Aromatically, the light to medium-bodied 2002 Riesling Spatlese Dalsheimer Hubacker offers slate, limes, and minerals. Juicy, well-focused and expressive, this excellent wine reveals citrusy minerals and spices in its personality. Projected maturity: 2006-2018. In Germany, considerable criticism has been aimed at The Wine Advocate, other US wine publications, as well as American consumers and importers that Germany’s dry (trocken) wines do not receive the respect, attention, and reviews that they deserve. In short, if one listens to the commentary, it would appear that we are wearing blinders, believing that the entire wine world is capable of producing great dry wines except Germany, relegating Deutschland to the crafting of off-dry and sweet wines. In my estimation, this misses three key points: 1) Germany’s finest terroirs are typically dedicated to the production of wines with some residual sugar; 2) there is a magical sweet/tart juxtaposition married with purity that exists in this nation’s finest off-dry and sweet Rieslings that no other region on Earth has been able to reproduce; and 3) the overwhelming majority of trockens are lean, mean, dusty, and tart. Chapin Cellars, imported by Billington Imports, Springfield, VA; tel. (703) 455-4700

A supple, creamy version, densely flavored with herbs and vanilla custard and laced with minerals on the finish. In an elegant style, but not as racy as some in this category. Drink now through 2012. 400 cases made.??–BS??Region: Germany / Rheinhessen Select to Add