2004 Spreitzer - Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling Spatlese Trocken

Part of the 2004 Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling Erstes Gewachs was bottled as “Spatlese trocken” and will appear under that designation in the American market, but by any name it offers class in a glass. It smells of white peach, flowers and wet stones almost in the manner of a Mosel Riesling. The texture is creamy, nicely supporting the wine’s piquant, nutty depth of flavor, yet the overall effect is delicate and refined, making its finishing statement without the proverbial big stick, but with a sustained pedal point of wet stone and peach pit. The finish is subtle but impressively long with shadings of herb, resin, nut oils, peach and stone. The Spreitzers believe that this wine will gain significantly in expressiveness between now and next year, and are not going to offer it to their private customers until Spring, 2006. If it ages like some of the best dry Wisselbrunnen Rieslings from formerly outstanding sources like Siegfried Gerhard or Schloss Reinhartshausen, then this might easily make it to the traditional age of majority. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300