2009 Enkircher Ellergrub Spatlese

Weiser-Kunstler’s 2009 Enkricher Ellergrub Riesling Spatlese – from the steep, terraced former Immich family portion of this magnificent, under-recognized blue slate site – was picked late in October, after a Kabinett as well as botrytis bunches had previously been selected-out. An overnight soaking was designed to enhance what Alexandra Kunstler calls “a tannic structure that comes from the grapes’ skins after they’ve hung so healthily and so long” and she adds “we crushed these by foot – wearing boots.” Like just-ripe honeydew with copious juices but also the bitterness of its rind; fresh lime and lime zest, this offers a site-typically cool fruit expression and strong wet stone undertone. Understated but impressively long, stimulatingly interactive, and lip-smackingly refreshing, here is a Mosel Riesling of tensile strength yet delicacy that I would love to follow for the next 6-8 years, and quite possibly well-beyond. There’s some creative and amicable tension between life- and business-partners Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Kunstler, he remaining most intently focused on delicate residually sweet Riesling of the sort that brought renown to Daniel Vollenweider (in whose nearby cellar Weiser briefly worked), while she seeks to direct more fruit toward dry-tasting bottlings. The tendency for post-fermentative residues of yeastiness, sulfur-derivatives, and high CO2 to oft-times shroud youthful sweet wines here applies to a number of the 2009s, but those interested in cellaring them need have no fear of the eventual outcome and should contemplate my conservative ratings with these facts in mind. This estate’s acreage of old, largely ungrafted vines in sites that were once renowned will change a bit in make-up over the coming year but not its superb net potential. Mosel Wine Merchant Trier, Germany (various importers); tel. (413) 429-6176; +49 (0) 651 14551 38; also a Bill Mayer Age of Riesling Selection Imported by Valley View Wine Sales, Glen Ellen, CA; tel. (510) 549 2444