2007 Saarburger Rausch Spatlese

Destined for auction, the 2007 Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spatlese A.P. #5 came from clearly superior fruit to that of his Auslese A.P. #6, notes Zilliken (as signaled, by convention at this address, with a lower A.P. number), but the more delicate character of this half-fuder lot dictated its bottling as Spatlese. This is indeed a model of refinement and buoyancy as well as transparency to myriad mineral nuances. Cherry, lime, and grapefruit as well as corresponding orchard and citrus floral character are deftly deployed in a dynamic interchange with mineral, nut oil, and fruit pit notes leading to a finish with considerable chew and invigoration allied to lift, tingling vivacity, and soaring length. This should be well worth holding for a quarter century. It might seem hard to believe that Hanno Zilliken could once again out-performed a vintage in the way that he did 2005 and 2006. But his having designated an unprecedented four different wines of the 2007 vintage as auction offerings certainly speaks to his confidence – well-founded, I would say – in the quality of this collection’s top end. The vintage’s “Riesling Butterfly” – stemming largely from Saarburg’s Antoniousbrunnen and Bergschlosschen vineyards (behind the Rausch, and overlooking a tiny Saar tributary) and in only small measure from the Rausch and Bockstein – was reviewed in issue 184 and remains lovely, if at present less generous than there-described. No off-dry generic estate Riesling was bottled this vintage, and with 2008 Zilliken will be seen to have made other changes in the lower half of his price list. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA 800 596 9463