2008 A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spätlese

Adam’s 2008 Dhronhofberger Riesling Spatlese is slightly masked in the nose by yeasty souvenirs of fermentation, but ripe peach, grapefruit, pineapple, and quince emerge there, just as they do on a creamily-textured yet juicy and succulent palate. This displays even more uncanny buoyancy; a more striking interplay of floral (above all peony), spice (ginger especially), fruit, and mineral (notably saline) elements; and a yet more exuberant finish than the corresponding Kabinett. An epitome of vintage elegance, it should be worth savoring for 20 years, and assuming the aromas clear up definitively will deserve even higher praise than I have bestowed on it here. “When everybody else had started picking,” reports Andreas Adam, “we went out and de-leafed; then waited a week, and then starting picking.” And while lees contact is always part of the Adam regimen, he is sure (as am I) that it was especially effective in buffering 2008 acids. Except for his long legally trocken wine, Adam bottled in early Spring to preserve freshness and natural CO2, but he did not rack and filter until immediately beforehand. (For further details concerning young Adam’s distinctive vinificatory approach – inspired by notions of how Mosel wines were rendered before the 1970s as well as by the practices of Adam’s one-time boss Reinhard Lowenstein – consult my earlier reports.) This was really a Kabinett year, opines Adam – who admits he isn’t old enough to have previously witnessed one! – and anything that came above that was really just for fun and a lot of work Spielerei und harte Arbeit. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300