2016 Scharzhof Riesling
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Tasting notes
Fermented in stainless steel, the very bright, almost white colored 2016 Riesling Scharzhof has a clear and bright bouquet that needs a bit of time to develop. The wine is racy-piquant and pure on the palate and tastes almost dry. It has the typical finesse and grip and is still green when served fresh from the bottle, but it’s archetypical Saar Riesling, specifically Scharzhof Riesling. AP #1, tasted March 2018.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
David Schildknecht, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Penetrating aromas and bright juiciness of apple and lemon are reinforced in their invigorating effect by the pungency and bite of raw ginger as well as a nettle-like prickle. An impression of wet stone also runs from the nose through the polished, delicate but concentrated midpalate. A luscious infusion of fresh apricot and a saliva-liberating lacing of mineral salts add appeal to an animating finish and render the next sip irresistible. I can’t recall having tasted a more impressive Scharzhof bottling, a fact that might well be directly related to the major crop losses suffered this year in Saarburg (and to a lesser extent Wiltingen), whence this cuvée is sourced. But as Veronika Lintner points out, some of this wine’s delightful sense of levity can be laid at the door of lower must weights, offering yet another example of how, inexplicably, crop loss this year to peronospora seldom resulted in prematurely elevated Oechsle. I wouldn’t hesitate to cellar some of this.
About the producer
Egon Müller is the most famous name in Riesling. The estate produces the world’s most expensive sweet white wines from the Grand Cru Scharzhofberg vineyard in Mosel, Germany.