, there are some great non-dessert Scheus in 2004. Lingenfelder made a spectacular kabinett halbtrocken that is a great food wine. Also don't miss that '04 Darting auslese. It's fantastic stuff. BA quality for a tiny price.

I much prefer Scheurebe, like Rielsing, with some sweetness. The dry ones just don't compete for me with great Chardonnay. I've had numerous Chardonnays I'd score 95+, but never a dry Scheurebe or Riesling.

One other note, the best dry Relsing I've had in a while is a $16 2004 Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling (91).

Rieslingfan, great point about the botrytis. I guess that is the difference. Which Darting are your talking about? The Durkheimer Nonnengarten rieslaner auslese or is there a Durkheimer Spielberg Scheurebe auslese?

We hadthis wine four times. Not bad for $25 per bottle about 4 years ago.

The 1983 Kreuznacher Hollenbrand Scheurebe Eiswein is probably the best dessert wine I've ever had, edging out the 1964 Monimpex Essencia. I'm surprised more wineries aren't growing Scheurebe. As far as I know, Phelps is the only American winery making a Scheurebe dessert wine, Eisrebe. Everybody who tastes this loves it.

It is quite refreshing to see enthusiasm for the much maligned Scheurebe. I have never had one higher in Pradikat than Spatlese, but the idea of a dessert version is appealing. I will be on the lookout for the '04 Darting Auslese.

Claret, look for Phelps Eisrebe. It's an ice wine made from the Scheurebe grape and it is wonderful, year after year. Phelps picks the grapes at the ideal degree of ripeness, then freezes them partially to make the ice wine. I know purists will say it's not really an ice wine unless the grapoes are harvest partially frozen in the field, but it doesn't bother me in the least. I think Phelps maintains complete control this way.

Rieslingfan, sorry, I was referring to your comment "Also don't miss that '04 Darting auslese. It's fantastic stuff. BA quality for a tiny price". I was wonder which wine you were talking about.

Thanks. I'll have to look these up.