4 | Wine | Riesling, 86 to 90

"Sweet and appealing for its lemon curd and apple pie flavors, lingering easily."

"Fresh and racy, this features firm minerality and flavors of ripe apricot, baked pear and guava. Lush midpalate, finishing with notes of clove and hints of basil. Expressive."

"A pretty, floral Riesling with apple blossom and lily notes accenting the quince, mandarin orange and Gala apple notes. Tangy and very thirst-quenching."

"Straw-yellow, deeper than the 2011. A fusel nuance complicates bright stone fruit and floral aromas. Very fresh and saline, offering excellent chewy extract and noteworthy length. An excellent entry-level wine, especially for those who like their rieslings bigger and chewier. Remarkable quality considering that nearly 30,000 cases of this wine are made."

“This has enticing and delicate floral notes to the luscious berry and dark currant flavors. The finish exudes ripe apricot flavors and hints of cream.”

"Bright straw. White stone fruits and flowers on the nose and palate. Displays lively acid lift for such a hot hear, with the zesty, persistent finish featuring a lingering note of lime. From 33-year-old vines in the Clos."

"Soft and pillowy, with ripe peach, apricot and Fuji apple flavors that are broad and well-spiced. Minerally notes linger on the finish."

"Fresh kiwi and lime scent and lusciously coat the palate. ...from Christoffel’s 2010 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett, wreathed with Treppchen-like high tones of herbal extracts. Polished in feel and somehow at once soothing and refreshingly stimulating, this finishes with vivid juiciness of fruit; positive tartness serving for focus; and a distinct note of stone. While it might be marginally less winsome than the corresponding Erdener, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this remain fresh and interesting longer, probably for at least 12-15 years. By now at this address, it’s become commonplace to have Kabinetts that are really Auslesen when measured even by the standards that prevailed here in the mid-nineties – let alone a quarter century ago when I first met Christoffel. But here I must say that despite the analysis this displays real Kabinett-like levity and vivacity."

"Lemon thyme, anise and green apple on the nose. A spicy, focused midweight that offers tangy citrus, pear and deeper melon flavors, along with a subtle herbal note and very good mineral cut. Becomes juicier with air and finishes dry, with a strong echo of citrus and herbs."

"Redolent of fresh-cut nectarine, with a firm edge to the acidity and plenty of minerally notes. Light and airy on the finish, with crunchy green apple and citrus elements."