2016 Riesling Trocken Vom Grauen Schiefer

Dusty suggestions of crushed stone, pungent lavender and prickly lemon peel greet the nose, and on a palpably dense palate the zest and sense of stone suffusion crowd out any primary juiciness such as helped render this year’s basic Riesling trocken so appealing. The finish also lacks that ostensibly lesser bottling’s levity, but partly makes up for those deficiencies with sheer grip.

The 2016 Riesling "Vom Grauen Schiefer" offers a clear and intense bouquet with flinty notes and ripe, intense fruit aromas. Medium to full-bodied, lush and with crystalline acidity, this is a salty-piquant and firmly structured dry Riesling with mouth-filling fruit, fine tannins and a salty aftertaste. Bottled in September; tasted in February 2018. Apr 2018, www.robertparker.com