2008 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett

Primarily herbal aromas overlain with a veil of yeastiness and fermentative notes render the Kesselstatt 2008 Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett aromatically less than promising. But it boasts an attractive transparency to salt and stone nuances – much as did its Bockstein counterpart – and offers a juicy if unemphatic finish with prominent peach, lemon, herbs, with judicious sweetness. Allowing for short-term clarification of its aromas, this should prove very enjoyable over the next 6-8 years. Annegret Reh’s 2008s display their acids somewhat more prominently than did her 2007s. While for the second year running neither alcoholic heat nor roughness were an impediment to her penchant for dry Grosse Gewachse, this did not mean that the trocken end of the spectrum here was always that ideally-balanced, as there was not only tartness but considerable bitterness to deal with as well. This enormous estate has made great strides, but I think that stylistically they could be more sensitive to the message of their terrific vineyards, at least to the extent that their customer base allows (since the Germans demand of them trocken). In my view, Reh’s move toward more flexibility with and a wider range of residual sugar in the off-dry half of the Kesselstatt portfolio, especially Kabinett, is an excellent step in that direction, but “Grosse Gewachse” of 10-15 grams residual sugar would be an even better one! Incidentally, machine harvesters (first used here, as at many top-notch German estates, in the hectic 2006 vintage) were employed this year in some of the more accessible and less distinguished sites in order to buy time for the entire crop to hang longer, although even so, picking began in mid-October, and concluded November 8. Various importers including: P. J. Valckenberg International, Tulsa, OK; tel. (918) 622-0424