Scents of marjoram, orange peel and coffee in the Ostertag 2009 Riesling Fronholz deliver their proxies to a faintly oily palate, expansive and slightly bitter, displaying its 14% alcohol a bit more than did the corresponding 2008. That said, there is a haunting bittersweet persistence, in which a surprising amount of energy and primary juiciness manifest themselves. I suspect this will be worth following for at least a decade. 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