2016 Saarburger Rausch Spatlese 04 05

The 2016 Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese (AP #3) offers a terrific bouquet of tropical fruit aromas intermixed with very fine, coolish slate and flinty aromas. Lush yet very elegant and fine on the palate, with highly delicate salinity in the finish, this is a beautiful Spätlese that reveals very fine raisin flavors and highly delicate acidity. This is a gorgeous Riesling from the Saarburger Rausch! Made with some percent of overripe berries, which gives this fabulous aroma and lush texture. Great finesse here as well. Tasted March 2018.

A definite saline cast to the fruit here. Mineral, almost dusty lemon purity. Creamy, caressing texture surrounding the purest of lemon intensity. Perfect balance and refined, long finish. Extreme beauty and class. GV (JH)

Quite ethereal nose of exotic fruit and spirit of melissa goes almost beyond what one might expect from a Saar Spätlese. Then again Zilliken always performs above the already high standard of that region, and we can be reassured that he still has some other Spätlesen up his sleeve, which will beat even this delicious mélange of peach, pear, pink grapefruit and mango. Scintillating acidity and a wet stone minerality make sure that any thoughts of a mere fruit cocktail are banished. A generous viscosity is perfectly contrasted by a zesty, green-peel edge on the finish. (MS)