I thought I would share my thoughts/overall impression of the overall
German Riesling vintage for 2003.
I don't know if anyone else has tasted many 2003's; I'd be interested
to compare notes.
A number of producers were in Toronto as part of a rolling tour of the
2003 vintage and overall the wines were quite impressive. To me, it
seems a more successful Kab/Spat/Auslese vintage than BA/TBA. I found
some of the BA's and most of the TBA's to be somewhat cloying. There
didn't seem quite enough acidity to balance the huge sugar. Very
little Botrytis.
I found many of the Kab's/Spatlese to be quite excellent, if still
very closed and really not developed being so young. (I haver very
little experience tasting such young Rieslings)
Overall, I think the vintage will provide extremely delicious wines to
drink over the near to mid term depending on producers, but don't seem
to have the acid and structure to really last as long as other
vintages.
Prices upon release should be resonable though.
I don't have the tasting booklet with me at work but there were about
20 producers.
My favourites included
Gunderloch (always outstanding and their Nackenheim Rothenberg BA and
TBA is amazing),
Johannishof (excellent wines from Kab to BA. Their TBA still had too
much sulphur to really judge)
Hans Lang had some 2001s which were beginning to show that beautiful
Riesling petrol note and their 2003's were solid as well.
Richter's was very fine, balanced wines.
Schloss Schonborn were good too.
St. Urbans-Hof was an odd one; I'm not familiar with their style but I
got so much of an earthy, profile, with so little fruit, (even from
the 2002 they offered) that I didn't know what to make of it. The
winemaker said they use indigenous yeasts which may have something to
do with but I don't know.
Studert Prum, not the famous JJ, but good stuff nonetheless
Dr. Pauly Bergweiler, top notch. beautiful, feminine, well-crafted.

Peter