2015 Riesling Alte Reben

Ripe white peach and pear garlanded in honeysuckle and underlain with wet stone are by now familiar from the wines that precede this in one in the 2015 Van Volxem lineup. The sheer intensity and grip are ratcheted up here, but I miss the levity, transparency, textural allure and refinement of those ostensibly lesser bottlings. A long finish carries ample primary juiciness, its stony undertone pulling in an almost austere direction. (Although this Riesling is decidedly Saar-typical, around 20 percent of the cuvée now comes from the Mosel, principally Mehring.)

The 2015 Saar Riesling Alte Reben is very clear, elegant and fresh on the nose, quite pure and stony, with lemon-flavored slate aromas. This Riesling is pure, firm and dry, with good and intense fruit, as well as a slightly creamy texture. This is an elegant, well-concentrated and aromatic, firmly structured Saar Riesling with a long, yet still tight finish. I'd keep it for another five years, at least.

Had only been bottled two days before the tasting, but any concerns about a temperamental performance were laid to rest by a delightful composition of ripe stone fruit and spice standing up to the almost gravelly mineral attack. On the palate the fruit exhibits a generous juicy expression, which softens the impact of the rocky and herbaceous edges. (MS)