The Schonleber 2009 Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Spatlese fascinatingly mingles luscious citrus, salted caramel, nut paste, white peach, Persian melon, subtly tart red raspberry, and diverse mineral nuances. Musk, goose fat, and vaguely pheromonic notes add animal intrigue. Even at 70 grams of residual sugar, the sweetness is supportive rather than obtrusive, and one consequence is a mere 9% alcohol and concomitant sense of levity. Creamy in texture, yet packed with pure, juicy refreshment, this finishes with alluring length and a compulsive urge to take the next sip and the next. Frank Schonleber opines that the tension and nuances in this wine were slow to emerge in its elevage and also will be from the bottle. Certainly we can look forward to at least two decades of kaleidoscopically interactive, thought-provoking delight. Werner and Frank Schonleber harvested through nearly the entire month of October, and noted that levels of sugar and total acidity remained fairly constant, while flavors kept improving and malic acid diminishing in favor of tartaric. Speaking of improving, it’s hard for these two vintners to much-improve their by now phenomenal batting average, but no Riesling lover is likely to suffer the least disappointment by buying bottles of Emrich-Schonleber 2009s. Especially at its dry end, this is a collection to describe which seems to call for an extended mineral vocabulary that doesn’t even exist in English or German! And in nobly sweet echelons, the small amount of Riesling the Schonlebers rendered is strikingly successful and informed by an ample if mysterious measure of sheer juiciness. About the absence of Eiswein, Frank Schonleber notes: “We had the feeling that ripeness had simply advanced too far in 2009 to justify leaving any grapes hanging in anticipation of frost.”Imported by Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644; also imported by Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, CA tel. (877) 389- 9463