Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Eiswein, Nahe, Germany

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The Schonlebers said they were surprised by the early December cold snap that rendered their 2010 Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Eiswein possible. Pear nectar, marzipan, melon liqueur, and an at once soothing and invigorating concentrate of mint, cress, and other aromatic herbs inform a glycerin-rich, extremely sweet palate, with herbal bite and an (at least as yet) slightly detached sense of citricity in the finish. The sheer, penetrating length here is highly impressive, and I would encourage readers with the requisite budget to follow this wine over the next 4-6 years, which ought also to clarify its potential further aging potential. ”Look, the acid levels were almost this high in 1994 – though with much higher yields,” relates Werner Schonleber of 2010, “and yet 1994 was probably my most individual year of the 1990s,” a judgment in which, incidentally, I concur. Musts of extremely high acidity (a couple had pHs under 3.0) were de-acidified – “very cautiously,” notes Frank Schonleber, “l(fā)eaving plenty of leeway in case one or the other went into malo,” which several Riesling lots spontaneously followed the lead of the estate’s Pinots in doing. Despite high levels of potassium (not to mention, of course, tartaric acid) and a cold winter, there was relatively little precipitation of tartrates at this address. Early picking of the Schonlebers’ Auf der Lay parcel, already with significant botrytis, militated against there being an “A.de.L” bottling this year such as had been essayed – exclusively in magnum – in the two preceding vintages. This is really a year, chez Schonlebers, for Fruhlingsplatzchen as a site to shine, though neither they nor I can offer a hypothesis. Regarding the gap or jump in this year’s line-up from “regular” (though in fact, fantastic) Auslesen to Eiswein, Werner Schonleber commented that given the quality and the paucity of fruit available, “Attempts to segregate a gold capsule Auslese were going to make for (“regular”)Auslese in which something was missing. And we scarcely thought ourselves capable of a Beerenauslese this vintage; the attempt wouldn’t have gone well. We had lovely botrytis, but by no means such concentrated berries.”Imported by Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644; also imported by Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, CA tel. (877) 389- 9463

Quinine, yellow plum preserves, fresh blueberries, lime zest, and alkaline mineral notes distinctively characterize the Schonlebers’ 2008 Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Eiswein (which was to be auctioned). A vanilla icing-like sense of confectionary sweetness on the palate gains some contrast in the form of tart fruit skin and bitter citrus zest. There is a wafting sense of elegance and delicacy that – like the wine’s sense of purity – deeply impresses; but either you need to bring to it, or the occasion of its being served, a strong predilection for sheer sweetness, or else you need to play the game of chance that is nearly always involved with cellaring Eiswein. I’m sure this wine will be fine 6-8 years from now – perhaps even more complex – but that will scarcely be enough time to make a dent in its perceived sense of sweetness. Werner and Frank Schonleber are another Nahe dream team whose amazing performance in 2007 has been equaled in 2008. “I wouldn’t call it a vintage with the emphasis on fruit,” says Werner Schonleber, “but rather on a pronounced, saline minerality. And there was no great selection of nobly sweet wine this year, because every three or four days it would rain at least a little bit.” He offers as “a very simple explanation” of this pronounced minerality the classic one adduced by growers (whether or not scientifically supportable) that the vines better “assimilate mineral stuff” when mild weather and plenty of moisture grease – as it were – the wheels of plant metabolism. And such vintages always boast measurably high levels of dry extract; the question remains, has that – as most growers believe – anything to do with their expression of flavors for which we feel compelled to employ mineral vocabulary?Importers: Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608-9644; Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, CA tel. (877) 389-9463

A relatively fatter version, very rich and exotic, sporting butter, passion fruit, papaya and orange notes. All is supported by a racy structure, keeping it fresh and vibrant. Terrific length. Drink now through 2030. 22 cases made.??–BS??Region: Germany / Nahe Select to Add