WTN: First foray into the 08 Germans - WOW!

2008 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett
AP #5, not the single-fuder bottling being brought into the US by Terry Theise and under screwcap once again.
Stunning wine; among the very best Kabinetts I've had. Bright red apple and lime flavours over slate and faint herbal notes, but what's really striking here is the clarity and elegance to the flavours - this has true Kabinett lightness in the mouth and lots of acidity that gives it a really crunchy, almost crystalline texture. The finish is absurd; just pure red apples that stay with you for a long while after each sip goes down.

Sounds good. You've got me ready to go out and spend some money!

[David M. Bueker]

Sounds lovely. The faint herbal notes have me in mind of the young '98s.

Salil,

Maybe it was just me or the wines on show, but I was not hugely impressed by the 2008s being shown at the Theise/Skurnik event a couple of weeks ago. To overgeneralize, they were light and prettily styled, but not possessed of the same extract as the 2007s. I would guess that the acidities come off as being higher because the wines lack some of 2007's richness. It may be that as a vintage it is more in line with your stylistic preferences, but to me it was a clear step down (again, speaking generally).

Joe

[David M. Bueker]

2008 does generally have measurably higher acidity than 2007. 2007 was a moderate acid vintage. 2008 is not up to the bone rattling acidity of say 1990, 1994 (Mosel) or 1996, but it's high for modern standards. Terry and I were talking a little bit the other night & he was saying he thought 2008 would be more my kind of vintage than was 2007 (which has sometimes underwhelmed me with its overt richness and almost too easygoing personality).