2002 Leitz Rudesheimer Drachenstein (Dragonstone) Riesling, $10.95, 8.0% alcohol

Thought I would try this since people in eBob seem to love it as a quaffing wine.

Pale straw color. Lots of spritz - the small bubbles covers the legs. Clear clean Rheingau nose - apple with a little pear. Tart apple flavors with nice acidity, but fairly sweet for an estate riesling. Slight medicinal tinge comes into the finish.

Drank it with lychee and cantelope, both were too ripe (sweet) for the wine.

Charming enough, but pretty simple. Using Dragonstone (drachenstein) on the label is pretty clever. Not a bad wine, but for the price I thought the 2001 Leitz Rudesheimer Magdelenenkreuz Kabinett was better.

Wow. I was much more impressed with this wine than you seem to be. GRanted I found the 2001 Magdalenenkreuz to be a bit simple/soft in comparison ot many of its 2001 brethren, so that's probably part of it. I found the acidity in the Dragonstone to be totally invigorating (I love high acid) & the flavors to be very forward and peachy. It does indeed have a lot of spritz & it's most decidedly sweet. Ah well. If we all liked the same thing it would be very boring (and competitive).

I also picked up 2 bottles of the 2002 Rudesheimer Klosterlay Kabinett. I'll be trying one of them soon.

But first I have to try the '94 Donnhoff Oberhauser Felsenberg Kabinett I found last weekend.

Rieslingfan, I'm glad you liked it. I can see why people like it, but I may have been influenced by the marketing (kind of Blue Nun-ish). Let's compare notes on the Kloterlay.

Your reference to the marketing is very appropriate. I swore I would never buy any of this wine due to the labelling. Well I didn't, but someone else bought me a bottle.

The Klosterlay will get popped in the next couple of weeks. I have to make room for my 2002 Donnhoff wines.

Okay, I went back and opened a 2001 Leitz Rudesheimer Magdelenenkreuz Kabinett and I have to say that I enjoyed the Dragonstone better. Seems like some of the 2001's (even a low end Kabinett) is shutting down a little. I'm drinking a 2001 Christoffel Urziger Wurtzgarten Kabinett and it is not as vibrant as it was 3-4 months ago, but still very good.

Rieslingfan, you convinced me. 2.5 cases were made available to me for a good price (30 bottles = the cost of 1 2000 first growth Bordeaux), so I bought it.

It will make a very good house white.

I'm getting ready to visit some wineries in the Mosel and Rheihgau/Nahe regions. Hopefully I can report back with more current impressions on a number of 2002s.

Rieslingfan,

Have a good trip. I will be one of the folks eagerly awaiting your thoughts and impressions from the trip.

Rieslingfan, have a good time. When I went there last year, ALL of the good 2001's were already gone at the estates. I was fortunate to stay at a hotel in Zeltingen which had a nice restaurant AND a wine shop. Since they were just getting ready to open up this new wine shop, they had not sold any of their wines and I was able to get some of the better Dr. Loosen, Selbach-Oster and Monchhof. The prices are really nice, but lugging the wines was a pain.

It does seem like the 2002's are moving much slower than the 2001's (since I have been told that I'm getting virtually everything that I have ordered and the prices are pretty good considering that the exchange rate added around 20%).

I had a bottle of this last night and I thought it was very good. A delicate, yet invigorating Riesling with good sweetness and fruit. I think I paid $14, including tax.