2016 Quarzit Oestrich
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Tasting notes
Fresh, zesty lemon and sea breeze on the nose bear a surprising similarity to what was delivered by the Kühns’ “Rheinschiefer” bottling. But scents of fennel and roux take this wine in a different direction. On a polished but firm palate, hints of lemon pip and caper berry marry delightfully with marine salinity, leading to a brightly juicy, buoyant, invigoratingly energetic finish that tugs at both the cheeks and salivary glands and leaves behind a dusty impression of crushed stone. This doesn’t display the textural allure, transparency and complexity of the “Rheinschiefer,” but things may look different after another year or two in bottle.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Kühn's 2016 Oestrich Riesling Trocken "Quarzit" (sourced in the vineyards Doosberg, Lenchen and Klosterberg) has a bright citrus color and opens with a deep, super fine and pure bouquet of quarzit and stones intertwined with ripe and concentrated Mirabelle aromas. This is another gorgeously juicy, noble, fine and elegant Riesling with a very long, intensely fruity aroma with an equally long, intense and stimulatingly salty finish. This is an unbelievably good dry Riesling at this price point. Highly recommended.
Very stony on the nose. Some fumy mineral notes. Not a huge amount of intensity on the mid palate but a fine balance and a dry finish. You could drink this now but I think it will be better in a year or so. (JH)
For all mineral doubters a lesson in smelling the Oestricher Quarzit should be made mandatory. It smells neither of fruit, nor herbs, but has a freshness and purity that one would hope to find in the air around an alpine mountain stream. On the palate, however, it is far from watery, very compact, highly viscous and with a tactile notion inadequately described as stony. Herbaceous nuances of green vegetation accompany the finish. (MS)