2007 Clemens Busch - Pundericher Marienburg Felsterrassen Riesling

From old vines in a small set of terraces sheltered between two huge outcroppings of grey slate above Falkenlay, Busch’s 2007 Pundericher Marienburg Riesling Felsterrasse smells of grapefruit zest, white raisin, yellow plum, crushed stone, peat, and wood smoke. This wine’s botrytis-inflected aromas are allied to a rich, honeyed, voluminous, oily-textured palate impression underlain by toasted pecan. Citrus oil and white pepper lend a surprisingly invigorating aspect to the long finish on display here. Analytically or even aesthetically speaking, it may be that only a fine line separates the more successful Busch 2007s from those that in some sense “got away.” This is indubitably one of the unqualified successes, and should be worth following for at least 5-7 years. Clemens Busch – among the Mosel’s few organic vintners, and the undisputed champion of the Lower Mosel’s steep Pundericher Marienburg – is also rapidly demonstrating that he is simply one of the collective Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer’s exceptional talents, not to mention stylistically free spirits. Most of his top wines are labeled with their old pre-1971 site names. Nature thrust on him in 2006 an unprecedented 9 Auslesen (many distinguished only by number), 3 Beerenauslesen, and single T.B.A. (most of which were reviewed in issue 179). In 2007, an at least slightly more normal – not to mention more marketable – balance of dry-tasting (though not always legally trocken) wines was restored, but success, Busch insists, was possible only by dint of great patience and then, when the time was ripe for picking, in great haste. A considerable number of overtly nobly sweet wine was picked in the process, as there was no lack of botrytis in this fungicide-free zone. Mosel Wine Merchant selections (various importers), Trier, Gemany; fax 011 49 (0)651-14551 39; also imported by by Ewald Moseler Selections, Portland OR tel. 888 274 4312