I am by no means educated on German Riesling so I picked this up based on the hype of 2001.

Slightly off-dry, citrus, melon, kiwi, lots of acidity. Medium to long finish. This is a really tasty white. Knowing that this is an entry level wine, I would be interested in moving up the ladder... I think Kabinett is next? Good value.

Be careful, Smaug. I started asking questions like this last year and wound up with 25-ish cases of 2001 German Rieslings, a few cases of 2002 Aussie's and other various bottles too.

Good luck, and happy swilling!

Doesn't sound like you are too remorseful or too repentent..... God help my bank account!

Nope. My only regret is that I didn't get more.

Samug,
Because the 2001's were so good across the vintage many wines were left without classification. This is a Qualitatswein as opposed to a QbA, and is probably summerised as a Kabinett, although it won't be labeled as such because the GroBlage(individual vineyards and sub region) hasn't been labeled. I also tasted this- I put a TN up in the first few days of my posting here. I think it is on the last page of Other European.

For a wine to be classified above Qpa it has to have labeled the individual region, sub region and GroBlage (pronounced Glow- Flouge). It is also not allowed to have wine from separate sub regions (say the differance between the Upper Mosel and the Lower Mosel.) and in this vintage many vineyards were added together, along with vineyard normally exempt from official classification.

It has to do with the German Purity Laws and what may come from where (sort of like Grand Cru statis in Burgundy.)

Jeremy,

Thanks.. I did see that posting, but didn't think it was the same wine for some reason...

Thanks for the info.

Qpa will actually say QPA on it? Or will it actually say the whole non-anacronized term...

2001 was one of the first years that classifications were confused. Technically it should have Qualitswein on the Label some where, but again I couldn't find it, so I had to do some research. Prior to that I thought it was a Tafelwein, but no I was wrong. I spoke to Matt Deller who is writing his dissertation of MSR wines for his MW, and he said that because of 2001's consistant ripeness the blending lent the wines to remaining unclassified, yet technically due to must weight it would qualify as a QPA.

Having said this I don't recall the label particularly well, and it should have Qualitswein on the label somewhere (probably the small type at the bottom of the label.). So I guess I haven't really helped but their you go.

Look for QpA or Qualitatswein.

In most years, I buy spatlesen (you can get good ones for $15-17 so why go lower?). For 2001, I've bought Kabinett's because most are at the spatlese level. For quaffing wines, I guess it makes sense to go lower. I tend to look for the estates that I like more than the detailed classification. I figure and Estate Riesling from a good estate and good vintage is going to be decent quaffing wine.