2018 - Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling GG, Schafer-Frohlich

Pungent scents of juniper berry and huckleberry anticipate the pith and piquancy exhibited on a firm palate. Sage and struck flint heighten the pungency, revealing a reductive tendency familiar from most Schäfer-Fröhlich Rieslings, one that thankfully translates into productive tension on a sappy, subtly resinous midpalate and a vibrantly gripping finish. Look for this to significantly evolve in bottle, hopefully acquiring more generous juiciness as well as textural polish without sacrificing its impressive sense of energy. Felsenberg tends to demand early picking, but Fröhlich said that this year he was able to postpone harvest in certain parcels so as to end up with a more complex whole than might otherwise have been possible.