2008 Herrenberg Riesling Eiswein

Penetrating notes of radish, distilled pit fruits, and red currant nip the nose from the 2008 Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Eiswein, and are joined on a quite viscous palate by apricot and surprisingly low-toned malt, caramel, and resin. Hints of fruit skin chew and bitterness of apricot kernel as well as tart berry lend further interest to the lingering finish, but there is not the acidity that would be needed – at least, at this youthful stage – to push back against confectionary sweetness. This needs time to reveal itself more fully, but will I suspect retain as much of a Beerenauslese as an Eiswein character and be best enjoyed over the next 6-8 years as an accompaniment to carefully selected desserts. Carl von Schubert’s and his cellar master and vineyard manager Stefan Kraml seem to be hitting their collaborative stride now, and I would say that the disappointing period that began in the waning days of Alphonse Heinrich’s long and otherwise justly celebrated tenure can be consigned to history. This year’s collection – for which they began picking in mid October but continued for more than a month – could no doubt be more exciting, but frankly, it’s just good to witness this estate making it methodically onto first base one wine after another at the low and middle end of their batting order and scoring a few major hits in their upper price echelon. The new norm here is spontaneous fermentation and that has resulted in some wines a bit aromatically shrouded or nose-wrinkling that should ultimately prove better than by present scores suggest. By the way, the von Schuberts are lucky both to own the forest above their vineyards – including therefore the private hunting rights – and to have easily found a market for wild boar sausage and pate (for whose high quality I can vouch, if without venturing a point score) because in 2009 they personally dispatched more than 100 of these hefty, tusked ravagers of Riesling grapes. Importer: P. J. Valckenberg International, Tulsa, OK; tel. (918) 622-0424