Weiser-KünstlerRiesling Steffensberg Grand Cru 2018 (750ml)

This 2018er Steffensberg, as it referred to on the consumer label, has the telltale nose of peach, pear and tangerine. It saw some pre fermentation cold soak (14 hours) and this comes through on the palate, where it still proves full of grip and structure. The wine is beautifully elegant and long, and leaves a gorgeously spicy feel in the finish. This needs a couple of years to fully integrate and will only start to shine after that. 2023-2038. 92.

The Steffensberg vineyard in Enkirch is planted with forty-five year-old vines, on the south-facing slope of grey slate, and it is always a superb wine in the Weiser-Künstler cellars. The 2018 was lagging a bit in terms of finishing up its fermentation, and consequently was still a touch yeasty on the nose at the time of my visit, but Alexandra commented that it was just about complete. While the wine was still a tad adolescent on the nose, it was settled in and singing on the palate and it is clearly going to be excellent wine. The very youthful bouquet offers up scents of tart orange, a hint of green pear, a lovey base of slate, dried flowers and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, medium-full, pure and beautifully balanced, with an excellent core of fruit, lovely backend grip and mineral drive and a long, promising and vibrant finish. This will clearly be outstanding juice. 2023-2060. 92-93.