Monzinger Halenberg, Riesling, Spätlese,

Lightly poached pear and white peach gain a welcome bit of brightness from fresh lime, so that an effusively ripe and soothingly creamy Riesling still delivers animation and refreshment. At the same time, there is a sense of lift and delicacy here that goes beyond what was exhibited by this year’s Kabinett, and which perfectly fits the floral perfume that wafts through this wine’s entire performance. A bittersweet hint of cassis and subtle piquancy of fruit pit add counterpoint to the complexly layered, bell-clear finish. The grapes for this came in during the first days of October. Picking under the right conditions for Spätlese was just as challenging this year as picking for Kabinett, opined Schönleber, who admitted to having simply “missed the window” for doing so in the Frühlingsplätzchen. “More and more,” he said, noting the irony, “Spätlese is going to signify anything but ‘late-harvest.’”