The legally trocken, auctioned Emrich-Schonleber 2009 Riesling A.de.L – for something about whose vineyard of origin (Auf der Lay) consult my note in the 2008 in issue 187 – was harvested early and finished at 13% alcohol, despite this site’s high elevation. Werner Schonleber suspects rising thermals at this location which he can’t explain must largely account for Riesling’s early ripening. There is an intriguingly alkaline, marine mineral element in the nose that continues to thread its way across a rather broad and subtly creamy palate further informed by winter pear, nut oils, fresh lime, and lime peel. While this is analytically extremely dry, its ripeness of fruit and sheer sense of extract engender a pleasing sense of subtle sweetness. It should be fascinating to follow over the next 7-10 years, though in this vintage I don’t expect it to ever remotely approach either Schonleber Grosses Gewachs for complexity or stimulation. 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