2016 Weingut Leitz, Riesling Trocken Sekt, Dragon Stone, Sparkling Wine, Rheingau Germany.
A fun and vibrant sparkler, the Leitz Dragon Stone Sekt Riesling Trocken has has a smoky/flinty mineral start with soft mousse and a forward fruit and brioche personality on the palate. Coming from the Drachenstein, Dragon’s Stone, above the Rudesheimer Berg on the edge of the Niederwald forest, looking down on the Rhein, with it’s vein of quartzite and loose slate, the Leitz bubbly is easy to love, but with serious underpinnings and inspiring charms. These 2016 Rheingau and Nahe have a special meaning for me, as I was there during the harvest, in particular Leitz, I love the guys there, Johannes and his team took me and treated me better than family! I have walked the Drachenstein many times now, it’s a wonderful hike around the monument and in the shadow of nature preserve overlooking the Rhein and back down to Rudesheim itself, the views are stunning from up there, in my own experience magical, that all give this wine an extra bit of meaning and celebration. The mouth feel is racy, but polished with beautiful white flowers, crystalline wet stones, yellow peach, tangerine/lime, apple skin and toast/bread dough. It has a good energy, tight little bubbles, brisk in delivery, but gains a bit of width with air and is pure crisply dry, just a slight hint of SO2 hides the initial impact, though it does blow off quickly leaving a wonderfully expressive Riesling Sekt that is flavorful and classy. Drink this Leitz Dragon Stone Riesling Trocken Sekt (Brut style sparkling) 2016 vintage anytime, great as an aperitif or even better with cuisine, insanely good choice for crab cakes!
($26 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive
