2001 Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau, $24.99

Bought this from the Wine Club in Santa Clara, CA when I was buying the J.J. Prum's. They would only let me buy 6 bottles of the Prum spatlese and auslese (they only had 2 cases each) so I asked the guy if he had a recommendation. He loved them all, but recommended this wine, which I have never heard of. Since this spatlese cost about the same as the Prum auslese, I had high expectations.

Clear, wheat colored tint. Very thick legs. Very closed the first day, so tryhing again the second day. Nose still pretty closed, but a light tart apple smell comes through, with strawberry showing up later. Hints of alcohol, highly untypical.

Strong tart apple pie flavors with only a faint hint of sweetness. Pretty good acidity that numbs the taste buds a little. Finish has a slight hint of bitterness. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that this was a Mosel with potential but without charm or elegance.

Funny shaped extra tall faceted bottle. Green (more typical of Mosel's) instead of the more traditional brown for Rheingau's.

Not a bad wine, but for the price I would have preferred to buy a Prum or Christoffel spatlese or auslese (if you can get them). May become more interesting with time. Since this is young, I would not write it off, but there are better bets for the price.

I just had the 3rd bottle and the wine is coming around. I drank it over 4 days and I recorked it and put it in the frig (without any gas or vacuum treatment). The wine improved the 2nd day and stayed at the same level the 3rd and 4th days.

More fuller and rounder than my original impressions. Good wine, but I still think that there is better wine for the price.

GATC,
Cheers for the impressions on days 2-4. People rarely (myself included) put donw their impressions after a period of time.