2007 Weissburgunder Birkweiler Mandelberg Grosses Gewächs

In spite of his friendly nature, Karl-Heinz Wehrheim always appears a touch withdrawn, as if he were lost in reflection on how he could improve the quality of this, that or the other. Although he inherited a well-managed estate from his father when he took over in 1990, this winery has made great strides since then. With Rebholz and Becker, Wehrheim is now a part of the power trio in the southern neck of the Pfalz. Wehrheim's specialty has generally been his pinot blanc, but I gave higher marks to his riesling from the Koppel site within the great Kastanienbusch vineyard in 2007. As he markets his red wines a year after most of his colleagues, I have yet to taste the latest release of his pinot noirs, which are always first-rate, and he also makes an excellent sparkling rose. (Magellan Wine Imports, Centennial, CO) Also recommended: 2007 Weisser Burgunder Spatlese Trocken Buntsandstein (89), 2007 Grauer Burgunder Spatlese Trocken Keuper (89), 2006 Riesling Spatlese Trocken Bundsandstein (88), 2007 Riesling Spatlese Trocken Rotliegendes (90). Other wines tasted: 2007 Grauburgunder Kabinett Trocken, 2007 Silvaner Kabinett Trocken.