2014 FX Pichler - Riesling Urgestein Terrassen Federspiel

This bottling is a direct but delightful result of its vintage’s challenges, and incorporates the fruits of those early passes through Steinertal, Loibenberg and Kellerberg that were not appropriate to Smaragd. And as long as he was going to bottle something new, Lucas Pichler relished the opportunity for it to weigh in not only at abnormally high acidity (notwithstanding must deacidification of certain lots) but also at a mere 11.2% alcohol. (He admits to having chickened out and had “11.5%,” rather than “11%” inscribed on the label lest potential customers be shocked and made wary—which they obviously weren’t, since all 7,000 liters were sold out by September.) But if you suspect that all this will translate to coolly green, tartly malic aromatics and flavors, you’ll be confounded. Ripe honeydew and muskmelons are balanced by fresh grapefruit and lime in a heady nose and a lusciously ripe yet refreshing palate. The invigoratingly sustained, rapier finish is so bright you may want to don sunglasses, and shimmeringly incorporates citrus zest, pepper and crushed stone. Here’s hoping this won’t be Lucas Pichler’s last such bottling!