I started this as a reply under a different subject, but would like to start a new subject on this.

I hope to be able to post some TN's on the great 2001 German rieslings. It is really unfortunate for riesling lovers like me that the 2001 was become a hot commodity. There is thread in the Parker BB that resembled the Pop's Wine thread when someone was shorted on some Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermanshohle Spatlese that got an 98 from WA (Rovani). The product are showing up at auctions at twice the price. I was smug and fat dumb and happy because I got 17 bottles of this (for under $40). Yesterday, I got a call that I and not getting my 2 cases of Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese ** that I paid for! I am only getting 2 bottles. The excuses, etc. were exactly the same as the in the Pops' Wine and the recent Donnhoff threads. I got shafted. so I spent most of my day trying to replace these and called all of the retailers in the west coast that are getting these. I could not get any, but did get some others that were close. In the process, my case count for the 2001 rieslings went over 20!

It was a lot nicer when most of the wine consumers avoided German rieslings. In talking to the distributor, the 2001 vintage is special because it is generally regarded as the best year since 1971, which was the year of the century for Germany. This greatly increase the popularity in German, who used to shun their own wines. This year, the wine makers sold much more to their own countrymen that before. The wines are also getting good press from the German wine experts. WA rating the Donnhoff's didn't help. When WA comes out with the rest of the German riesling in the next issue, one would expect that others will take off. But, most if not all of the best wines will be gone by then. I've been talking to all of the retailers on the west coast and with the exception of kabinets, a huge % of the best wines have been sold out as futures. I was only able to get some spatlesen and auslesen because I called some obscure wine shops.

If you can find any 2001 Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten auslese for the following prices, you should get it. If you don't want it, I will buy it from you.

auslese * $32 (these are impossible to find)
auslese ** $39
auslese *** $50

I have enough of the auslese (no stars) (3 cases) ($24-25 is a good price), but after 2 cases of the **, I could only get 2. I found 12 of the ***, but 4 got sold as I was on the phone, and I'm not sure I am getting any. These wines are designed to be optimal in 12-30 years, but are pretty nice young.

gatc-i agree with you and feel for you. big ratings and no wine, especially when you already paid for it. unfortunately, many retailers do not actually buy the futures when you pay for them. they use the money for something else and hope they will buy your futures on delivery. dosen't always work. when the wines get big ratings they suddenly disappear. they return your money and sell them to other people at inflated prices. i only buy futures from my regular suppliers.

btw, there will be plenty of 2001's available in the 92-95 range. still not to shabby.

I intend to buy a decade's worth of German wines this year, and I do enjoy whites at the right time. Just ask ojeffso and armar, upon whom I forced Chablis at Mt Rainier, when they were longing for "big reds".

I envision buying about 10-15 cases of German '01 Kabinett and Spatlese (with a few Auslese+ thrown in), intended for 0-10 year drinking windows. Rather than recommending what TO buy ... is there any wine to NOT buy from this quality range from a QPR standpoint? It seems that most all of these wines are a bargain for the price, I just want to avoid the potential dogs out there.

Steve

stemor-as great as the vintage is, there are still wines that received below 90 scores. i just picked up some merkelbach kinheimer rosenberg (wa92) for $10.79 a bottle. take a look at the new advocate for guidance.

ojeffso,

Where did you get these? I do see WineLibrary has Auslese #10 for $14.39, but nothing else from this maker.

i picked them up at a local store in somerville. just picked up some for revlis. do you want me to go back and see if they have more. i took all they had on the shelf today.

btw, is that picture you in your dreams?

ojeffso,

Thank you anyway, but I get the feeling that I'll have lots of opportunity to buy more. Next time you're on a run, though, feel free to just grab some for me. I'll trust your judgement.

By the way, this picture IS me. Don't you recognize me? Maybe it's the odd lighting or the artistic black&white treatment.

This is disappointing. I feel for you, GATC, given how strongly you anticipated these.

I hope to find 2 or 3, but it seems serendipity , or maybe Vino Me or ojeffso will dictate my purchases again.

Gatc,
Sorry to hear this mate.

Every time I hear about distribution in the US it's always a bad thing. I've not heard one good thing about it through this forum or the "other" forum.

I can't believe that someone would take your money and then say -aw actually we're not going to sell you the wine you've paid for. Here have your money back (if you're lucky). How rude that they may utilise the money for something else and hope to pick the wine up at release. What idiots- don't they follow vintage or media coverage?

The integrity of retail and distribution in the US really needs to be looked at. Here's to more shops like HighDesertWines and mine, where we do as people ask. You give us money and we deliver the wine-even at a loss. It's called Integrity and Honesty.

Thanks everyone, but I'm doing okay. I have now secured 10 cases of Christoffel. Since they only make 1,700 cases total and only about 1/2 of that make it to the US, I'll survive. Since I got shafted, I've been buying more of the spatlesen and even some kabinett's. These will be better for consumption in the next 10 years anyway.

There are a lot of outstanding wines by producers that may not be as well known. I just wanted to get as much as I can of the high end from the big names because I know they will all be gone by the time the wines hit the shelves.