This is one of those wines that I bought for a few years based mainly on the experiences of people whose tastes I respected and seemed to largely align with. I tried the first couple of vintages that I bought on release and really didn’t understand the wine. It seemed like it had been pointless to open it at that stage. There aren’t a whole lot of dry Rieslings that I don’t think are worth checking out within a year or two of release, so I was a little perplexed. As my patience wore thin and my preferences switched mainly to various regions in Germany, I eventually stopped buying this bottling. I might have to start again. Here’s a brief impression from memory of last night.
I’ve given up trying Privat Riesling on release because it’s always so tightly wound. This was one of the vintages that convinced me to approach it that way, so I remember how unyielding it was, how tough to read it seemed. Now it’s a totally different story. There’s still the focused mineral core, but so much has fleshed out beyond that, with beautiful floral notes, a wide range of fruit, and overall something that, while still firm and mineral-based, is a really complex and beautiful wine in a style that’s relatively reserved for this level of quality in Austria. I’d say it is just entering a really good phase, and I’m glad to have a few left to check in on over the next 5-10 years.
I’ve got bottles and magnums of 05. My friends don’t understand this wine. I’ll likely Pungo and enjoy over a week. Thanks for reminding me. The magnums are in “normal” bottles, not Alsatian, interestingly enough.
I think so. This was definitely on the leaner side, as are most wines I’ve had from Nigl. The big caveat is that this specific bottling needs time in the cellar.
I hadn’t really put 2 and 2 together, but I think you may be right. Last time I tried the 2010 was in 2015, and it started with a quick hit of some nice intensity, but then faded to strong acidity, with not much finish, seemed out of balance. Glad to know it has rounded out and come to life.