2014 Riesling Alte Reben
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Tasting notes
The 2014 Riesling Alte Reben displays a nicely clear and intense, very elegant bouquet that indicates a pretty rich wine. Full-bodied and a bit creamy on the palate, this is a pure and salty, almost calcareous-textured Riesling with a long and complex finish. The dry character comes more balanced onto the palate here than in the Saar, the Schiefer and the Bruanefels Rieslings, and also reveals a remarkable finesse. There are white and greenish flavors here, but they give freshness and are pretty well balanced by the good extract of this old vines Riesling. It has a good and grippy finish, but green and slightly sour Riesling aromas in the aftertaste, where residual sugar does not help anymore. Keep for at least four years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
David Schildknecht, Vinous
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Niewodniczanski always presents this bottling subsequent to his Wiltinger Braunfels, not to mention to his other two generic cuvées, so don’t imagine that because it represents a blend across many communes and sites it can’t stand comparison with a top-notch single-vineyard Saar Riesling. When Niewodniczanski employs the admittedly overused and undefined “old vines” moniker, he is referring to those aged 50 and over, nearly all on their own roots and trained to single posts. The sense of salt- and fresh lemon-laced herbal broth here is slightly reminiscent of Chablis, with sheer extract sweetness enhancing the influence of pure, juicy white peach, set off by an undertone of wet stone. High extract and glycerol buffer the acidity, which nonetheless delivers palate-quickening and eye-opening intensity. Rich, smoky nut oils and glowingly cyanic piquancy of peach pit extend the mouthwatering finish.