The tart and persistently alkaline (legally trocken) 2009 Riesling GB Sauvage preserves a sense of primary juiciness and lift that render it invigoratingly refreshing even if it is on the lean and aggressively bright side. Furthermore, this 11.5% alcohol Riesling delivers a pleasantly tingling sense of interaction between citrus and mineral elements. I would plan to enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. (Surprisingly, the corresponding halbtrocken cuvee “Charm” in this vintage failed to live up to its name, being at once more austere and diffuse than the Sauvage. I wonder whether the nowadays relatively rare use of Sussreserve on this occasion to lift the wines sweetness above Trockenheit might be the cause of some of my disappointment and whether this wine might be more expressive after a short while in bottle.) Theresa Breuer underplayed the effects of drought conditions during late summer and early autumn 2009 on the performance of her familys vines in the exposed, rocky Rudesheimer Berg, and, admittedly, there are drip lines in some locations to compensate. But I can easily imagine a connection between that drought and the somewhat peaky acids and strident personalities of many wines in the present collection, and Breuer notes that the slightly lower must weights and consequently lower finished alcohol of several wines probably also reflects at least in part vine stress. (The measured levels of acidity are still lower this year than in the corresponding 2008s.) Picking began already at the end of September and lasted until October 25, under conditions Breuer described as “relatively relaxed.” Incidentally, I re-tasted the top 2008s at this address and would rate the Nonnenberg and Berg Rottland a notch up on my account in issue 187. This is an instance where 2009 is I believe highly unlikely to ever approach the outstanding quality level of its immediate predecessor. (Note: most of the dry-tasting Breuer wines are legally trocken but not labeled as such.)Imported by Classical Wines, Seattle WA 206 547 0255