The sweet, hidden charms of riesling

TASTING NOTES
We sought out good examples of riesling for under $25. In addition to our tasting with the two winemakers, we sampled more than a dozen other wines. These eight show a range of styles and tastes. Some are basic rieslings, others are from single vineyards. Three are good examples of “branded” wines. Oh, and those hints of “petrol” in some wines? Don't worry: It's a subtle, classic mineral aroma in good riesling, not an indicator your wine sat too long at the gas station.

St. Urbans-Hof 2004 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (HB Wine Merchants, $10): Best deal of the bunch. Bracing and focused, with ripe mango, kiwi and citrus, and a clear-cut structure. The finish is long and clean, with all the right pieces in place. An entry-level bottling, which makes it all the more impressive.

Fritz-Haag 2004 kabinett Estate Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (Rudi Wiest Selections, $18): Crisp and clean, with just a hint of sweetness playing in the background.  It’s all right angles and well-defined lines, lean and racy and made for a meal.

Loosen 2004 “Dr. L” Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (Valckenberg, $10): Ernst Loosen remains one of Germany's most charismatic and talented winemakers, and his entry-level riesling is a consistently good starting point. The most recent vintage shows off those classic citrus and mineral notes of the Mosel, with a pleasant tapered finish.

Dr. H. Thanisch 2004 kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr (Winesellers, Ltd., $17): Stoic and stony, with hints of tangerine peel, richness upfront and a mostly dry character. Finishes lush too, and yet it’s never heavy (at just 8.5 percent alcohol).

Zilliken 2004 “Butterfly” Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (Rudi Wiest, $14): Delicate and nectary, it’s medium-dry with a hint of spritz and light minerality to back up the melon and citrus scents. Finishes long. Refreshing and young, and yet still a serious wine. The rare combo: a riesling from a tiny estate with a long history (and reportedly the deepest cellar in the Saar region) that adopts an brand name but doesn’t pander to the obvious.

Mönchhof 2004 “Mosel Slate” spätlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (Rudi Wiest Selections, $18): This traditional Mosel estate has ventured into the practice of branding its wines, and here’s one that lives up to the name. The slate notes are unmistakable. It’s floral and lean, and a juicy acidity sears through some tropical notes. A classic dose of Mosel minerality.

S.A. Prum 2003 spätlese Gracher Himmelreich (Palm Bay Imports, $22): Big, shimmering petrol notes, with baking spice, peach nectar and ripe pear underneath. The minerality is razor-sharp, an austere center in the midst of all that rich fruit. Finishes long and crisp. Forget Dolly Parton; this is a Scarlett Johansson wine: Bold and lush upfront, with a no-nonsense complexity once you’re past the first blush.

Fitz-Ritter 2002 spätlese Ungsteiner Herrenberg (Winesellers Ltd., $20): This standout hails from the Pfalz, Germany’s warmest riesling region (warm being a relative term). Big classic petrol notes, with peach, lemon and a creamy texture wrapped around a stiff mineral backbone. That Pfalz richness stands out amid honey scents, and finishes with an aromatic punch. A wine in perfect balance.

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