2017 Bürgergarten im Breumel Riesling GG Müller-Catoir

Stand back for the arrival of a giant! Super-fresh nectarine, vanilla and Thai- basil aromas that don't leave you in any doubt that this is a very remarkable dry riesling. Then the tidal wave of minerality comes through at the finish and sweeps everything away. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

From a 2.8 hectare clos that is the highest, coolest and stoniest (sandstone/gravel) plot of the Bürgergarten, the 2017 Riesling Bürgergarten "Im Breumel" GG offers a deep, ripe, lush and intense bouquet with fascinating flavors of crushed stones and ripe fruits. Lush and intense on the palate, this is a deep, dense, very complex and powerful dry Riesling with lingering salinity and very fine tannins. Great but way too young. Tasted in Haardt, December 2019.

Smoky, fusel and crushed stone notes convey a pungent, almost sinister cast to the nose. Along with that come saline, alkaline suggestions of marine minerality as well as a hint of sweat, which collectively offer welcome saliva-inducement when they reemerge on a firm, palpably dense palate. Zest and pits of lemon and peach dominate over their flesh, and this is another Müller-Catoir 2017 that exhibits a persimmon-like tendency toward pucker-inducing bittersweetness. There is considerable body (from 13% alcohol) to accompany this bottling's sense of density and pith, but along with that comes a welcome impression of glycerol gloss. It then finishes with implacable grip and an almost mouth-shaking sense of energy. I am reminded of an amusement park ride that you take because of what it does to your pulse rate and adrenalin level, not because it's fun per se. To say that this wine will be intriguing to follow is an understatement. Franzen thinks it needs time to open up and show its fruit.

Extremely elegant and precisely crafted, with notes of star anise and lavender framing the core of crunchy pear and blood orange flavors. The acidity is appreciable, fueling the flavors and spice accents, but will also serve as a backbone for many years to come. Savory mineral details linger on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031. 90 cases imported.