Ostertag’s 2009 Riesling Clos Mathis (grown in Ribeauville) is scented with lemon peel, apricot, and green herbs, which follow on a palate of considerable fullness but retaining a welcome modicum of refreshment. An impressively persistent finish incorporates significant citrus zest and apricot pit bitterness, along with smoky and chalky adjuncts. As usual for this cuvee – and not withstanding the typical personality of its vintage – we have a Riesling that’s relatively austere and more formidable than loveable. I would want to revisit it in 2-3 years before hazarding a guess about its longer-term prospects. 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