2010 Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Auslese

Pear and white peach nectars inform an Emrich-Schonleber 2010 Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Auslese of vibratory interactive intensity and complexity, notes of nippy cress, zesty citrus, seedy red raspberry, saliva-liberating salinity, and a crystalline sense of mineral impingement all contributing to an exhilarating experience. The expression of noble rot – corresponding, notes Werner Schonleber, with only the cleanest and driest expression of botrytis – is an aura of white truffle, honey, musk, and liqueur-like concentration of herbal essences that in no way obscures the sense of transparency prevailing in a kaleidoscopic finish. This ought to remain marvelous – and indeed, probably gain in appeal – over at least the next quarter century. ”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, “leaving 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