America’s go to riesling with Korean pancake
Just a quick alert: Sunday, I had my first Dr. L from the 2012 vintage. I know I am late to the party, but we had so many 2011s still stashed away and I wanted to get them out of the way first. I first wrote about the 2010 here, and let me quote more about the wine in general before:
“For those not familiar with the wine, just a few quick facts. Ernst (or Ernie) Loosen, the owner of Dr. Loosen Estate, is one of the major producers along the middle Mosel with vineyards in many prime sites (Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Ürziger Würzgarten, Erdener Prälat, Erdener Treppchen). He is a charismatic figure and has done loads for promoting German rieslings. The Loosen Bros. Dr. L is his entry wine produced for a global market. The Riesling grapes come from all over the place and are blended for this wine.”
You might remember that this has become my got to, everyday Riesling: easy to drink, with the right amount of residual sugar, and a solid bet. The price is decent (I wouldn’t pay that much for it in Germany, but for the US, the pricing is decent). So value-wise, it’s about as good as it gets for a decent entry-level Riesling. The 2011 suffered from the generally lower acidity in the vintage, but the 2012s are way more exciting now. And they are out on the shelves, so go ahead and stock some. They last for at least another year or two.
So, what’s to like about the 2012? More acidity than the 2011, making it fresher and crisper. There are nice apple aromas and some sweet pear, just an easy going, enjoyable wine all by itself on a warm or warm-ish afternoon.
In Ann Arbor, they are available at Trader Joe’s for $11.99 (I believe) andat Whole Foods for $12.99, but you can buy them for $8.99 at Costco. The best thing is, you do not need a Costco membership in Michigan to buy alcohol. If they ask you for the membership card at the entrance, tell them you only want to buy alcohol and you can go in. Then same story at the cash register. It’s super easy and very convenient (their wine selection is pretty good and very well priced).
So, what are you waiting for? Get a bottle and let me know what you think. You can always go and buy more if you like it!
the winegetter 
Have you had Eroica Riesling? I would be interested to know your thoughts and how it compares to Dr. Loosen’s German wines.
I have a bottle in my stash, but have not tried it. Once I do, I will write a review for sure!!
I love scoping out wines at Costco. They have some great deals and I don’t have to buy the Nebuchadnezzar. I’ll go tomorrow to see if my Costco has the 2012 Loosen and report back. I do love a good Riesling especially when the weather turns.
Yes, please let me know how it goes. We’ve found it at some, and not at others, so it seems to be hit or miss…but Trader Joe’s seems to carry it everywhere.
hey, good tip about costco, i usually go when i’m with someone who has a membership, but now i don’t have to wait )
Yes, Michigan is special that way…be prepared for strange looks if you only buy alcohol…I once stocked up on some stuff, ended up around $300, and the twelve year old girl behind me asked me whether I was having a party…:D
hahahaha – i can take the heat!
Yeah, I wasn’t that strong: I told the girl it was all for my wife…which was at least half true…:)
Oh I had no idea they would let you in without a membership – that’s great! Where’s the closest one?!?!
Drive south on State, cross the interstate and then turn right. Pretty easy to find.
Thanks for the new vintage tip. Looking forward to seeing what I have on the shelf at the store later today.
Yeah, way more exciting than the 11!
Wine at Cosco….sigh….
I didn’t know that anyone can buy alcohol at Costco?! You just rocked my world… literally. We now have a new place to stock up on wine and beer :-)
Heather, it truly is amazing. If you or Matt like Bell’s Two Hearted, their 24 pack is only $32 there.
This only works in Michigan as far as I know because of the way they repealed prohibition: If you have a license to sell alcohol, you have to sell it to anyone. Works at Sams Club, too, but their wine selection is rather uninteresting.
A wine that always drinks a couple levels above its price point.
Cliff
Agreed.