2011 Scharzhofberger Kabinett

As with its 2010 predecessor, accumulated from several lots – in this instance representing picking across a wide range of parcels to achieve material of sufficiently modest must weight and potential levity – the Muller 2011 Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett (this year’s sole wine of its Pradikat, and carrying A.P. #2) weighs in at 9.5% alcohol. High-toned mint and wintergreen in the nose as well as delicacy, lift and animation on the palate remind me of this year’s generic Scharzhof bottling. Juicy abundance of fresh apple, pear, and lime are threaded with herbal, floral and stony nuances, culminating in a lusciously sustained, invigoratingly bright and vibrantly animated finish. This should show well through at least 2025. Egon Muller’s 2011 collection – tasted last September at the Scharzhof in his absence – represents an intensively selective harvest that extended from mid-October into November and resulted in one of the numerically smallest number of individual bottlings in the history of this venerable estate smaller even than the number from 20100, but also some that will go down as landmarks in that history. It seems that – by way of explaining this paucity – in the realm of Kabinett and Spatlese, the individual lots were simply deemed to harmonize well with one another and amalgamated; while in upper-Pradikat realms, the aggregate volume was no larger than in other recent vintages. Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700