Loosen’s 2009 Riesling trocken Rot Schiefer (labeled for export as “Red Slate Riesling”) displays the pungency of wood smoke, crushed stone, sassafras, and herbal concentrates reminiscent of its partially Erden origins; offers sap, pith, and spirited acidity if some rusticity; and finishes with pungent persistence. This will prove an excellent introduction to its genre. The 2009 “Blau Schiefer” trocken – which lacks its red counterpart’s share of spontaneously-fermented and cask-matured lots – was more polished but less ripe and assertive. “I want real Kabinetts,” says Ernst Loosen by way of explaining his early start on the 2009 harvest, “between 80 and 83 Oechsle, with crisp acidity, freshness, and the like; and you can’t wait around, especially when you have five, maybe seven days of Kabinett-picking to do and every day ripeness is rising. This year, we wanted to delineate even more sharply the difference between Kabinett and Spatlese, as well as a distinct difference between Spatlese and Auslese.” In practical terms, this meant among other things slightly reducing the levels of residual sugar in the Kabinetts (Loosen says that trend will continue incrementally); and reserving botrytis fruit solely for wines labeled “Auslese.” Eiswein from Lay, Treppchen, and Sonnenuhr; Eiswein and T.B.A. from Pralat; as well as a T.B.A. from Wurzgarten were all – according to cellarmaster Bernhard Schug – in various states of fermentation or preparation for bottling when I visited in September, so consequently I shall review those wines (or at least some subset thereof) at such time as I report on the 2010 vintage.Importer: Loosen Brothers, Portland, OR tel. (510) 864-7255