"Emrich-Schönleber is one of the very finest producers of dry Riesling in Germany." - John Gilman, View from the Cellar
The 2009 edition of this wine was epic - it was my Wine of the Year in 2010 though really this is a wine I obsess over every release, for two reasons.
First, because the "Mineral" is, relatively speaking, cheap. Emrich-Schönleber has a HUGE reputation in Germany. They make some of the greatest dry Rieslings from Germany and they price their wines accordingly with the "Grand Crus" going for $70+ a bottle.
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Second, no one does dry Rieslings better - this is an estate that has focused on dry Rieslings for many, many years and they are true masters at the genre. Schönleber's wines are utterly unique, with a signature that is all about purity and minerality. They are unwavering, arrow-straight Rieslings with sharp, delineated edges. They are chiseled.
If you like Schäfer-Fröhlich, A.J. Adam, Lauer or Keller you will like the wines of Emrich-Schönleber. Widening the zoom a bit to include producers in Austria, think Alzinger and Prager, in Alsace think Trimbach.
The 2010 has just landed and it is a worthy successor to the 2009. It is sharper than the 2009 with citrus tones that are higher and brighter, lime zest and lemon pith sprinkled with slate and dried herbs. The energy is captivating; this wine dances across the palate.
It is a featherweight wine, yet very intense and very long - the acidity crackles.
No, the 2010 vintage was not as easy nor as universally great as 2009, but the extremes of the vintage - outrageous ripeness matched to severe acidities - have created some bottlings that are simply incredible.
At their best the 2010ers display a "tension" to a degree that really is unprecedented - and this plays right into the style at Emrich-Schönleber. (Want to read more about 2010 in Germany, click here.)
The "Mineral" is dirt cheap given the quality and pedigree of the wine. We sold cases and cases of the 2009; for 2010 we have only one (smaller) parcel and that's it. If you want to load up, now is the time.
Pricing lasts as long as this parcel does. To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Stephen Bitterolf
Wine Director
Crush Wine & Spirits
