2016 Egon Muller, Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese, Mosel

Vinous

Scents of white peach, white currant, lime and grapefruit lead to a lusciously fruited palate strongly citric in its bright juiciness but with less naked sense of electric acidity than in the corresponding Kabinett, or in this year’s Braune Kupp Spätlese. There is even a hint of creaminess to the texture. A mingling of ripe honeydew melon with alluring, honeysuckle-like inner-mouth perfume further enhances the sense of advanced phenolic evolution that resulted from picking in November, 10 days after the last grapes for Kabinett. To cite 'deftly integrated acids and residual sugar' doesn’t begin to do justice to what is displayed here. And yet the finish, as long-lasting as it is, comes off as restrained and tucked in at the edges, no doubt pointing to a wine very much in need of bottle age to show its true potential.