2009 Riesling Scharzhofberger Pergentsknopp

With the excellent 2007 and 2008 vintages, Roman Niewodniczanski put the Van Volxem estate squarely back on center stage. As the 2009s were not bottled until late August, I first tasted the new set of wines in a difficult phase. Several were stunning, but others were still a touch dumb, so it's possible I have underrated these latter wines here. Although many consumers still associate the Saar with delicately sweet spatlese, his full-bodied, off-dry rieslings are as close to perfect in this style as any in Germany. Niewo, as he is called, does not like being "stuffed" in that category, though: he insists that these are what the Saar's finest rieslings tasted like a hundred years ago when they were the most expensive wines in the world. Many of his vineyards date from that era, too. Not many producers have ungrafted hundred-year-old vines. Reason enough to try a bottle. Also recommended: 2009 Weissburgunder Windvogt (90), 2009 Riesling Schiefer (86), 2009 Riesling Alte Reben (87), 2009 Riesling Saar (87), 2009 Wawerner Goldberg Riesling (89), 2009 Scharzhofberg Riesling (87). Other wines tasted: 2009 Pinot Blanc. (Ewald Moseler Selections, Portland, OR)