2018 Halgans Monzinger Riesling
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Tasting notes
Smoky and stony notes vie for aromatic attention with zesty lime and grapefruit on a forceful nose that puts me in mind of a gneiss-dominated Austrian Urgesteinsriesling. Hints of mint and black tea serve to cool even as they reinforce the wine’s smokiness. As with the corresponding “Frühtau,” there is a stimulating hint of pineapple core on a full but otherwise polished palate, leading to a seriously sustained, stony-mineral-infused finish. (This effectively serves as the second wine to the Schönlebers’ Halenberg Grosses Gewächs, as explained in further detail in my review of its inaugural, vintage 2015 installment).
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Monzingen Riesling Trocken Halgans is super clear, fresh and elegant on the flinty and crunchy, absolutely refreshing but also ripe and concentrated nose, with some burnt rubber (yeasty) aromas. Fascinatingly pure and complex! On the palate, this is a dense, rich yet pure and elegant, crystalline and mineral dry Riesling with a very long and tensioned, powerful finish. This is a fabulous and highly promising dry Halenberg that is truly sailing on a GG level. Tasted in July 2019.
From younger vines in Halenbergâs blue slate and quartzite soils. This has a super fresh, lemon and grapefruit nose. Super pure and very mineral riesling here. The palate has a scintillatingly intense feel with very assertive acidity, carrying a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink or hold.
Bottled three days ago. Mild, well-behaved nose. Pungent finish. Lacks a bit of the vitality of the Frühtau, but perhaps it is still bottle-shocked. Pretty dry! (JR)