Trarbacher Hühnerberg Spätlese* trocken Riesling

An extraordinary bottle that still feels almost absurdly young. The nose is elite and intensely site-driven, with peach, apricot, citrus, wild mint, petrol, huge spice and soaring minerality, all with an airy quality that somehow makes the concentration feel weightless. The palate is outrageously dense, chewy and pure, with massive citrus intensity, tremendous inner-mouth aromatics and absolutely ferocious acidity. The finish is endless and intensely saline, almost like sea salt, with enormous mineral persistence. More open than my last bottle, but still slightly backward and clearly built for decades. Outrageous concentration, density and length. This could easily move higher with air.

This has become extraordinary with air. The nose is now more complex, confectionery and elegant, with peach, apricot, citrus, wild mint, petrol, spice, mineral and that distinctive swimming-pool-chlorine note. The palate is outrageously dense, chewy and pure, but increasingly refined, with tremendous inner-mouth aromatics, ferocious acidity and an endless saline finish. The concentration is enormous, yet the wine somehow feels more graceful as it opens. Still remarkably young, with decades ahead of it. Outrageous wine.

Day five and absolutely spectacular. Honeyed, ripe, rich and dense, yet still completely dry and beautifully pure, with extraordinary concentration and freshness. This wine has simply refused to fade and has become more complete with time. Moving it from 9.7 to 9.8.

Such an all star. Still young. So elegant. Huge acid.

Citrus oil. Spice, mandarin orange, grapefruit, elegant, so elegant. So much power and concentration. Balance is extraordinary. Bitterness quality that is so German.

Chalky and floral aromas and brisk lime zest nose. Intense acids on the palate. I am hoping this calms down with a few more years in bottle.

A procession of flirtatious, wafting white flower, ripe citrus, white peach and citrus blossom aromas. Really intriguing and dynamic riesling.

This is reminding me of another dimension of what dry Riesling can be. It’s a beast; wafting with complex apricot, pome and tropical sour fruit notes, clove, spice, smoke, and a mineral and floral suite. In the mouth it’s viscous, dry, with a ton of dry extract and powdered granite. Mouth tingling minerality and sour candy finish. Hefty. Wall of flavor and hardly needs to be chilled. Very impressive.

Has integrated beautifully overnight. Though I wouldn’t begrudge it a little more acid, the power now presents elegantly and the mineral spice has mellowed nicely. 9.5 now.

Super perfumed. Juicy, elegant, clearly defined fruit. Stunningly pure.

Some day 2 notes. Huge citrus and tangerine skin. So much spice. Amazing clarity of fruit that only comes with age. So sappy, rich and pure with lovely caressing yet bracing acids. Confectionary and long. Sappy and pure. Amazing balance and some lovely honeysuckle on the finish.

Stunning. Just entering maturity but also a youthful vigor. Huge acid, length and density. Wow.

Stupid great. Stunning slate and mineral. Confectionary. Like a symphony of the Mosel. Intense acidity yet also a lovely opulent side. Concentrated and elegant. Very pure and juicy. Complex and super long. So intense.

This is one star @Delectable Wine . Very citrus and petrol, again the sweaty sex thing. Honey, apricots, opulent and society, terrific acidity, huge structure and even more backwards than the 08. Stunning.