2010 Riesling Spatlese

Sourced from material of comparable ripeness and other analytical parameters to this year’s Kabinett feinherb, the 2010 Serriger Schloss Saarstein Riesling Spatlese projects pronouncedly peachy fruit along with cherry and diverse citrus, sweetly floral, vaguely lily-like perfume wafting across a delicate (at just 8% alcohol), subtly creamy but refreshing palate. Here is a prime example of Saar Riesling’s aptitude for making a large load of residual sugar simply disappear from one’s sensory radar screen; and while the mineral dimension here is quite discreet, I anticipate considerably more complexity and additional charm to develop in bottle, where one can safely keep this Spatlese for at least the next two decades. Christian and Andrea Ebert have followed up their impressive 2009 performance with a worthy successor. Photographic evidence shows some foliage remaining here even on the first of November, and harvest continued well into that month, largely obviating, insists Christian Ebert, the need for de-acidification. Again the photographic evidence shows perfectly golden green bunches of just the sort one imagines tasting in most of this year’s finished Schloss Saarstein wines. As usual, these were generally yeasted and completed fermentation by January; so no sources of surprise there that might help explain such uncannily fine balance for this vintage. Importer: P. J. Valckenberg International, Tulsa, OK; tel tel 918 622 0424