The Breuers 2009 Riesling Rauenthal Estate displays site-typical florality – here iris and lily-of-the-valley – that marries felicitously with the fresh lemon and lime that render this wine highly refreshing and treble in tone. Bitter hints of fruit pit, pungent black tea, and citrus rind make for piquant persistence, and there is also an undertone of sheer wet stone, but none of this, fortunately, significantly diminishes the wines sense of primary juiciness. This ought to be fun to follow for 3-5 years. Theresa Breuer underplayed the effects of drought conditions during late summer and early autumn 2009 on the performance of her familys vines in the exposed, rocky Rudesheimer Berg, and, admittedly, there are drip lines in some locations to compensate. But I can easily imagine a connection between that drought and the somewhat peaky acids and strident personalities of many wines in the present collection, and Breuer notes that the slightly lower must weights and consequently lower finished alcohol of several wines probably also reflects at least in part vine stress. (The measured levels of acidity are still lower this year than in the corresponding 2008s.) Picking began already at the end of September and lasted until October 25, under conditions Breuer described as “relatively relaxed.” Incidentally, I re-tasted the top 2008s at this address and would rate the Nonnenberg and Berg Rottland a notch up on my account in issue 187. This is an instance where 2009 is I believe highly unlikely to ever approach the outstanding quality level of its immediate predecessor. (Note: most of the dry-tasting Breuer wines are legally trocken but not labeled as such.)Imported by Classical Wines, Seattle WA 206 547 0255