Bittersweet in personality from its nose of vanilla, licorice, and citrus rind; through its creamy palate; and extending into a virtually dry finish, Ostertag’s 2009 Riesling Muenchberg combines the typical generosity, fullness, and slight absence of finesse of its vintage. Given that we’re at 14.5% alcohol, it’s easy to see why the wine’s author deftly attempted to hide as much residual sugar as was compatible with performance as an essentially dry wine. “This lacks the central nervous system of the 2008,” says Ostertag in one of his frequently insightful quips that are sometimes too apt to neglect sharing. Plan on drinking this within the next 7-9 years, though I write that well aware of the ability of almost any Alsace Riesling to make a fool out of me. Andre Ostertag picked most of his 2008s in the second week of October – relatively early for that vintage – and only 8-10 days behind the period during which the bulk of his 2009s were brought in. “The central problem with 2009,” observes Ostertag, “was to achieve balanced dryness in the finished wines.” (He would exempt Gewurztraminer from that comment, because he always finishes it unapologetically sweet; though here too, as my tasting notes demonstrate, something to counterbalance residual sugar was wanting.) Ostertag calls 2008 “a classic vintage, in the manner of the 1980s (decade),” and on reflection came up with the vintage analogy that had most struck me, namely to 1988.Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524
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