2015 Weingut Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben, Riesling Spatlese, Urziger Wurzgarten, Mosel Germany.
From steep slate slopes above the Mosel, the Urziger Wurzgarten is one of the world’s greatest vineyards, and Robert Eymael is one of Germany’s best winemakers, and his crafts these J. J. Christoffel wines from ungrafted 100 year old Riesling vines, if there ever was a doubt about terroir these wines remove it, there is no question the places marks these wines. The glorious and exotic 2015 Christoffel Spatlese Urziger Wurzgarten is mind-blowing in it’s complex delicacy and dreamy layers, this is another wine that goes beyond it’s must weight and sugar, this is a true classic and inspirational Riesling with gorgeous detail and heavenly transparency with layers of refined fruit, spice, savory/saline elements, subtle density and graceful length that put this Mosel in league with Willi Shafer, Selbach-Oster and the top crus of Loosen. I’ve long been a fan of the J. J. Christoffel wines and of Eymael, who also has the famed Monchhof winery, these are some of the most exciting Rieslings every vintage, but with 2015, you get an even more special vintage and wine, especially this one in particular, as it has extra depth in every area and plays to an inner beauty and lightness that sets it apart. The Wurzgarten is dramatic in location with intensely steep slope face perfectly to catch the sun and reflection off the Mosel and it has that spicy slate base, but with bright red iron rich volcanic top soil that gives the wines a burst of exotic spice and tropical flavors. The Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben by Eymael 2015 Spatlese Urzier Wurzgarten shines gold in the glass and is wonderfully perfumed with rose petals and gardenia as well as middle eastern and Asian spices along with a steely mineral core that lifts the palate that shows fine and brisk acidity, but also a smooth almost satiny mouth feel, this what you get from the sugar rather than aggressive sweetness, along with dreamy lime blossom, green apple, white peach, tangy apricot and pineapple fruits. The finish is full and lively with amazing clarity and persistence, it’s hard to imagine a better young Riesling with this much verve and character and it’s poise, balance and texture are remarkable with just the perfect amount of hedonistic creamy sweetness, this wine is stunningly seductive and really sexy, drink it over the next 15 to 20 years, it’s amazing now, but has even more potential holding in reserve, best not to miss this one!
($35 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive
