2006 Riesling Privat

Nigl picked out the botrytis fruit (for Trockenbeerenauslese, which at least prior to bottling I found disjointed and problematically volatile) before harvesting his 2006 Riesling Privat from the Piri, with the result that we are back at around 14.5% alcohol, or a point lower than in the “regular” Piri bottling or the Kremsleiten. Peach kernel and almond paste in the nose lead to an oily-rich palate with the sort of liqueur-like concentration and suggestion of sweetness that is proving to be the hallmark of Nigl 2006 Riesling. Anyone looking for the nooks and crannies or the interplay of flavors that so often characterize this wine will be disappointed: it is simply too sumptuously ripe and rich for that. Grapefruit citricity charges this with some juiciness, and there is a hint of stony minerality in the bitter-sweet, slightly warm finish. I prefer the sheer flamboyance of the Kremsleiten, if one is going to go in this very ripe, liqueur-like direction. I suspect that this Privat bottling will be best drunk in its first 3-4 years. Martin Nigl’s tactical decision – in the face of what he perceived as stubborn raw material, and based on his experiences in 2003 – was to let his 2006 grapes hang. The high-extract legacy of a well-watered August, he reasoned, would help buffer high alcohol. With Gruner Veltliner, this strategy led to unusual richness in the ostensibly lower echelons and exceptional opulence (to which some tasters may take exception) at the upper end of the collection. With Riesling, the results are unusual and controversial, to say the least. Incidentally, Nigl has converted 100% to screw-cap bottling. He says that for this reason he uses a lower dosage of sulfur, with the byproduct that there is little or no post-bottling trauma. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300