Westhofener Brunnenhauschen Abst E Riesling, Grosses Gewächs, 2015

As usual, on the nose this bottling displays a dazzling, almost dizzying array of floral, herbal and mineral elements suggesting an alliance of sea breeze with an expansive spring meadow. Vividly fresh, brightly juicy lime and white peach are lusciously deployed on a buoyant, silken-textured palate. This doesn’t wear its tiny-berried concentration on its sleeve in the manner of so many piquantly gripping and austerely stony Wonnegau Grosse Gewächse. Instead, lime seed and chalk are adeptly integrated into a vibrant, coolingly herb-tinged, persistently floral, mouthwateringly saline and consummately refreshing performance. With its uncanny combination of poise and energy, it’s as if this wine were saying, “Let others engage in heavy lifting, futilely attempting to keep up with me on the dance floor.” “After we picked out the shriveled berries for TBA,” noted Keller, “the rest was at around 91 or 92 Oechsle, so we could afford to let it hang a bit longer through the chilly October and ended up picking at 94 or 95 Oechsle.”

DRINKING WINDOW 2017 - 2034

date of review 11/2017