Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling trocken 1.Gewächs 2004

Gerstl: Vary ample and full with a broad sweep of fruit – like grapes scrunched in your palm. Very sweet.

Parker: The 2004 Kiedricher Grafenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs is one of the most powerful, concentrated, and tightly-wound dry German Rieslings in my experience. That said, precisely because of its density it is not yet entirely scrutable. The nose and mouth are dominated by concentrated yellow plum and lemon, by obvious dusty, stony minerality and by distinctive if more subtle florality and smokiness. The finish is explosively intense and almost frighteningly gripping, but also (as yet at least) rather severe in its high acidity and onslaught of sheer extract. After this wine puts you up against the ropes, the residues of plum skin, lemon zest and chalk dust cling almost indelibly to your gums. Thankfully, 13.5% alcohol generates little heat. I think it will be a fascinating responsibility for those who are serious devotees of Riesling to follow the evolution of this wine – of which there are 2,000 cases, an unusually large lot for this estate – but I cannot prognosticate with any confidence.