Monzinger, Riesling, Halgans, 2017
Here as you'd expect there's far more influence of smoke, slate and salt on the nose before the rich complex citrus notes appear. Finger lime and ripe yellow grapefruit are followed by a wall of hard slate, complex stones, confit lemon and ripe yet fresh stone fruits. Paradoxically bold yet lightweight, firm yet floating - this is a brilliant baby GG that at most estates would qualify for the status of Grand Cru.
critic reviews
The 2017 Monzingen Riesling Trocken Halgans is clear and flinty as well as warm and concentrated and even slightly minty/herbal on the nose but still fascinatingly clear, fresh and piquant. Full-bodied, lush and crystalline on the palate, with firm tannin grip and good concentration, this Halenberg is rich and powerful but elegant and persistently salty yet also a bit bitter. It reminds me a bit of the Rudesheim Berg Schlossberg and will have some caramel flavors with age, but it is still impressive. Tasted in July 2019.
Scents and brightly-juicy palate presence of lime, white peach and red raspberry are already familiar from this year’s “Mineral” bottling; and the same goes for subtly, intriguingly fusil, oily and marine notes announced already on the nose. The feel here is quite plush and glycerol-rich but at the same time there is a sense of underlying stoniness. The vibrant, resonant, bell-clear finish features a refreshing edginess of zesty citrus and a shimmering array of mineral nuances. (This effectively serves as the second wine to Schönlebers’ Halenberg Grosses Gewächs, as explained in further detail in my review of its inaugural, vintage 2015 installment).