2019 Huff Riesling Trocken Pettenthal

About This Wine

OK, here's an admission: Most wines I've had from the "Roterhang," this northwestern slope in the Rheinhessen, famous for its red soils (thus the name, "red slope"), have just been a bit too plush, a little bit too much body, fleshy folds hanging over the tightened belt, if you know what I mean. I had sort of resigned myself to my idea that the action was somewhere else.

Then someone came along and changed my basic outlook on this place, and his name is Keller. Those of you who have had his Hipping or Pettenthal, in any form, Kabinett, Spätlese, GG, well you know what I'm talking about.

Now I can add a second name to this list: Christine Huff. This is simply a revelatory dry Pettenthal, with the searing, wildly high-toned lemon-pith cut, salty and oceanic, yet saturating and, somehow, superfresh. This is so coiled up, so young and tense that it's both impressive and painful. Open this when it arrives this spring, for sure - but open it a few hours early, don't be afraid to decant it if you have to drink it sooner, and/or open it, try a glass, and then enjoy the bottle on days two and three, though you'll probably find the bottle gone soon before you see day three.