Mature Alsace Riesling

I popped this to lubricate the cooking of some Thai food for my Burgundian chums. It was really good, but the name of it is a bit of a mouthful.

Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvee Saint Catherine l’Inedit 1998, Domaine Weinbach

A ripe, concentrated baked-apple nose. Very mineral, very deep, rather attractive. This is serious, complex Riesling. The palate has weight and concentration, but fine, fizzing acidity as well. The balance is just wonderful. Bugger me, this is mineral. Wow, great stuff that is really up for drinking now.

My chum Jeremy and I had a little chat about these kind of super-titted-out Alsace Rieslings and we agreed that we probably won’t have to keep those we have for as long as we originally thought. Our feeling is that some we have tried have been ageing surprisingly quickly. This bottle was drinking as well as it ever would, and keeping it longer would just be a risk.