2009 Emrich-Schönleber Frühlingsplätzchen Trocken
"2009 may well be remembered generations hence by the monumental quality of the dry Rieslings this year... I have never tasted a greater set of dry Rieslings from Germany." -John Gilman, View from the Cellar
Even in the context of Gilman's quote, above, and the fact that I called Emrich-Schönleber's 2009 dry Riesling "Mineral" my Wine of the Year last year, I'm shocked by how good the Schönleber 2009ers are.
To my palate this is the greatest collection of dry Rieslings the estate has put together in a decade or more, which is saying something.
The reputation this collection has is second to none.
So it was relatively shocking to hear that there was any 2009 Emrich-Schönleber still available - even more shocking to hear the wine available was none other than my beloved "Frühlingsplätzchen."
This vineyard, this wine, is the cerebral, ultra-fine-mineral-dust, Chablis-sharp little brother of the much-touted Halenberg. (For Raveneau think Valmur, Dauvissat think Preuses.)
Few wines achieve the depth and delineation of this wine - as if the Mariana Trench were about 4 millimeters wide.
The 2009 Frühlingsplätzchen Trocken is searing and intense - a piercing green ray of citrus and slate. Where the Halenberg has more muscle, the Frühlingsplätzchen has agility, energy, incredible length and just psychotic focus.
The fruit could not be clearer or purer; the balance of the wine is simply perfect.
The magic of the 2009 vintage at Emrich-Schönleber is that the distance between the "Grand Cru" Grosses Gewächs and the more humbly priced bottles is not that great.
Though the pricing is - at this point the Frühlingsplätzchen GG starts at $70, the grand Halenberg at $95. Today, for this final parcel, score the Frühlingsplätzchen basically at release prices - $33 on the 6-pack (which is very worth considering as this wine has 10-years ahead of it if you'd like) and $35 solo.
This is it - LAST CALL ON THE GREAT 2009ERS: For the heat, for the cellar, for its purity, for the refreshment, for the value, for the minerality, for the razor-like precision... grab some now.
There's not much of this available - put your order in ASAP and we'll allocate accordingly. To order, reply to this email or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Stephen Bitterolf
Wine Director
Crush Wine & Spirits
Special Email Bottle Price: $34.95
Compare at $40
Special Email 6-Pack Price: $198.00 ($33/btl)
View from the Cellar: The 2009 Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Trocken will be excellent. The sample was still in fuder and showed off great elegance on both the nose and palate. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a blend of lime, pink grapefruit, petrol, smoky notes, a nice touch of fresh rosemary and wild yeasts. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and very vibrant, with crisp acids, lovely focus and superb length and grip on the classy finish. This will be an excellent wine.
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