Time to start checking up on the '98 kabinetts. Well at least I thought so. This wine has not moved from the way it was in fall of 1999 when I last tasted it. The color is still a very pale straw. Aromatics are quite steely, with some tropical/citrus overtones. On the palate is tastes halbtrocken, and perhaps that's the one area where there has been some development, as this wine was fairly sweet (to me) on release. It's no longer fat tasting, but racy and invigorating with lime, tart pineapple and mineral flavors.

If you were to put this in front of me blind I would think it was a high-acid '02 halbtrocken.

Back to the cellar. The rest of these need to rest so they can develop some secondary flavors to go with the citrus. I don't mind some of the sugar falling off. In fact it's nice to have a few dry-ish kabinetts on hand. It just needs more time to be at its best. Try again in 2006.

I'll be having two 1998 spatlesen next month, so we'll see how they are doing.

It is amazing to see how these wines evolve. I was thinking about this when I opened a 2001 Monchhof Urziger Wurzgarten spatlese a few nights ago. This has been my favorite everyday drinking wine for some time and I've had at least 2 cases over the past year. About 3-4 months ago, I noticed that it was shutting down hard. But the one I had 2 nights ago was developing a really nice sour lemon characteristic that was a nice component with the sweetness and the acidity. But it did not overshadow the strong vanilla/creme brulee aromas that I have always loved about this wine.

The devlopment of German wine is very intruiging to me. It's one of the most fascinating parts of cellaring it. (I'll have to write about it someday...)

I'm just amazed at how slowly some of these wines are developing. I have a cold cellar (55 ish), but I expected some development.

That is why I enjoy buying by the case. Regretably, the 2001 Toni Jost Bacharacher Hahn Riesling spatlese is one of the few 2001's that I only bought a couple of bottles of.