From a steep, chalky, nearly five acre monopole near the Pfingstberg, Albrecht’s 2004 Riesling Clos Himmelreich gives off a fusil whiff, but then is dominated by lime zest and pungent herbs, making for a concentrated, long, if somewhat bitter and faintly warm palate (at 14% alcohol). A sense of honeyed richness seems to be struggling to emerge, encouraged by a hint of residual sugar, and I would want to revisit this in another few months or a year to assess what direction it might be likely to take thereafter. I have to admit, when I first saw the U.S. retail prices for this and Albrecht’s Clos Schild, I thought there must be a misprint. Jean Albrecht offers a range of negotiant wines (sparkling, and those labeled “Reserve”) as well as domaine bottlings, together with a remarkably deep range of older vintages, and none of the 2005s from his top sites had been bottled yet last Spring, nor was he willing to show them. Among numerous ambitious plans afoot here is a replanting program based entirely on selection massale from the estate’s best old vines.Importer: Pasternak Wine Imports, Harrison, NY; tel. (914) 630-8214