2008 Germany & Mosel Riesling Vintage

2008 was a late-ripening vintage by recent standards, because parts of the summer were wetter than ideal and September was sunny but cool. The winter was comparatively warm, with some snow in parts of the area in March, and April was cool, unlike 2007. Bud break came around 1 May, in line with the long-term average of 30 April. May was warm and sunny, the sunniest month of the year with over 250 hours, and flowering followed around 9 June, a solid two weeks ahead of the long-term average; in some cases it went on for up to two weeks, which created some issues of bunch consistency. June and July were warm, and a humid July led to localized outbreaks of Oidium and Peronospora in parts of the Middle Mosel and the Terrassen Mosel (Reil down to Koblenz). These outbreaks were quite manageable and only affected yields. By the end of July, ripening in the Middle Mosel was nearly as advanced as in 2006 and 2007, and Riesling veraison started as early as 11 August, a good three weeks ahead of the long-term average, while ripening was slower in the Saar and Ruwer. August was warm but felt cooler than usual and rather wet through regular rainfalls. At the end of May, hail storms badly hit parts of the Mosel, in particular around Wittlich and in the Cochem area, causing severe damage and huge reductions in quantities, and hail and storms also caused problems in some areas, for instance around Brauneberg. September was rather cool, more than a full degree below the long-term average, with higher than average rainfall that created rot pressure in some areas. The cool weather continued into early October, so the grapes had not reached full physiological maturity by mid-October, when a streak of good warm weather helped add Oechsle degrees and tame the acidities. The end of October and early November alternated sunshine and rain, which did not allow a widespread outbreak of botrytis; some botrytis developed early in the harvest, and dry weather at the end of the harvest in mid-November allowed some more. Mosel Fine Wines judges the season within the average of the past two decades, not as hot as 2007 and 2006. The main Mosel Riesling harvest began in mid-October, and even at the end of October picking had not ended in the steep sites of the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer; the harvest there ran well into November. The Mosel crop was estimated at 930,000 hl at most, 20,000 hl fewer than in 2007.

• Bud break around 1 May, on the long-term average; flowering around 9 June, two weeks early
• End-of-May hail hit parts of the Mosel around Wittlich and Cochem; later hail and storms around Brauneberg
• Cool, wet September, more than a degree below average; a warm spell in mid-October; no widespread botrytis
• Main Riesling harvest from mid-October, running well into November on the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer; crop 930,000 hl at most

The main Mosel Riesling harvest came in at an average of 80 degrees Oechsle, with selectively harvested grapes at 90 degrees and above; Muller-Thurgau and Elbling averaged 70 and 65 degrees, and the Pinot family reached 90 degrees and higher. Mosel Fine Wines says the rather average climatic conditions clearly favored the better sites, with sugar gaps between top and average sites that often exceeded 20 degrees Oechsle, the difference between a Kabinett and an Auslese. Bert Selbach of Weingut Dr. F. Weins-Prum harvested his highest must weight in the Erdener Pralat. Mosel Fine Wines puts sugar levels well above 1998 and just below the very good 1988, with acidity comparable to 2004 and 1998 and nowhere near 1996. Major estates had to clean the first berries in a pre-harvest to improve the ripening of the rest. Across Germany, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese were rare, though top qualities above 200 degrees Oechsle could be harvested here and there. Most German growers reached Spatlese ripeness or a little higher, and some made Beerenauslese and eiswein.

• Mosel Riesling main harvest averaged 80 degrees Oechsle; selective picks 90 and above
• Top and average sites often more than 20 degrees Oechsle apart, the Kabinett to Auslese gap (Mosel Fine Wines)
• Acidity comparable to 2004 and 1998, nowhere near 1996, per Mosel Fine Wines
• Germany: BA and TBA rare; top qualities above 200 degrees Oechsle here and there

Ripening was slower in the Saar and Ruwer than in the Middle Mosel. At von Othegraven in Kanzem on the Saar, the vegetative cycle was as long as in 2007, around 120 to 130 days. The estate started cautiously with a pre-harvest on 15 October, launched the main harvest a week later and finished on 11 November, with moderate yields of 45 hl/ha, around the 2007 level. Small quantities of botrytis-affected grapes were harvested, but most grapes were clean, and 105 liters of Eiswein came from the Kanzemer Altenberg on 28 December at 150 degrees Oechsle. Schloss Saarstein's statement to the VDP, translated: "Great vintage, fresh fruity wines, elegant acidity, trouble-free in the cellar thanks to perfectly healthy grapes, a late harvest was possible." Van Volxem told the VDP, translated: "The acidity integrates well in taste."

• Ripening slower than in the Middle Mosel
• von Othegraven: pre-harvest 15 October, main harvest to 11 November, 45 hl/ha
• von Othegraven Eiswein: 105 liters, Kanzemer Altenberg, 28 December, 150 degrees Oechsle
• Schloss Saarstein told the VDP: healthy grapes, a late harvest was possible (translated)

The German year started cold, with a wet March, an almost-summery April and a typical summer; flowering tended to be early, and vineyards were hardly damaged by late May hail in the Pfalz and Rheingau. Summer conditions were favorable, with a good mix of sunshine and rain, then relatively cool temperatures and some rain in September curbed ripening. Rotten fruit needed removing in later-ripening vineyards, especially in the Mosel, Nahe and Pfalz, before warm October days with cool nights and low rainfall let Riesling stay on the vine; harvesting mostly started mid-October. The German harvest was estimated at 10 to 10.5 million hl, about the same as 2007's 10.3 million hl, with good to very good QbA and Pradikat wines in all regions and a somewhat higher share of QbA than the year before. VDP growers called it a slightly above-average vintage and most often compared it with 2004.

• Germany: 10 to 10.5 million hl, about level with 2007
• Late May hail in the Pfalz and Rheingau did little damage
• Rotten fruit removed in later-ripening vineyards, especially Mosel, Nahe and Pfalz
• VDP growers: slightly above average, most often compared with 2004

Riesling took advantage of the long ripening period to develop fruit aromas and extracts, and the DWI says wine enthusiasts can look forward to elegant, juicy wines rich in fruit and minerals; the vintage is being called very good though not quite as exceptional as 2007. Hang times not far off the record 2007 contributed to complex flavor profiles. Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt told the VDP, translated: "Racy, mineral, elegant, lighter than last year, which we see as very positive." Heymann-Loewenstein said, translated: "We can expect a vintage with clear site typicity: the single vineyards will be tasteable." Decanter calls 2008 a cool German vintage favoring Kabinett and Spatlese ripeness levels, says Riesling shines with even the richer styles of quite delicate body, and names the Mosel among the best regions. Its Mosel producer list includes Fritz Haag, J. J. Prum, Egon Muller, Selbach-Oster, C. Von Schubert, Zilliken, Schloss Lieser and Von Othegraven.

• Mosel: elegant, juicy wines rich in fruit and minerals, not quite as exceptional as 2007 (DWI)
• Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt: racy, mineral, elegant, lighter than last year (VDP, translated)
• Decanter: a cool vintage favoring Kabinett and Spatlese ripeness, with fine-boned body
• Decanter's Mosel list includes Fritz Haag, J. J. Prum, Egon Muller and Zilliken