Weingut Leitz, Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau

"The wine will always have the last word." I don't exactly recall if that is a Terry Theise quote, or if it's Terry quoting David Schildknecht. Either way it's an apt quote for this wine. 2000 was pretty much the worst German vintage of the last 20, so hopes were not high. I was surprised at the liveliness of the wine, and that it had not been subsumed by its botrytis. The overall palate weight was classic spatlese versus some …

Amazing wine. Made me run to my computer to order more.

I liked this off-vintage wine early in its life, and it can still be enjoyed for it's richness. But the botrytis yields some terminal bitterness, and more important is that there isn't enough acid to provide the liveliness it needs.

Pale yellow color; big aromatic, herbal nose with a bit of petrol; refreshing, juicy, less complex, sweet apple, pineapple and a touch of mineral palate; short-medium finish 88+ pts. (not a good vintage, but Leitz picked later than most)

Not as good as the last bottle. Apparently the botrytis is taking over already. Still it's quite a tropical riot with honey on top.

Opart Thai and (mostly) Rieslings (Opart Thai - Chicago, IL) : Nose was austere and overtly earthy. Lacked citrus fruit required for balance. Palette was somewhat better, but didn't offer the pleasure of the other rieslings tonight.

Need something to drink while the 2001s are sleeping? The better 2000s are just delicious right now. Opened this one, and was immediately blown away by the intense tropical fruit nose. Pineapple and mango are accented by a touch of honey. On the palate it's more elegant than you would expect based on the nose. The mouthfeel is bery pure, and the tropical fruit flavors are backed up by a distinct salty, mineral element. Really refreshing and delicious spätlese. There's …

Honeyed and BA-like. Another Leitz winner in 2000.