Young Jakob Schneider’s recent work came to my attention not only thanks to his importer and to curiosity on my part, but also through no less formidable of an endorsement than that of Helmut Donnhoff, and the bottle of Schneider 2009 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Trocken Magnus that he shared with me was impressive indeed. High-toned kirsch and herbal essences in the nose migrated to a full yet lively palate, leading to a fascinating and sustained interaction with myriad herbal, mineral and orchard fruit elements. This impeccably-balanced dry Riesling should be worth following for at least half a dozen years. The Schneiders were until recently by a nose the largest landholders in the great Hermannshohle, of which they still control around one-quarter. I used to visit this estate back in the 1980s and early ‘90s when the garrulous grandfather of today’s Jakob Schneider presided over distinctively old-fashioned and site-specific Riesling and a large if sometimes repetitive trove of anecdotes and wine lore. In those days, this was the only important Riesling-growing estates I knew that still raised livestock and grain alongside.Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300