Schätzel | Rheinhessen | Riesling Pettenthal Kabinett “S” Grosse Lage | 2017 | 750ml

Description

Product description for Schätzel Riesling Pettenthal Kabinett “S” Grosse Lage 2017

Christoph Raffelt: On the palate, the wine definitely has the depth of Schätzel’s great dry single-vineyard Rieslings. It benefits from his method, which, with the early-harvested yet ripe grapes, results in an acidity of 11%, a sweetness of 42 grams, and an alcohol content of 7.5%, all while maintaining a very low pH. This is virtually unique and results in a wine with extremely successful balance, a constant interplay of sweet and sour, light and dark, complex and light-footed. All of this currently seems somewhat veiled behind a silk scarf of phenolics and spice, but this will integrate itself. The pressure on the palate is already there, as is the great length that characterizes the purist Pettenthal. Everything else will fall into place in time.

Colour

Medium straw yellow

Nose

For Kai Schätzel, his Kabinett Rieslings have become something like the new Grand Crus. For him, they are the wines that have a higher drinkability thanks to their distinctive interplay of sweetness and acidity while maintaining complexity and depth. That’s why he is expanding his selection of Kabinett wines to include this new flagship. The Kabinett from Pettenthal has the additional “S” and comes from the best plots and the best vines. It is the result of meticulous work in the vineyard and a harvest of up to six rounds. Despite its young age – typical of Schätzel – the wine smells wild and impetuous, with notes of spontaneous wine and a light bock (buck), which is reflected in notes of smoke, bacon, car repair shop, and firecrackers. But this is a hiccup that will eventually pass. After all, this wine isn’t intended for consumption now, but rather for later years, when you’ve long since finished your KabiNett and Hipping Kabinett. What comes next is much more interesting. It’s an exceedingly clear and precise bouquet of citrus fruits, white and red currants, crisp stone fruit with skins, herbs, and stone.

Palate

On the palate, the wine definitely has the depth of Schätzel’s great dry single-vineyard Rieslings. It benefits from his method, which, with the early-harvested yet ripe grapes, results in an acidity of 11%, a sweetness of 42 grams, and an alcohol content of 7.5%, all while maintaining a very low pH. This is virtually unique and results in a wine with extremely successful balance, a constant interplay of sweet and sour, light and dark, complex and light-footed. All of this still seems a little veiled behind a silk scarf of phenolics and spice, but it will integrate. The impact on the palate is already there, as is the great length that characterizes the purist Pettenthal. Everything else will fall into place in time.

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Keywords: Schätzel Riesling Pettenthal Kabinett “S” Grosse Lage 2017 Rheinhessen Germany

Vinous

Score: 92

The “S” here references south-facing slopes in the Pettenthal (whereas previous Schätzel Pettenthal Kabinetts have come from a portion of Pettenthal – arguably predestined for Kabinett – that turns north up against the Brudersberg). Pungent kumquat and tangerine on the nose translate into downright sizzling zest and grip on this wine’s alcoholically ultra-light yet concentrated and almost lushly fruity palate. A vibrantly sustained finish carries Pettenthal-typical smokiness as well as saliva-inducing salinity. High residual sugar – as reflected in a mere 7.5% alcohol – manages to engender only an engaging and supportive sense of sweetness. (This wine appears on the estate’s price list, whereas its “N” counterpart – like past Schätzel Hipping Kabinetts – represents a tiny volume to be bottled solely in magnums and sold at auction.)
— David Schildknecht
Drinking window: 2019 – 2030
Review date: Jul 2019

Producer website: https://www.schaetzel.de/home