Seventeen Years in Cask...
1995 Nikolaihof Riesling "Vinothek"
This is one of the more curious bottlings in the world of fine wine.
It has only happened three times before: 1990, 1991 and 1993.
The decision to make a "Vinothek" at Nikolaihof is made at a very young age, based on a certain potential, on a certain indescribable quality. Once the decision is made, however, the rest is just patience. Vinotheks are held back, kept in large oak casks, undisturbed, for a very long time.
In the case of the 1995 Riesling "Vinothek," we are talking about seventeen years in cask - seventeen years spent in a very dark, very cold 700-year-old cellar, undisturbed.
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This - only the second Riesling "Vinothek" the estate has ever made (the 1991 and 1993 were Grüners) - is a current release, only recently bottled.
Today, we offer the 1995 Riesling "Vinothek" at special pre-arrival pricing. While the bottle is far from inexpensive, we think it's a reasonable tariff given the extraordinary method of production, the investment the estate makes to allow this wine to develop... a reasonable tariff for the delicacy and complexity of the wine itself.
It's nearly impossible to describe a "Vinothek."
They are creamy and wispy, with lithe skeins of citrus and stone fruit draped over moist earth and minerals like cobwebs in a cellar. While the wines are incredibly nuanced, they are less about sharp detail and contrasts than they are about an incredible integration and a vocabulary that is nearly impossible to master.
Because of their unique, oxidative aging process, "Vinotheks" develop for a long time once open - in fact they very much need air. There are stories of "Vinotheks" being left open in the fridge for one week, two weeks... and still drinking superbly, even better, than when first opened.
Seriously: Open this bottle many hours before you drink it, even a day before will only bring the wine out of its shell.
The 1995 is spectacular - truly an incredible bottle of wine and every bit worthy of its lineage, its name. The bright citrus, the piercing fruit typical of Riesling, is glowing yet cool, mediated and softened by time. This is a soulful bottle of wine, mysterious and deep, inexplicable and intriguing.
The 1995 Riesling Vinothek will arrive in the fall. Note that we should have a few magnums available as well.
As you can well imagine, quantities are very limited so please give us your maximum order and we will allocate as best we can. All orders subject to confirmation.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits