2015 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Diabas

The ever so slightly higher residual sugar counterpoint to the GG, hailing from the unique patch of volcanic basalt rock that exists in a small portion of the Rausch (Diabas is the name of this rock, distinct from the blue slate that defines so much of the Rausch), this is similarly all about weightless purity that sails on forever. It has even more charm than the GG, if not as much mineral intensity at this primary phase. They should be a delight to compare over the years….just 1 fuder made, yet another exclusive US Down to Earth offering.

“There was no Diabas bottling in the 2014 vintage and I was quite pleased to see that Dorothee and Hanno Zilliken have produced one in 2015. The wine is a bit fruitier in style than the Grosses Gewächs bottling, as it was finished off this year with between seventeen and eighteen grams per liter of residual sweetness. The bouquet is very pretty, wafting from the glass in a blend of lemon, green apple, dried flowers, a touch of fresh coconut, salty slate and a bit of fern in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, pure and utterly refined, with a good core, lovely nascent complexity and fine cut and grip on the long and vibrant finish. Lovely wine. 2018-2040. 92+.” John Gilman