Interested in German Riesling? Skip 2010 and go straight to 2011: It’s almost textbook how well these wines have developed in 2011. But 2010’s small harvest didn’t result in many great wines, and tasting many of these side by side at this roadshow event made it clear what a difference a year can make.

Here are thoughts on a flood of both 2010 and newly-released 2011 Rieslings, plus a smattering of older Riesling vintages courtesy of Wines of Germany, dating back to 1989.

Tasting Report: German Riesling World Tour 2012

2010 Jean Buscher Schwarzriesling / B / surprisingly tart (red)

2010 Wiengut Gunderloch Riesling Kabinett / A- / nice balance

2011 Weingut Dr. F. Weins-Prum Riesling Mosel / A- /

2009 Wiengut Becker Pinot Noir / B+ / good body, touch of earth

2008 Weingut Clemens Busch Riesling Grosses Gewaches / A- / quite tropical

2010 Weingut Clemens Busch Riesling Grosses Gewaches Rothenpfad / A- / elegant

2010 Weingut Clemens Busch Riesling Erste Lage Felsterrasse / A- / mild

2006 Weingut Knebel Riesling Beerenauslese Mosel / A- / toffee and vanilla

2011 Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett / A- / lovely and clean

2011 Dr. Loosen Riesling Spatlese / A- / heavy on the minerals, apple notes

2010 Max Ferd. Richter Riesling Kabinett Veldenz Elisenberg / B+ /

2010 Max Ferd. Richter Riesling Spatlese Wehlen Sonnenuhr / B+ /

2010 Max Ferd. Richter Riesling Auslese Brauneberg Juffer Sonnenuhr / A- / lush

2011 Weingut Maximin Grunhaus Riesling Kabinett / A- / crisp, racy

2010 Weingut Maximin Grunhaus Riesling Spatlese / B / odd nose here

2006 Weingut Maximin Grunhaus Rieslng Auslese / A- /

2011 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Spatlese Erste Lage Ockfener Bockstein / A- / uses wild yeasts, giving a hoppy note

2011 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Spatlese Erste Lage Piesporter Goldtropfchen / A- / more hoppy, richer

2010 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Auslese Erste Lage Ockfener Bockstein / A- / tea on the nose

2011 Weingut Geil Scheurebe Kabinett / B- / skunky nose, interesting fruit, very atypical

2002 Weingut Ulrich Langguth Riseling Spatlese / A- / very fresh

2011 Weingut Borell Diehl Weisser Burgunder Kabinett / B / chalky, big mineral notes

2011 Hofgut Schadler Riesling / B /

2009 Weingut S.A. Prum Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr / A- / very fruity

2009 Weingut S.A. Prum Riesling Kabinett Prum Blue / B / extremely dry

2006 Weingut S.A. Prum Auslese / A- / lush

2010 Schloss Reinharshausen Riesling / B / very dry

2009 Schloss Reinharshausen Riesling Semi-dry / B / body isn’t pulling together

2011 Leitz Dragonstone / A / beautiful lychee character

2011 Leitz Rudesheimer Klosterlay Kabinett / A- /

2011 Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Spatlese / A- / toffee, burnt sugar

2011 Leitz Rudesheimer Berg Roseneck Spatlese / A- /

2011 Prinz von Hessen Riesling / B+ / bone dry, minerals

2010 Prinz von Hessen Riesling Kabinett / B / some bitterness

2007 Prinz von Hessen Riesling Kabinett Johannisberger Klaus / B / lots of green character

2006 Prinz von Hessen Riesling Auslese Johannisberger Klaus / A- / lush and pretty

2011 Robert Weil Riesling / B+ / rustic

2011 Robert Weil Riesling Tradition / A / very fruity, low alcohol

2011 Robert Weil Riesling Kabinett / B+ /

2011 Robert Weil Riesling Kiedrich Turmberg / B+ / very dry

2010 Robert Weil Riesling Erstes Gewaches Kiedrich Grafenberg / B+ / toffee notes

2011 Robert Weil Riesling Spatlese Kiedrich Grafenberg / A / golden, brisk, a knockout

2003 Domanenweingut Schloss Schonborn Riesling Kabinett / B+ / seems thin

2006 Weingut Keller Riesling Grosses Gewachs / B+ /

2007 Burg Ravensburg Riesling / B /

2007 Prinz von Hessen Riesling 1st Growth / B+ /

2005 Dr. Heger Riesling Spatlese / B+ /

2003 Weingut Ulrich Langguth Riesling Spatlese / A / lovely and clean

1994 Weingut G.A. Schneider Riesling Spatlese / A- / solid, perfect age on this

1989 Bruder Dr. Becker Riesling Spatlese / B / fading

2006 Clemens Busch Riesling Auslese / A / huge honey notes

1992 Paul Anheuser Riesling Auslese / A- / a bit thin

2004 Dr. Fischer Riesling Eiswein / A- / tart