Gies-Duppel’s Muschelkalk-based 2008 Birkweiler Mandelberg Riesling trocken (a bottling until this year still labeled “Spatlese”) offers a piquantly smoky, bittersweetly floral, and practically dustily mineral nose. Herbs and apricot kernel infiltrate an oily-textured palate leading to a finish of serious intensity and tenacity if relative austerity. As with this year’s wines from Gies’s immediate neighbors the Wehrheims, this is formidable if not terribly charming or winsome, and while I would personally prefer to drink the Muschelkalk bottling, as this warmed up and took on air, it displayed a more generous juiciness. As with last year’s rendition, this Mandelberg was vinified half in cask with spontaneous fermentation and half in tank with cultured yeasts, and arrived at 13% alcohol. It should remain fresh for at least 5-7 years. For more about Volker Gies’s promising career and estate, consult my coverage in issue 185. His 2008s – which typically received around 6 hours on their skins in the press – were bottled already in March (and indeed, several were sold out by September). Gies indicated that it rained in his part of the Sudliche Weinstrasse for the better part of a week beginning October 27, so that he was glad to have finished picking shortly before that, but as at neighboring Wehrheim, I found this collection of wines on the whole slightly austere when compared with last year’s.Importer: Tartaglione Fine Wines, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 216-3356