Vintage Reviews
I can only give a very rough overview, as it emerges from various sources and my own limited experience. Notice, also that the quality of a vintage is often measured by the amounts of top levels of ripeness achieved in that vintage.
| 2014 very good, | especially Spatlese |
| 2013 bad, | difficult year, lots of rot |
| 2012 fair, | rainy, high acid |
| 2011 very good, | ripe, healthy grapes with good acidity |
| 2010 fair, | very high acidity |
| 2009 good, | drink now, some good ones |
| 2008 good, | cool, wet summer, saved by warm Sept. & Oct. |
| 2007 very good, | wet August, cold September & October |
| 2006 bad, | difficult year, lots of rot, some highlights |
| 2005 great, | Glorious Sept. & Oct., very ripe, botrytis, good acidity |
| 2004 good, | healthy grapes with good acidity, great Eiswein |
| 2003 great, | Glorious, very ripe, some botrytis, |
| 2002 good, | watered down by wet autumn |
| 2001 very good, | Rainy Sept. saved by glorious October |
| 2000 bad | difficult year, lots of rot, some highlights |
| 1999 good | soft and forward wines for early enjoyment |
| 1998 very good, | esp. for Kabinetts and Spl., great Eiswein |
| 1997 very good, | very ripe, soft, fruity, forward wines |
| 1996 very good, | ripe, healthy grapes with good acidity |
| 1995 variable | difficult uneven year, superb in MSR |
| 1994 very good, | high acidity and much botrytis, many TBA's |
| 1993 very good, | excellent ageworthy wines, great in the Saar |
| 1992 good, | maturing quickly, often too soft, with highlights |
| 1991 fair, | high acidity should make them last for some time |
| 1990 great | a classic year throughout, racy, for long keeping |
| 1989 very good, | too soft and early maturing for greatness |
| 1988 very good, | often unfairly overshadowed by 89, keeping well |
| 1987 fair, | drink now |
| 1986 fair, | drink now, some good ones |
| 1985 good, | some vg MSR Rieslings now highly enjoyable |
| 1984 bad, | some QbAs can surprise |
| 1983 very good, | mostly at their peak or declining, great Eiswein |
| 1976 very good, | not keeping too well, often lacking acidity |
| 1975 very good, | lasting better than '76, less botrytis, better balance |
| 1971 great, | classic year, keeping very well |
| 1964 very good, | the best should be still vg |
| 1959 great, | almost as great as '53, some legendary TBAs |
| 1953 great, | according to some the best vintage of the century |
| 1921 great, | some legendary wines, like Thanisch's B.'er Doctor TBA |