Dr Pauly-Bergweiler - Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese 1976, Mosel, Germany

Introduction: The zenith of a sunny vintage

The 1976vintage on the Moselle was an extremely warm, sunny and dry year, which resulted in opulent, ripe and unusually high-alcohol wines - an absolute exception in the cool Moselle climate. A Spätlese from this year from the renowned Bernkasteler Badstube from the Dr Pauly-Bergweiler winery thus embodies a double rarity: a fully mature, almost 50-year-old Mosel Riesling of unusual richness and a historical snapshot of an extreme climatic event. This bottle raises the question of how this atypical opulence has survived over half a century.

Sensory description (with good storage)

After 48 years, this unusually powerful late harvest wine has transformed from its youthful vigour into a mature, multi-layered complexity. The characteristic acidity of the Moselle was less pronounced in this vintage, which is why the state of preservation of each bottle is of the utmost importance.

Colour

• An intense, deep golden yellow to amber gold colour with copper reflections. The colour indicates high levels of extract and ripeness and is significantly darker than a typical, acidic Mosel vintage of the same age.

Nose

The bouquet is powerful, rich and shows a fascinating blend of ageing fruit, clear notes of maturity and a spicy depth.

• Concentrated, ripe fruit: Apricot jam, preserved peaches, mirabelle plum purée, dried pineapple, an intense note of honeydew melon.

• Pronounced petrol and ripe notes: The petrol note is strong and elegant, accompanied by distinct aromas of beeswax, honeycomb and roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts) - signs of advanced, noble ageing.

• Spice & minerality: Exotic spices such as ginger and saffron, a smoky slate minerality from the Badstube and a light floral underlay (acacia, lime blossom).

• The nose can already showa certain "Madeirisation" (a sherry-like oxidation note), which is not unusual in this vintage due to the lower acidity, but is characteristic.

Palate

The impression of a weighty but elegant wine is confirmed on the palate.

• Texture: Fat, oily and with a full, velvety density. The residual sweetness is strongly present, but due to the ripeness and the integrated acidity it does not come across as clunky, but rather as a warming fullness.

• Acidity: The decisive factor for the rating. It is significantly lower than in classic Mosel vintages, but can still be invigorating and supportive if the wine has the best origin and storage conditions. If it is missing, the wine appears heavy and one-dimensional.

• Flavour: A powerful rendition of the aromas on the nose: honey, ripe apricot, petrol, wax and exotic spice.

• Alcohol: At probably over 10% vol. unusually high for a Spätlese - a hallmark of the 1976 vintage.

• Finish: Very long and persistent, dominated by the aftertaste flavours of honey, roasted nuts and a slightly bitter, spicy note. The finish can be slightly warming.

Vintage & location

1976 vintage on the Moselle

• A vintage of the century, comparable to 1959 or 2003. Extreme heat and drought led to very ripe grapes with a high sugar and extract content and relatively low acidity. When young, the wines were opulent, heavy and unusually alcoholicfor the Mosel. Their longevity was long disputed, but the best examples have held up surprisingly well, developing a different, almost Rheingau-like style of ripeness.

Bernkasteler Badstube site

• The large vineyard site with its Devonian slate soils was able to deliver the typical smoky, mineral flavour in this warm year , which gives the wine structure and terroir character despite its richness.

Drinking maturity & risk analysis

Current drinking maturity

The wine has reached its maturity plateau many years ago and is no longer developing, but is now showing its final, mature profile. The ideal time for tasting is now, before the remaining acidity is fully exhausted.

Critical risk factors

1. Lack of acidity: The greatest risk. A lack of acidity makes the wine appeartired, flat and honey-sweet, without tension.

2. Over-oxidation (Madeirisation):A frequent and often even characteristic feature of this vintage. In moderation it can increase the complexity, in excess it can make the wine sherry-like and unattractive.

3. Cork & storage: As always, crucial.

Rating & recommendations

Rating (for a successful, intact bottle): 92-94/100 points

A fascinating, atypical and historically significant piece of Moselle wine history. The rating recognises its extraordinary opulence, surprising complexity and its role as a contemporary witness to an extreme vintage.

Recommendations for enjoyment

1. Treatment: Do not decant. Pour carefully and observe in the glass.

2. Serving temperature: 10-12°C. Slightly warmer than an acid-accentuated Kabinett in order to unveil the fullness.

3. Glass: A large white wine glass.

4. Food pairing: Due to its sweetness and fullness, ideal as a dessert wine or with strong aperitifs:

   • Foie gras.

   • Strong blue cheese (Roquefort).

   • Nut or poppy seed cake.

   • On its own, as a contemplative end to a meal.

Conclusion

The Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese 1976 is a wineological curiosity and a delight for the adventurous connoisseur. It is not a classic, floating, light Mosel, but a weighty, sun-drenched and deeply ripe Riesling that may have more in common with an old Rheingau or a Sauternes than with a Mosel Kabinett. It offers a unique sensory journey into an exceptional vintage and proves that even the most unusual wines can find great, idiosyncratic beauty with the best provenance and careful ageing. A captivating and instructive taste experience.