2017 Lorchhauser Seligmacher Riesling Erste Lage

At 13% alcohol – and, of course, legally dry – this represents a stylistic contrast with its Lorcher Schlossberg counterpart. Kesseler nevertheless repeated his warning that Lorch Rieslings “go to sleep” six or so months after bottling, and in this instance I can imagine that being the case. Walnut and pronouncedly pit-inflected white peach on the nose manifest borderline bitterness on the glossy, full-bodied palate, driven in part simply by the wine’s relatively high alcohol. Underlying wet stone and firmness of feel – taken together with the aforementioned piquancy – pull proceedings here in a rather austere direction. But the wine’s sheer grip is impressive and perhaps hints at its future potential. Still, I would monitor its cellar evolution carefully lest it “oversleep.”