2011 Weingut Spreitzer, Riesling “Lenchen Rosengarten” Erstes Gewachs, Rheingau, Germany.
Andreas Spritzer’s wines are really beautifully crafted wines and his whole lineup is a wonderful collection of delightful Rieslings, but for something above of normal and exotic you should look for his trocken Erstes Gewachs (Premier Cru Dry) Lenchen Rosengarten Riesling. The 2011 is a stunning example of intense dry style Rheingau with loads of character, terroir and sublime texture and balance showing lime flower and citrus pulp with mango, orange and yellow peach fruits, white tea spices, steely mineral notes, slate influenced smoky flinty rockiness, grapefruit tanginess and mouthwatering saline elements. Look for this wine to really age and develop unique complexities over the next decade, best to put a few bottles away, and still drink a few young as this wine is hard to resist now. I think this might be my favorite Spreitzer to date, but his Spatlese(s) are also super and lovely drinking wines, be sure to check out these wines if you see them, especially the 2009 and 2011 vintages, and if you see 2010, remember to give plenty of cellar time, they need it.
($38 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
