2011 Niederberg Helden Spatlese 10 12

A head-turning, sweetly-perfumed nose of gardenia and heliotrope allied to scents of Persian melon, quince and Normandy apple cider in Schloss Lieser’s mere 7.5% alcohol 2011 Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spatlese leads to a delicate and subtly creamy – if also decidedly sweet – palate impression dripping with liquid floral essences and overripe melon. A juicy limeade component, along with saliva-liberating salinity, turns the finish here into a mouthwateringly seductive combination of stimulation and refreshment with soothing caress. This beauty will probably prove yet more ravishing as well as fascinating when some of its superficial sweetness wears off – but don’t look for that to begin happening for at least a decade. A superb value, I would plan to follow it through at least 2030. Thomas Haag didn’t begin harvesting until October 3 – immediately before which, he says, it was too hot – and then picked for 23 straight days. He has every reason to complement the ripe yet filigree results, a description that, happily, applies almost as much to his dry as to his residually sweet bottlings. Except for his two Grosse Gewachs – bottled in May – and a Niederberg Helden T.B.A. that was still fermenting as of last autumn, all of Thomas Haag’s 2011s were bottled already in March and April following harvest. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. (800) 596-9463