Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese 2006

Here goes; Riesling as fugue-state. Again as it often is, it seems like the primordial essence of Riesling, in sublime balance, with a gesture of pure force and another gesture of pure delicacy. This is an old soul here, a Saturnine being. On the surface there’s mineral and quince and ... more

Weingut J. & H.A. Strub Niersteiner Brückchen Riesling Kabinett 2006

A sleek, almost Scheurebe-like herbal nose; the palate is starched and spiffy, mintier than usual; white corn, hay, apricot, toasted malt. By the way, you can see from my string of associations that this was tasted near the start of the trip; later on I accessed my inner Timothy Leary. ... more

Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese 2007

This is a luminous Riesling Ideal; serenely glowing; apple flesh and skin, a little fibrous sweet-leesy texture anchors what might have been too “fruity”; talc aromas, and a subtle tamped-down minerality until the finish, which is stony, silky and texturous. Notwithstanding the Grand Crus coming up, this “Magda” (Leitz’s own ... more

Selbach-Oster Riesling Spatlese 2007

Zeltinger Himmelreich and Kinheimer Rosenberg, and it’s a straightforward keen line of limey Mosel fruit with a sneaky salty length. more

Darting Durkheimer Hochbenn Riesling Kabinett 2007

A core-list wine, because this is always going to “show well;” it’s fragrant and gregarious, and this ‘07 is a spicy rich wine, a consommé of Pfalz Riesling with a snappy dry finish and an angular malty mid-palate. more

Josef Leitz Dragonstone Riesling 2008

This 08 has its own, un-reduced bazillion grams-per-liter of acidity that gives it a minty cast alongside its usual cherry; the sheer brilliance is like a cold splash of water on a hot day; tarragon and briskness and fennel-seed and lovely quicksilver detail on the lingering finish.  more

Theo Minges Riesling Halbtrocken 2006

Pfalz-meets-Mosel in these high-flying minerally-leesy wines. Extraordinary value across the board. They tend to run compact and chalky, with crunchy vivid flavors. more

Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett 2007

Unbelievably, almost unbearably pretty; a gaudy overture of fruit yields to a firm, shapely underlay of mineral, which holds hands with an exquisite floweriness, and disappears meaningly.  more

Weingut Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Kabinett 2007

CORE-LIST WINE, for the obvious reason that it’s an exquisite example of Ruwer-Riesling. This one has some of the sponti carob aromas of some of Loewen’s wines; the palate is—as always—refined, sleek and piquant but with the juicy delineated length of ‘07, and the acid-driven neurosurgical finish more

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 2007

This has a cool piquant wash of mirabelle, fuji apple and grapefruit and shows beautiful class and clarity; apple-skins and sweet lees; a focused thickness again, and a real chiaroscuro of citrus and slate.  more

Georg Albrecht Schneider Niersteiner Paterberg Kabinett 2007

A generous, lively Riesling, revealing peach, nectarine and mineral notes on a slim frame. Firms up on the finish, leaving a mouthwatering impression. Drink now through 2018. more

Winzer Von Erbach Erbacher Honigberg Riesling 2006

Round and refreshing with light touches of lemon and lime on the nose. Slightly sweet mouthfeel, with juicy and fruity flavors. more