Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Riesling, Grosses Gewächs,

Site-typical scents of apple and vanilla set the tone for the juicy, bitter-edged performance on a polished palate more expansive and a bit less firm than that of the other Schloss Lieser 2016 vintage Grosse Gewächse. This finishes with impressive persistence of fruit and wet stone but, for now at least, without the animating and refreshing brightness or the sense of energy that informed those immediate siblings. Haag’s parcels in this prestigious vineyard are superbly located, and the scrupulousness of his team’s approach both in the vineyard and in the cellar is assured. Perhaps the wine just needs more time in bottle. And yet I don’t find traits that prompt me to think “long keeper.”