From the iron-rich Rotliegend soils, the 2016 Riesling Scharlachberg GG opens with a very pure, precise and mineral bouquet of perfectly ripe and concentrated Riesling berries intertwined with lime, lemon, orange, crushed stones and ash aromas. Round and elegant on the palate, this full-bodied and almost creamy-textured wine is harmonious and intense, pretty juicy and structured by fine tannins, whereas the acidity is well integrated. Poured straight from the bottle, this is not the crystalline style you might expect from this cru, rather it's a Burgundian type of Riesling. The finish, however, is fresh and citric and with more aeration this becomes a pure and elegant though rich and tropical-flavored Riesling from the red soils of the Scharlachberg. I will be curious to follow this Scharlachberg over the years. The grapes for the Scharlachberg were picked on October 26, macerated for one hour, fermented and aged for nine months in 50% oak and 50% stainless steel. Bottled in July 2017.