TN: 2009 Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Riesling Fass 2 (Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer)

• 2009 Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Riesling Fass 2 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (4/1/2011)
  Heavens! can Florian and Peter Lauer make great wine! This extra trocken is stunning. I remember the smell, or rather the impression, that sand gave me when it came out of a dryer too hot to touch. I am just imagining these beautiful Riesling grapes, splattered and filtered through this pure dry silicon dioxide. It is amazing to me that a wine can be this dry but be so nimble, almost slippery and lighter than air. Many of the very dry and GGs, can be a little heavy, hot, and hard. Not this wine, it is hitting on all cylinders… today. Light, fresh, cool, and absolutely delicious. (94 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Nice note! Sounds like a wine I want to drink

It’s one of those ‘makes you giddy’ wines.

ooh, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Fass 2. Who sells this one?

You beat me to the question Keith. I don’t see it on the list at either Chambers or Crush. I love Lauer and would welcome more giddiness in my life. Charlie?

Delicious description. Sand out of the dryer, too hot to touch?! I have never heard that used in a tasting note before.

I got the Peter Lauer Barrel X from Grapes the Wine Co and see that they have Fass 1 and Fass 25. Has anyone tried these?

I had the good fortune of tasting with Florian Lauer in early December. All, and I truly mean all, were exemplars of great wine. You will not go wrong purchasing any of the 2009 wines!

I got these at Crush. I was going to brag and show off and tell you all I got 12. I only got four though. I really thought I had 12.

Kimberly, I grew up around industrial sand plants. I remember the sand would come out of these massive overhead dryers headed for the elevators. Hot grains would fall on me and burn for a second. The sand would spill a little as it was going up the elevators. I remember grabbing handfulls of this nearly searing sand an relishing in its feel.

Thanks Charlie. The '09 Lauers are just fantastic and probably my favorite among the Mosel Wine Merchant Portfolio. But then again, that book is an embarrassment of riches!

the Fass 1 is the best lauer I’ve had yet… dry & delicious.

I need to seek out some of this Fass 2.

I knew there had to be a story behind it. I love those sensory experiences that stick with us and come back in a wine.

Lauer is the shit. Totally blew my mind the first time I tasted through the MWM portfolio.

Thankyou Charlie, for inspiring me to go out and get some more Lauer! Thanks Kimberly for steering me to Grapes; I hadn’t made the journey from Jersey to Dan’s store in too long, and it really is a fine shop well worth visiting. Finally, thanks Phil for steering me to the Fass 1–Kimberly was kind enough to leave a few bottles, so I’ll get to try one tonite. Having said that, I agree with the general sentiment here that Lauer is remarkably consistent. I also agree with Mike about the quality of Mosel Wine Merchant’s portfolio. In particular, I think they have performed a real service by dramatically elevating the trocken profile of outstanding Lower Mosel guys like Knebel and Saar guys like Lauer.

Sounds intriguing - Adding some of this to my (long) “want” list.

Way to follow through Carl. I look forward to hearing what you think of the Fass 1.

So how was my experience of the Fass 1 different from Charlie’s description of the Fass 2? First what they clearly had in common: hard to differentiate based on the final descriptors–“Light, fresh, cool and absolutely delicious.” But the things that really struck me about this wine–and stayed with me–were the strong suggestion of sweetness both on the nose and the inital palate impression contrasting so defiantly with the absolutely vacuum-dry, acidity-laced finish. Honeysuckle out front that teases and seduces, and then the sucker punch of a mouth puckering finish. It recalled for me, in a minor key kind of way, a too early encounter about ten years ago with a half bottle of the 89 Clos Ste Hune VT. That was a very different wine, frankly much bigger, more material, richer; but it offered that same sense of almost drinking two different wines, only on a larger, more extreme scale. So unlike Charlie’s conclusion that the Fass 2 is “hitting on all cylinders…today”, I would say the Fass 1–though quite enjoyable on its own terms–is very much a work in progress. If I were being critical I’d call it presently somewhat disjointed. I’d prefer to call it delicious, and counsel patience.

Thanks for the note Carl. I would have to say the same for the 09 Barrel X, disjointed with promise for the future. I guess that is what we get gambling with young wines.

looks like i have a mere 2 btls of fass 2. advice on trying or holding?

Chairman,

Are you sure it prudent broadcasting that you drove two plus hours to purchase a bottle of Riesling? The stockholders may start to question your decision making abilities and ask you to step down.

First, the shareholders had full disclosure on my “proclivities” before the election. Second, it wasn’t just a bottle of riesling; I also bought some 07 Macon.