2011 Riesling Tradition

The Gobelsburg 2011 Riesling Tradition – subjected to mid-20th century vinification and extended elevage as detailed in my accounts of previous vintages – delivers an almost spirituous evocation of apple along with distilled herbal and floral essences. Apple and honeydew of surprising sheer fruity juiciness for this bottling are garlanded with heliotrope and mingled on a subtly grainy, chewy, phenol-rich yet simultaneously, paradoxically silken palate with toasted grains and inner-mouth, liquid floral and herbal character. There is an underlying richness here that comes out as almost honeyed, an impression to which stony and piquant fruit pit notes lend ideal contrast and counterpoint in a lingering, layered finish soothing yet pulsing with energy. This is far and away the finest-yet of Moosbrugger’s essays in back-to-the-future Riesling. I realize full well that part of the point of this exercise is to revisit an era when selection and handling of raw material were governed by standards of stamina rather than nuance and structure rather than aromatic caprice, but this particular Tradition bottling lets you have it both ways, being forwardly fruity and dazzlingly complex yet probably capable of going the extra mile in bottle, perhaps through 2025. “You can lose yourself in such a wine,” says its usually modest author, and I could not have put it better. That it should emerge from precisely this vintage is amazing, not to mention intriguing. Largely due to May frost, Michael Moosbrugger experienced in 2012 the smallest harvest since he took over Schloss Gobelsburg (and debuted as a vintner) in 1996. Despite this small crop and largely balmy conditions, harvest still stretched until the tenth of November. “One reason for that,” he admits, “is the red wines, because we always begin with them to avoid over-ripeness or danger of rot, and for red wine you have to harvest at precisely the right time, especially with St. Laurent” rather than enjoying the flexibility offered by Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. In the event, the whites here this year seldom significantly exceeded 13% in alcohol. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300