2015 Graacher Himmelreich Pinot Noir (3 Star)

Both nose and palate offer the sort of sweet-saline, iodine-tinged suggestion of shrimp stock already familiar from Molitor’s three other site-specific vintage 2015 Pinot Noirs. Here, in fact, we have more of the pronounced smokiness and enhanced sweetness of lobster-shell reduction. If this doesn’t set your salivary glands pumping, you might want to consult your doctor. Allied to these striking animal and mineral elements – again, familiar from the rest of this vintage’s Molitor Pinot collection – are bright, invigoratingly tart-edged red currant and pit-tinged sour cherry. While sharing with its aforementioned stablemates their just under 13% alcohol, this comes off as marginally fuller. The tannins are evident, but fine-grained, and the finish is forceful, gripping, and generously juicy, if marginally less complex than that of the corresponding Trarbacher Schlossberg.