2012Schneider2012 Jakob Schneider Niederhauser Klamm Riesling Kabinett, Nahe, Germany.
From a site close to the famed Hermannshohle Cru in the Nahe, very near to Donnhoff and highly respected by Herr Donnhoff himself, Jakob Schneider the younger is making a name for himself and I must say I’ve become a fan in recent vintages, especially these 2012 Rieslings, imported by Terry Theise who else, this a superb stuff! This Jakob Schneider Klamm comes from the Nahe’s most dramatic and steepest slopes and is a mix of soils, a hint of volcanic and slate, but mostly porphyry, which I had to look up, which means it contains a matrix of igneous rock and crystals, better known as in this case quartzite. Schneider usually does differing lots with some on native yeast and some are aged in oak cask, as well as pure stainless steel fermented and aged, he is adding to the character of the wine without taking away the natural terroir markers, and this Kabinett is a complex and beautiful wine, while the 2013 shows sizzle and earth at this point, the 2012 is just hitting it’s stride with density, transparency and lush fruity intensity, and white having some RS (sugar) it is really a balanced and flexible wine, a Riesling to admire and savor over any meal, from smoked meats or roasted fowl, to semi spicy Asian fare this is a vibrant and charming Riesling, and I love it as a summer time sipper too. The bouquet has a soft array of white flower, flinty dust, minty herb, citrus and earthy/ocean notes leading to a mineral laced palate of crystalline purity, with white peach, tangy apple, tangerine, tropical fruit and essences, honey butter, brine, river stones and a hint of white toffee. This wine shows a great vintage, sublime terroir and a deft winemaking flair, considering the neighborhood here, this is a remarkable effort and a wine to stock up on, it should and will drink superb for years to come, best from 2015 to 2022, it is a steal!
($25 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive

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