As usual, Leitz’s 2011 Riesling Eins Zwei Dry originates in the top-notch Geisenheimer Rothenberg – a really ridiculous luxury, but Leitz is able to work it out financially, and says he doesn’t want any competition from non-Rudesheim single-vineyard bottlings within his portfolio. (Unfortunately, though, he may not be able to renew the lease on this vineyard.) This delivers sappy abundance of white peach and lemon along with hints of resinous herbs, peach kernel, toasted nuts, stone, tart rhubarb and mouthwatering salt. The texture and phenolic pith are a tad rustic but that rather fits the robust and energetic personality and sappy cling conveyed by this fine value likely to perform well through at least 2015 (i.e. long after virtually all of it will have been drunk up). After the amicable departure of Eva Fricke from Weingut Leitz to tend entirely to her own eponymous estate (whose wines are again profiled in the present report), young but already widely experienced Tobias Fiebrandt has assumed the role of joint winemaker-director. Picking in 2011 here stretched from the third week in September – at the very beginning, still amid warm rain – through mid-October. Picking was largely confined to mornings, especially in the early states, and employed refrigerated containers. No nobly sweet wines were essayed. Beginning with vintage 2010, Johannes Leitz announced that he was sick of endless wines designated “Alte Reben” and was banishing those words from his labels, in connection with which you will notice that each of his top vineyard designates has acquired (on a separate front label) an additional name: “Terrassen” in the case of the steep Kaisersteinfels in whose restoration Leitz has played the critical role; a more specific place-name in the case of his other dry wines from Rudesheimer Berg sites. After having tasted its inaugural 2009 bottling from three bottles in the course of more than a year, I supposed I should mention the collaboration of Southern Pfalz Pinot-specialist Friedrich Becker with Leitz on a Pinot Noir from the Geisenheimer Rothenberg that bears both of their names. I found the results gratuitously smoky and toasty yet awkwardly tart-edged, with a leathery, decadent drying finish. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

A savory style, with notes of richness to the ripe berry and white fruit flavors. Crisp and well-spiced on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2016. 600 cases imported.??–KM??Region: Germany / Rheingau Select to Add