2007 Scharzhofberger Kabinett

Von Kunow's 2007 Scharzhofbeger Riesling Kabinett is redolent of yellow plum and peach, offering a correspondingly juicy palate impression accompanied by hints of almond cream and underlain by suggestions of wet stone. At only 7.5% alcohol, it comes off as sweeter yet also more refreshing than and equally as transparent to mineral nuance as the corresponding Hutte. Here too, though, I do not pick this as likely to be especially long-lived for its genre, and expect it will be best enjoyed over the next 6-8 years. Ebernard von Kunow himself, along with many journalists, was harder his 2006 collection than was I. Still, the 2007s are more consistent; will certainly be longer-lived; and at the top end represent some of his most exhilarating and riveting wines ever. They were also picked within a relative narrow range of must weights (even allowing for considerable botrytis). -It was really just a matter of taste,- says von Kunow, -deciding what would become Kabinett, what Spatlese, and what Auslese. I did lengthy sorting in an attempt to bottle Beerenauslese, but in the end I concluded -it just isn't there.-- Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA 800 596 9463.