Community Tasting Note

• sweetstuff wrote: 92 points

  September 13, 2017 - 2012 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (Germany, Mosel, Bereich Bernkastel [Mittelmosel])
  
  8.5 pabv, AP 27 13; $42/750 ml; Dorothy Lane Market, Oakville, OH. Cellars International/Rudi Wiest. Coravin/Le Taster.
  
  Polished rich brass, at first fully spritzig. Because initial contact suggested quite a bit more lees aroma (what some people call 'sulfur stink') than usual, along with 'Sponti' still perceptible in the form of a fermented hay note, sample was subsequently splash decanted. Green, minty notes of honey-drizzled peach and kiwi and clotted cream, perhaps even salt butter/vanilla , and with a note of energetic minerality underneath and full Spätlese mouth weight. Entrance sweet and limy but with a softish mid-palate at first, perhaps due to adolescent awkwardness, but fills in starting at about an hour. Gives a harmonious and brilliant glissando of flavor somehow containing and enfolding everything the wine has to show so far. Finish comes back strong and expressive with a tonic twist, encouraging me to think that even better times are in store. A wine that definitely picks up a powerful punch as the evening progresses, almost Himmelreich-like but with less spice. Drinking soon, a vigorous splash decant recommended, but better still, 2020 through 2030. 92+? for now. Now retasted two days later, all is confirmed. Remains at 92 points because of style issues (not fully typical of the expected vineyard's products in this producer's hands), but that may change. Now a sort of dry lime-slightly underripe peach, buffered by powerful fruit; a touch of blackcurrant, tasting sweeter than it smells, a sort of punch-up personality; just needs to reign in the horses and get over a case of the TDNs.

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