2005 Riesling Schlossberg VT

Weinbach’s 2005 Riesling Schlossberg Vendange Tardive is redolent of glazed pineapple, candied lemon, and quince preserves. As juicy and lively as it is honeyed and rich, this represents a mouthful of sheer self-indulgence with its abundance of peach and quince preserves, candied citrus, and spice. Saline and savory mineral notes as well as refreshing citrus ring clearly in the finish for all of this wine’s opulence of fruit and nearly 80 grams of residual sugar. The dynamic trio of Fallers continues to bottle some of France’s (hardly just Alsace’s) richest and most flamboyant wines. Beginning with 2005, all of their vineyards are being biodynamically farmed. Laurence Faller finds their 2005s in general “more focused and clear” (this was especially true of Riesling) despite their often prominent botrytis component, and the 2004s richer. I suppose it goes without saying, but one has to carefully scrutinize each Weinbach label, so numerous are the cuvees. And as wonderful as is the distinctiveness exhibited by the vast majority of wines here, even a geek like yours truly could be forgiven for asking whether somewhat fewer different bottlings might benefit consumers as well as journalists! Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802