2015 - Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, Von Schubert

The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett opens clear, precise and nicely reductive on the coolish/stony nose, with the typical flinty flavors of the Abtsberg. The wine is very clear, piquant and fresh, typically light but complex and stimulatingly salty in the well-structured and persistent finish. A gorgeous Kabinett—or should I say: Abtsberg? Great aging potential!

White peach and lime are garlanded with honeysuckle on a haunting nose and piquantly laced with quinine, peach kernel and alkali on a silken-textured, luscious, expansive yet buoyant palate. A lusciously lingering finish perpetuates this lovely Riesling’s combination of richness with lift as well as its piquant and floral counterpoint, and an undertone of wet stone adds intrigue even as a lick of salt stimulates the salivary glands. This is like a slightly richer version of a great Grünhaus Spätlese (!) of the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Only sold at auction, the 2015 Abtsberg Kabinett is just as reserved in its infant expression as Egon Müller’s Old Vines Kabinett from the same vintage. There’s just a hint of green apple on the nose which points towards a cool and fresh character. The palate is titillated by the taste of zesty grapefruit, more juicy than fleshy and with a very delicate bitterness. A classic Ruwer Kabinett: slender, but with formidable substance. (MS)