Peach and nut oils rise to the level of richness in Barmes’ 2006 Riesling Steingrubler, with inflections of thyme, fennel, toasted sunflower seeds, and caraway adding interest. Like the not nearly so successful Herrenweg bottling, this displays an almost doughy sense of stuffing, but here the wine’s promise of richness and complexity is redeemed in a satisfyingly long, bitterness-free free finish. I would plan to enjoy this within the next year, pending re-assessment. There is as usual a lot of fascinating wine in Francois Barmes’ constantly shifting, hugely diverse as well as just plain huge 2007 collection, though the level of success was on the whole consistent. As in the past, though, I remained relatively unconvinced by Barmes’ way with Pinot Gris, despite its being a grape that elsewhere revealed special potential in 2007. I can’t say 2006 here represents an advertisement for Barmes’ conscientious and long-standing biodynamic practices, but then, in a year of rampant rot, surely the absence of anti-botrytis sprays has to have been sorely felt at many biodynamic estates. There were a couple of 2006s here too fungal to recommend, with the majority of what was a reduced line-up meriting mild recommendation provided they are drunk-up soon.Importer: Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644; also, a Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29