Riesling, vom Rotliegenden, Trocken, 2018

There were times, not that long ago, where a wine such as the 2018 Riesling vom Rotliegenden trocken would have been one of the finest dry Rieslings of Germany. Its quality is still the same (if not even better than years ago), but the quality level in Germany has been rising dramatically for 10+ years now. This wine is one for freaks because it is so pure and flinty and doesn't indicate any grams of fat or even flesh but has so much precision and terroir (or Kastanienbusch) character. On the palate, this Riesling reveals Mosel-like juiciness and crystallinity. In fact, the palate is less Apollonian than the nose, but it's also not Dionysian. It's a Rebholz picture-book wine with phenolic grip and mineral tension yet not the tight structure of the vom Buntsandstein twin. The "deuxieme vin" of the Kastanienbusch has lots of energy and can play even in the GG class. However, it is far too young to be drunk now. Keep it for about 5 years. Tasted in January 2020.