2004 Scheurebe Haardter Mandelring Spätlese

Muller-Catoir is certainly one of the most impressive estates in Germany, not only in terms of architecture but also in terms of wine quality.However, when Hans-Gunter Schwarz, who for nearly 40 years had almost single-handedly shaped the style of the wines produced here, retired after the magnificent 2001 vintage, it was clear that he would be a hard act to follow.His successor, Martin Franzen, who hails from the Mosel, then bottled a range of delicately light 2002s that had little in common with what I had tasted here before.Vintage 2003 was noticeably better, producing wines with more body and better vineyard delineation, but it is only in 2004 that he seems to have hit his stride.The dry rieslings still do not show the depth they had before, but the spatlese and auslese bottlings display an elegance that they had seldom ever possessed.And the beerenauslese and trockenbeerenauslese bottlings are not only the best produced in the Pfalz in this vintage, but also among the finest produced in all of Germany.(Terry Theise Estate Selections; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY) Also recommended: 2004 Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Kabinett Trocken (85), 2004 Haardter Herrenletten Riesling Spatlese Trocken (85), 2004 Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Kabinett (87), 2004 Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Spatlese Trocken (87), 2004 Haardter Herrenletten Riesling Spatlese (87), 2004 Haardter Burgergarten Muskateller Kabinett Trocken (88), 2004 Haardter Burgergarten Im Breumel Riesling Spatlese Trocken (88), 2004 Haardter Burgergarten Im Aspen Riesling Spatlese Trocken (88(+?)), 2004 Neustadter Monchgarten Weisser Burgunder Spatlese Trocken (88), 2004 Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Spatlese (88), 2004 Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese (88(+?)).