Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 81
IMPORTED NEW RELEASES
Our blind panels tasted 218 imported new-release wines for this issue. Our critics rated 65 as exceptional (90+) and 51 as Best Buys.
Joshua Greene reviews Portuguese wines; Stephanie Johnson reviews Italian wines; Tara Q. Thomas reviews German wines. Find a
complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.
GE RM A N Y S PA RK L I N G
MosEl
226790
87 | Brüder Dr. Becker
226304
$21
2013 Germany Sekt Scheurebe Extra
Trocken (Best Buy) ^ With fine bubbles, ripe
melon flavors and orange blossom scents,
this will make a good alternative to Prosecco.
Give it a chill for brunch or an appetizer of
salty ham. § Savio Soares Selections, NY
226430
86 | Hild
$20
Mosel Sekt Brut (Best Buy) ^ Made from
elbling, an old German variety, this has a little bitterness edging its creamy stone-fruit
flavors. A little nutty and sweaty, it needs a
chill to reinforce its fresher, lemony characteristics. § Vom Boden Wine Importers, NY
GE RM A N Y W H It E
BADEN
225370
90 | Markgraf von Baden
$26
2015 Baden Durbacher Schlossberg
Klingelberger Riesling Trocken ^ The Markgraf family is credited with planting the
first all-riesling vineyard in Baden in 1782,
choosing a site in Durbach at the top of the
Schlossberg hill. That site, Klingelberger, is
the source of this wine, a firm, austere riesling with a saline grip. It tastes more of stone
than fruit, the mineral tones mouthfilling in
their concentration. Give it another year in
the cellar to relax; then pour with freshwater
fish. § Esprit du Vin, Syosset, NY
$15
2016 Mosel Pinot Blanc (Best Buy) ^ Tangy
acidity carves a racy line through this creamy,
full-bodied pinot blanc, leaving notes of lavender and meadow flowers in its wake. It's
lithe and spicy, with a slightly oily texture to
play off of seared mackerel or bluefish. § Opici
Wines, Glen Rock, NJ
NAHE
226907
92 | tesch
$35
87 | Paul Anheuser
$14
2016 Nahe St. Remigiusberg Riesling QbA
Trocken ^ Martin Tesch grew a vibrant riesling
in 2016 at St. Remigiusberg, a small parcel
of volcanic rock and iron-rich clay next to
the Karthäuser vineyard. The ripeness you
might expect from those warm soils comes
through in the wine's sunny countenance: It's
jazzy and bright, with tangy acidity and pinkpeppercorn spice lighting up the ripe citrusy
fruit, as well as the mineral notes underneath. § Tri-Vin Imports, Mount Vernon, NY
226099
2016 Nahe Schlossböckelheimer Königsfels Riesling Kabinett (Best Buy) ^ This
wine's green herbal notes and lemon-lime
flavors are bold and refreshing, like a Pimm's
Cup drunk in a meadow. § Winesellers, Niles, IL
P FA l Z
226883
86 | Villa Wolf
FrANkEN
226117
91 | Michael Fröhlich
91 | Reichsgraf
von Kesselstatt
$23
2016 Franken Escherndorf Silvaner QbA
Trocken (Best Buy) ^ Working with vineyards
on the steep, limestone slopes of the Lump
mountain, Michael Fröhlich produced an
elegant, structured silvaner in 2016. It's lemony and delicate, with notes of dried herbs
and wildflowers, lichens and stones adding
complexity. The combination is mouthwatering and terrifically easy to drink, as well
as complex enough to pair with sushi. § Winesellers, Niles, IL
$12
2016 Pfalz Gewürztraminer (Best Buy) ^
This is plump and easy, with just enough
litchi and spice to be recognizably gewürztraminer. For spring parties. § Loosen Bros.
USA, Salem, OR
P FA l Z r i E s l i N g Q B A
226093
93 | Fitz-Ritter
$26
2016 Pfalz Abtsfronhof Riesling QbA
Trocken ^ Johann Fitz, the ninth generation
of his family to run this estate, took over in
2007, after studying at UC Berkeley in California. He farms all 62 acres of estate vine-
yards organically, with special attention to
the Abtsfronhof, an eight-acre monopole
in the middle of Bad Dürkheim. Fitz credits
the high lime content of the soils here, and
its protected position, with the vineyard's
ability to give rieslings with both high acidity and ripe fruit. That balance is striking in
this 2016, with the wine's honeysuckle scents
and citrus marmalade flavors suffused with
nervy acidity. It feels vibrant and lively, its
mineral tones taking it to a clean, dry finish. §
Winesellers, Niles, IL
226241
92 | Dr. Bürklin-Wolf
$38
90 | A. Christmann
$23
90 | Jeannette Eger
$22
2015 Pfalz Hoheburg Ruppertsberger
P.C. QbA Trocken ^ "P.C." at Dr. Bürklin-Wolf
stands for "premier cru," part of a hierarchy
Bettina Bürklin-Wolf modeled after the Burgundian system. She's based the classification
on a map from 1828 designating the top sites,
including Hoheburg Ruppertsberger, a site
of weathered sandstone next to the grand cru
Gaisböhl. Farmed biodynamically, the vineyard turned out a richly textured riesling in
2015, with notes of spiced quince and graham cracker adding to its sense of ripeness.
And yet the wine isn't at all heavy; rather, the
richness is akin to a marzipan croissant, the
concentrated flavors of the core wrapped in
crisp, airy layers that make it seem lighter
than it really is. § Verity Wine Partners, NY
226750
2016 Pfalz Riesling QbA Trocken ^ A blend
of fruit from all of Christmann's sites, this is
plump and juicy, with gingery spice warming
the sweet lemon fruit. Even the acidity feels
broad, wrapped into the wine in a way that
makes it feel almost chewy, and suggests that
it will benefit from a year or two in the cellar
to relax. § M.S. Walker, Somerville, MA
225358
2015 Pfalz Riesling QbA Feinherb (Best
Buy) ^ With tingly acidity and pink-peppercorn spice, this fresh, lively riesling has immediate appeal. It has the crisp, juicy crunch of
star fruit, while mineral notes bring to mind
the crystal clarity of a mountain stream, the
sweetness and savor in harmony. § Bonhomie
Wine Imports, South Orange, NJ
WINE & SPIRITS
FEBRUARY 2018
81
http://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - February 2018
Contents
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - Cover1
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - Cover2
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 1
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 2
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 3
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 4
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - Contents
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 6
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 7
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 8
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 9
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 10
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 11
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 12
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 13
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 14
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 15
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 16
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 17
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 18
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 19
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 20
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 21
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 22
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 23
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 24
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 25
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 26
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 27
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 28
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 29
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 30
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 31
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Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 37
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - 38
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Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - Cover3
Wine & Spirits - February 2018 - Cover4
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