Harvested off of the old vines that stare directly down onto the Rhine from outside the von Schonborn winery, their 2009 Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Beerenauslese smells of glazed pineapple, white peach preserves, and candied grapefruit rind, all of which inform a slick, glycerin-rich, soothing, honey-drenched and butterscotch-tinged palate impression. At only 8% alcohol, this displays striking delicacy, and while its high acidity is not overtly noticeable it is responsible for restraining a huge load of residual sugar and reinforcing a sense of primary juiciness that helps keep the wines impressively long finish from becoming excessively candied or in any way ponderous. This is one to follow for 30 or more years.
The latest collection from Peter Barth and his team further demonstrates the high standards that now prevail at this venerable estate. “The window for optimal harvest seems to keep narrowing,” Barth notes, and the relatively high finished alcohol levels on this years dry Schonborn Rieslings certainly testifies to that fact, leaving the 2008s at this address with a distinct edge over their 2009 counterparts. Despite the ravages of hail in Hattenheim and Erbach – including the loss of nearly one-third of the estates anticipated crop of Marcobrunn – the number of different bottlings from that site and from the monopole Pfaffenberg is still considerable.
Various importers, including Dee Vine Wines San Francisco, CA; tel. (877) 389- 9463, Slocum & Sons, North Haven, CT; tel. 203-239-8000, Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700, Winesellers Ltd. Niles, IL; tel. (847) 647-1100
