Great Wine: Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett

By Johannes Marlena

A staggeringly beautiful Riesling for 18-dollars, and undoubtedly one of the finest Rieslings in the world at this price be it German, American, Austrian, Australian or New Zealander. The 2015 vintage is being heralded as one of the greatest in German history—a wine such as this lays waste to any doubters of this claim—so the undeniable gloriousness of the 2015 WEINGUT SPREITZER Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett is attributable to both luck of the draw and the exceptional craft of the winemaker. Very complete and whole, the lightly sweet wine gleams and radiates with gentility and elegance, all qualities for which Germany’s Rheingau winegrowing region is revered. At the wine’s center are lovingly expressive fruit notes of Gravenstein and red apple, orange oil and yellow peach. This Riesling Kabinett is rich and graceful on the palate while balanced by fresh acidity and subtle minerality. Like classic movie star Grace Kelly, circa Rear Window, How to Catch a Thief, The Country Girl and High Noon (before she became a true-life princess and became elevated to unapproachable status), you simply have to marvel at the natural beauty before you. Some may try to possess this kind of rare beauty, as apparently director Alfred Hitchcock tried to do, but it can only be captured in the bottle for so long. Once poured into the glass, we can immerse ourselves in the sheer elegance of the present moment, but, like the passing of time, the experience is ephemeral. So, catch the 2015 vintage of German Riesling while you can, especially with a bottle like this Spreitzer … it won’t last forever.  –J.M.

 

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May 24, 2017