A 1986 Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese from the Mussbacher Eselshaut, made by Müller-Catoir in the Pfalz. It comes from the estate's golden era under cellar master Hans-Günter Schwarz, when Müller-Catoir's Rieslaner sweet wines made its name abroad.
About This Wine
Rieslaner is a Riesling and Silvaner crossing bred in 1921. It ripens very late and carries striking acidity, so in the hands of a grower like Müller-Catoir it produces sweet wines that are rich yet sharp and lively. The Eselshaut in Mussbach is a gravel site that has long supplied the estate's Rieslaner. Trockenbeerenauslese is made only from shrivelled, botrytised berries picked by hand. The #4 on the label is the lot or cask number.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Apricot preserve, marmalade, honey, saffron and botrytis spice.
- Palate: Very sweet and concentrated, with stone fruit and citrus peel, driven by piercing acidity.
- Finish: Honey, spice and tangy citrus that go on and on.
Serving & Food
Treat it gently: a day upright, a careful pour, and about 10 to 12°C in small glasses. There is no hurry to open it. Passion fruit pavlova, an apricot soufflé or a wedge of Stilton all stand up to its sharp acidity.
How to Enjoy
Lovers of German sweet wine who want to taste Müller-Catoir from the Schwarz years.
Product Details
Producer: Müller-Catoir
Wine: Mussbacher Eselshaut Rieslaner TBA #4
Country: Germany
Region: Pfalz
Vineyard: Mussbacher Eselshaut
Grape Variety: Rieslaner
Style: Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)
Vintage: 1986
Volume: 375mL
About the Estate
Weingut Müller-Catoir sits in Haardt, one of the wine villages of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, at the foot of the Haardt hills. The Huguenot Catoir family has owned it since 1744, and it is now run by Philipp David Catoir, the ninth generation. The estate farms about 25 hectares around Haardt, Gimmeldingen and Mussbach on sandstone, loam, loess, gravel and limestone, and is a VDP member.
Its modern reputation began in the 1960s, when Jakob Heinrich Catoir and cellar master Hans-Günter Schwarz, who stayed from 1961 to 2002, cut yields hard, picked late and selected only clean, ripe fruit. Schwarz became a mentor to a generation of German and Austrian winemakers, and Rieslaner has remained one of the house specialities.
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