2013 Riesling

“It was an Auslese vintage,” explained Oliver Haag when I asked why 7 of the 19 Rieslings on the tasting sheet were Ausleses. “It’s as simple as that!” The estate was already known for its noble Rieslings in the era of his father Wilhelm--and when they hit the mark, as they did in 2010, few estates can compete with their range. Little has actually changed since Oliver returned in 2005. In the meantime, his father has quietly withdrawn from day-to-day operations and handed over the keys to his son. The refreshing nature of the 2013 vintage certainly invigorated their otherwise luscious yet understated style. There was not a bad apple in the lot and I actually gave ten of the wines we sampled 90 points or more.