Ironically, whereas her sweet 2006 Zinnkoepfle Riesling was accidentally not declared as V.T., Bursin’s 2007 Riesling Zinnkoepfle Vendange Tardive ended up fermenting to just 28 grams of residual sugar, and as a result tastes drier than a great many non-V.T. Rieslings. Lovely aromatic and palate concentration of brown spices and candied citrus rind mingle with stony and alkaline mineral notes, the sweetness seeing to it that the wine does not come off austere. An invigorating sizzle of fresh ginger and citrus zest caps the wine’s impressively persistent finish. I anticipate this being worth following for 15-20 years. Agathe Bursin – for more about whom consult issue 175 – is one of Alsace’s major emerging talents, as witness her surprisingly fine showing in the difficult 2006 vintage. Bursin’s 2007 vintage Rieslings are comparatively firm, though they may well blossom short-term, and as usual she has scored impressive results with Gewurztraminer. A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29