Theo Minges Riesling Spatlese Trocken Kalkstein

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The Minges 2009 Riesling Spatlese trocken Kalkstein – a bottling (here in its second installment) showcasing a chalky portion of the almost ludicrously heterogeneous Gleisweiler Holle – alluringly mingles scents of citrus oils and iris-like bittersweet floral perfume with suggestions of crushed stone. Whereas Minges employed cultured yeasts in the late stages of fermentation to insure that his other trocken Rieslings finished below 9 grams, in this instance the fermentation was unassisted. There is a greater sense of stuffing here as well as a plusher, glossier feel than in its two immediate dry Spatlese siblings, but the expression of citrus tends more toward the bitterness of rind and oils, lending the long finish here a kind of intensity likely to be an acquired taste. Despite picking into November, Theo Minges was one of those Sudpfalzer who had no trouble retaining acidity in 2009. Indeed, some of his dry offerings practically left me wanting to don sunglasses during our tasting session. As has become usual at this address, the collection is enormously diverse (and I do not usually taste nearly all of its non-Riesling members). “There are a lot of growers,” jokes Minges, “who have an enormous range of wines because they don’t sell well, so the grower keeps trying something new. I go out to the vineyard, get inspired, have a vision, and then I feel compelled to carry it out. And this repeats itself however many times …Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

The 2008 Riesling Spatlese trocken Kalkstein represents a bottling initiated by Minges this year to showcase his top dry Riesling grapes from the chalky portions of the Gleisweiler Holle. Bear in mind that “Holle” – like virtually every so-called Einzellage (“single vineyard site”) represents a creation of the 1971 German Wine Law designed in the interest of simplifying the formerly riotous range of vineyard names that could appear on labels. But Holle is the sole recognized vineyard in the village of Gleisweiler. And – along with numerous others in the southern Pfalz (though not there alone) – it straddles radically different soils and microclimates, or in other words precisely what one would expect distinctive site boundaries to separate. Here we’re up a percentage from the Buntsandstein bottling to 13% alcohol and the wine (which enjoyed longer skin contact in the press) is predictably less buoyant, but it certainly boasts impressive density and sheer sap; bright citrus from its higher acidity (a function of these high pH, water-retentive soils); a chewy fruit skin character; fruit pit bitterness; and stony underlying suggestions that make for low-toned length. It should be worth following for at least 3-4 years; might well be more expressive in 12-18 months; and will be suitable in entirely different culinary circumstances from its dry Riesling siblings. Many of this year’s Minges wines were allowed to ferment spontaneously. “It stopped fermenting where it wanted to,” remarked Theo Minges, about one of several wines that did not go dry as they probably would have with cultured yeasts, adding that he’s being influenced now by the success of his exercise in wine-making passivity known as the “Froschkonig” (for more about which consult my review of that wine in issue 185). Regina Minges was keen to point out that the relatively low alcohol and delicate refreshment achieved in particular at the lower end of the price scale reflects an early November harvest.Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300