Fresh strawberries, hyacinth, and green tea scent Christoffel’s 2006 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett. On the palate, this displays genuine Kabinett delicacy such as few wines from its vintage can manage, with lovely inner-mouth floral perfume and a finish that is captivating in its interplay of red fruit, flowers, wet stone, and salt, and in which the high residual sweetness (despite 9.5% alcohol) almost miraculously backs off. It can scarcely be often enough repeated – especially when confronted with a wine of such uncanny balance as this – that as recently as a dozen years ago, a Christoffel Riesling with this level of ripeness was bottled as Auslese, and until the 1990s, such wines were only harvested one year in three. Enjoy this little gem anytime over the next 10, perhaps 15 years. How strange: despite the quality of Christoffel’s 2005 collection, its Kabinett bottlings were relatively weak, whereas in 2006 of all vintages, his Kabinetts excel. Hans-Leo Christoffel says he thought Robert Eymael must be jumping the gun when he began the harvest here, even though it was the 9th of October, but that it turned out not to have been too early at all. “Well, I wouldn’t ever have been able to catch up otherwise,” says Eyamel, “there weren’t that many pickers available. In three weeks, we finished.” And with what results! For further details on the Christoffel-Eymael collaboration, consult issue 163, and for notes on Eymael’s exceptional solo 2006 collection, see under “Monchhof” below.Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel (516) 677-9300

Beautiful balance highlights this enticing Riesling. Peach, golden apple, cinnamon and citrus notes meld with the lively structure as this cruises to a lingering finish. The slate character shows on the finish. Drink now through 2020.??–BS??Region: Germany / Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Select to Add