2016 Forst FREUNDSTÜCK Riesling Grosses Gewächs Q.b.A. trocken

Vinous: High-toned evocations of basil and roux share aromatic billing with scents of white peach, seaweed and ocean breeze. The palate is polished, generously juicy, coolingly green-herbal, and full of maritime intrigue. Not for the first time, this cru is possessed of vibrancy and savory, complex mineral characteristics that catapult it into a class by itself among Bassermann-Jordan Grosse Gewächse. The long finish at once soothes and stimulates, seduces and intrigues, setting both my salivary glands and my heart palpitating. Alas, the roughly 700 bottles represent close to the maximum that the estate can produce from their small share of this less than nine-acre Einzellage in which von Buhl is the largest landholder. And that represents a mere tenth of the volume behind Bassermann-Jordan’s largest Grosses Gewächs bottlings. - David Schildknecht, Jun. 2018