2016 Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Feinherb, Von der Nahe, Nahe Germany.
The beautifully detailed Schlossgut Diel Von der Nahe Riesling is crisply dry feeling, but with a hint of generous fruitiness and fleshiness that gives a juicy openness to this lightly sweet wine. Following the house style, this special cuvee made exclusively for Terry Theise and the US market, is classy and well crafted highlighting Caroline Diel’s talent and sensibilities, this wine was not an after thought or enter level in anyway, this is a brilliant wine with complex layers, inner energy, mineral driven and elegant in fruit. This category of Riesling, between the serve Trockens and lush Kabinett, these Feinherb Riesling have a more serious concentration than QbA’s of the past and are amazingly refreshing and food friendly. The Diel is one of my favorites, along with Leitz’s Dragonstone, but other Feinherbs to check out include Loewen, A.J. Adam and Spreitzer, all of which taste dry and have loads of individual qualities, intensity and flare, this is exciting times for Riesling and these Feinherbs are not to be missed! This Schlossgut Diel Von der Nahe shines in glass with tangy focus, it’s gifted with liquid mineral and spice to go with the zesty tangerine, lime, white peach and bitter melon with just a touch of dried pineapple, verbena, chamomile tea, wet flinty/shale stones and unripe apricot. This has a sweet and sour tone, but amazingly refined and perfectly balances all the natural elements together in sublime fashion. If you’ve never had Diel, this is a great way to start, the 2016 is bright, dynamic and should age well for a decade, wow, what a great value.
($20 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive
