More evolved than expected, color starting to bronze, kerosene still on the nose, and the palate softly textured and showing more sweetness than it has in the past, with baked apple flavors. Better a few years ago and hopefully it will be better again next time. Not sure if this bottle was prematurely advanced or if that's just where it is.
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In that state with "petrol" dominated aromatics. Close to dry-tasting but maybe it's that smidge of sugar that gives it that thicker, oily texture without feeling soft in any way.
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Really liked this. Compelling aromatics - a basket of ripe fruit that ranges from classic Mosel citrus and apple flavours to riper peachy and melon-like notes, augmented by a gentle mineral undercurrent, bright florality, and more savoury leesy and faintly grainy accents. This comes across just barely off-dry, with just a trace of residual sugar that keeps it from seeming like a trocken, and it's enough to give it some roundness and flesh on the palate that's nicely matched by the acidity.
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My second Adam in a row to redeem itself after a disappointing performance, and this is now back pretty much exactly to the way I remember it from a few years back, bright, bracing, and angular, with a rough, chain-mail texture, and functionally dry despite its smidge of sugar - barely if at all perceptible in this bottle. Not sure what went wrong with the last one, but this is clearly what it's supposed to be.
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Whoa Nellie, was this good stuff! From the dark golden hue, you might think someone slipped some old Chenin Blanc in the bottle, but one whiff, and you know you're in the Mosel. Awesome kaleidoscope on the nose, with a distinctive, powerful scent of anise that made me want to keep my nose buried in the glass. Unctuous, creamy texture on the palate with a crackling minerality on the backend. A standout Riesling that I sense will be a reference point wine for some time to come.
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I'm actually a little bit surprised how fast this went from seeming closed and tight to showing actual, real signs of maturity. This has turned a deep golden yellow with some of the waxy characteristics of mature riesling; its youthful cut and bracing presence feel much moderated. In fact, the small amount of sugar in this that was once barely noticeable is actually much more obvious now and seems to give the body of the wine a little creaminess and polish.
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I can't improve upon Keith's 6 Feb 2008 TN: We had this during a picnic yesterday and without question the most predominant characteristic of this wine was its sense of traction. I remember reading Keith's use of this term when we opened it and thought it was extremely accurate. I didn't take any 'official' notes, but this was some exceptional, even gritty juice. Sad that I only have one bottle left, but I think I know where I can get more. Highly recommended.
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Paler and less exotic in its fruit profile than it was last year, but with at least as much clarity. It now tastes pretty much bone-dry despite the 12g/l sugar, with all the cut and angularity that comes with that territory, and the slate minerality even more powerful than the fruit. The result of the fruit's receding is some stiffening of the alcohol on the back end, which is the only thing detracting from the unalloyed expression of all the classic Mosel elements on a drier-than-usual frame.
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Very precise wine with excellent balance and acidity. It was that impossible combination of great intensity yet remained light on its feet. This will be a great wine with more age when the honey and nougat flavors come out from the background to make the fruit flavors more complex.
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Characteristics of tropical fruit, beeswax, flowers, and kerosene, but this wine doesn't just taste like something, it DOES something. Immediately on entry you can practically feel the gears cranking as it imparts such a sense of traction it feels like it's gritting your teeth for you. But this isn't one of those dry rieslings that's masochistic in its austerity; there's a great balance of material and structure, of form and function.
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10/22/2021 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
More evolved than expected, color starting to bronze, kerosene still on the nose, and the palate softly textured and showing more sweetness than it has in the past, with baked apple flavors. Better a few years ago and hopefully it will be better again next time. Not sure if this bottle was prematurely advanced or if that's just where it is.
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9/24/2019 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
In that state with "petrol" dominated aromatics. Close to dry-tasting but maybe it's that smidge of sugar that gives it that thicker, oily texture without feeling soft in any way.
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11/24/2014 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Really liked this. Compelling aromatics - a basket of ripe fruit that ranges from classic Mosel citrus and apple flavours to riper peachy and melon-like notes, augmented by a gentle mineral undercurrent, bright florality, and more savoury leesy and faintly grainy accents. This comes across just barely off-dry, with just a trace of residual sugar that keeps it from seeming like a trocken, and it's enough to give it some roundness and flesh on the palate that's nicely matched by the acidity.
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4/1/2013 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
My second Adam in a row to redeem itself after a disappointing performance, and this is now back pretty much exactly to the way I remember it from a few years back, bright, bracing, and angular, with a rough, chain-mail texture, and functionally dry despite its smidge of sugar - barely if at all perceptible in this bottle. Not sure what went wrong with the last one, but this is clearly what it's supposed to be.
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2/17/2013 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Whoa Nellie, was this good stuff! From the dark golden hue, you might think someone slipped some old Chenin Blanc in the bottle, but one whiff, and you know you're in the Mosel. Awesome kaleidoscope on the nose, with a distinctive, powerful scent of anise that made me want to keep my nose buried in the glass. Unctuous, creamy texture on the palate with a crackling minerality on the backend. A standout Riesling that I sense will be a reference point wine for some time to come.
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11/19/2012 - bg2167 wrote: 92 Points
Super!
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11/2/2012 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 90 Points
I'm actually a little bit surprised how fast this went from seeming closed and tight to showing actual, real signs of maturity. This has turned a deep golden yellow with some of the waxy characteristics of mature riesling; its youthful cut and bracing presence feel much moderated. In fact, the small amount of sugar in this that was once barely noticeable is actually much more obvious now and seems to give the body of the wine a little creaminess and polish.
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10/30/2010 - danibus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Deep concentration and out-of-sight minerality. Really coats the palate. Layered and complex.
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4/30/2009 - kenthargis wrote: 93 Points
Very tasty off dry riesling that had plenty of complexity. Would get again.
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4/13/2009 - jvogel wrote:
I can't improve upon Keith's 6 Feb 2008 TN: We had this during a picnic yesterday and without question the most predominant characteristic of this wine was its sense of traction. I remember reading Keith's use of this term when we opened it and thought it was extremely accurate. I didn't take any 'official' notes, but this was some exceptional, even gritty juice. Sad that I only have one bottle left, but I think I know where I can get more. Highly recommended.
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3/2/2009 - henrychinaski wrote: 96 Points
Thick. Oily. Acidity is still available. Salty/savory charachter. Coffee and earth tones. Very complex and enjoyable wine.
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2/9/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Paler and less exotic in its fruit profile than it was last year, but with at least as much clarity. It now tastes pretty much bone-dry despite the 12g/l sugar, with all the cut and angularity that comes with that territory, and the slate minerality even more powerful than the fruit. The result of the fruit's receding is some stiffening of the alcohol on the back end, which is the only thing detracting from the unalloyed expression of all the classic Mosel elements on a drier-than-usual frame.
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12/19/2008 - pizzler wrote: 93 Points
Very precise wine with excellent balance and acidity. It was that impossible combination of great intensity yet remained light on its feet. This will be a great wine with more age when the honey and nougat flavors come out from the background to make the fruit flavors more complex.
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2/6/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 97 Points
Characteristics of tropical fruit, beeswax, flowers, and kerosene, but this wine doesn't just taste like something, it DOES something. Immediately on entry you can practically feel the gears cranking as it imparts such a sense of traction it feels like it's gritting your teeth for you. But this isn't one of those dry rieslings that's masochistic in its austerity; there's a great balance of material and structure, of form and function.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment