PJ Wine School Offers “The Wines of Germany with Rudi Wiest” on June 11

PJ Wine, a leading retailer of fine wines, is offering the last of their spring wine classes on June 11. German wine expert Rudi Wiest, owner of boutique importer Cellars International will lead a 2-hour class and a panel of visiting German winemakers on “All About German Wines.” Since 1988 Germany has delivered an unbelievable string of vintages that range from good to excellent. People who try Rudi Wiest’s award-winning wine selections for the first time usually have one of two comments: “I can't understand why these wines aren't more popular,” and “If the public ever finds out about how good these wines are, there won't be enough to go around.” The secret is out – and the good news is that there will be plenty of outstanding German wines to taste on June 11 at PJ’s Wine School. Join us for an evening to remember with Rudi Wiest, or as we know him in the wine trade, “the Kaiser” of German wines in the United States. For more information call (212) 567-5500, or e-mail info@pjwine.com. Online registration is available at www.pjwine.com, and the class will be held at the Jolly Hotel Madison Towers located at 38th Street and Madison Avenue, New York City from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Each class registration is $65, and includes a comprehensive class guide for every session, as well as a 15% discount to purchase any wine tasted in the Wine School, valid for one month after the class.

Guests:
Rudi Wiest - Cellars International
Doris Eymael - Pfeffingen
Fritz Hasselbach - Gunderloch
Jochen Becker - Köhn Robert Weil
Christoph Graf Reichsrat - von Buhl
Max von Kunow - von Hövel (also representing Wirsching )

Reception Wine:
Wegeler NV Sekt Brut

Styles of Vinification:
01 Robert Weil Estate Riesling - Dry
01 Robert Weil Estate Riesling - Med-Dry
01 Robert Weil - Fruity

Tasting:
01 Wirsching Estate Silvaner Dry
02 Robert Weil Estate Riesling Dry
02 Karthäuserhof Estate Riesling Med-Dry
02 Gunderloch "Jean Baptiste" Kabinett
02 Reichsrat von Buhl “Armand” Riesling Kabinett
02 von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling, Spätlese
02 Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe, Spätlese
01 Wegeler Geisenheimer Rothenberg Riesling, Auslese

Sounds good. Too bad Wiest isn't having any J.J. Prum (the most famous estate that he carries) or Monchhof, one of my favorites. Weil is supposed to be real good, but it is priced 2X the rest.

I sat down for lunch with Rudi and a bunch of assorted sommeliers/retailers to preview the 2002 vintage a few weeks back. I walked in thinking that the '02 vintage could not compete with '01 in terms of ripeness and extraction, but many of his estates in the Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz (von Buhl and Wegler especially) were extremely impressive. As '01 was the banner vintage for the Mosel, early indications seem that '02 is the vintage for these regions. From what I've tasted from Weil in 01, I was most impressed with their Kiedrich Graftenberg Riesling Auslese. If it's worthy of its price tag is debatable, but it's a stunning wine that should be fun to return to years to come.