2017 Julian Haart, Riesling Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese * (white label)

Grapefruit and Meyer lemon are laced with green tea, quarry dust and cress on a prominently pungent nose. The palate introduces succulent richness and generous juiciness of Persian melon to complement the tangy citrus and pungently herbal elements. At just 7% alcohol, it’s unsurprising that this comes off as extremely delicate, yet it also boasts subtly creamy textural allure. Incisive nips of cress, green tea and piquant citrus seed add to the invigoration of a mouth-shakingly exuberant as well as almost endlessly juicy finish transparent to underlying stone. Like its Ohligsberg counterpart, this was picked at 85 Oechsle, a must weight significantly lower than that which nowadays informs most top Mosel growers’ Kabinetts. Haart perceives this as an instance where his Spätlese represents an extension and intensification of the corresponding Kabinett.