1998 Lorenzhofer Mauerchen Riesling Kabinett

Peter Geiben's best '98s are possessed of a clarity and refinement, along with sheer concentration, that places them among his best wines ever. The berries, he says, were especially tiny this year during the critical, pre-rain ripening period. The rain then offered an almost unprecedented opportunity for building mineral extract.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D I was surprised to learn not just that Geiben irrigated his vines last summer, but that the authorities permit this. Apparently, a special authorization will be issued if a grower can demonstrate that his vines are in serious stress. "The bigger problem," explains Geiben, "is getting water in the first place and then pumping it to the vines." However, he has the Ruwer at the foot of his vineyards and numerous springs throughout. Recently, he offered wine-savvy guests a taste of spring waters from each of his vineyard sites. "Of course, they each tasted different. I told folks 'These are the waters the vines drink, which is one reason the grapes from each site taste different'." Numerous asterisk-worthy wines, particularly drier ones, are omitted from my coverage because they are not featured in the U.S. importer's offerings. (Terry Theise)