St. Urbans-Hof Piesorter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese 2007

Although vineyards had belonged to the Weis family for centuries, Nicolaus Weis (vintage 1905, Nik Weis'grandfather) founded the winery in 1947. In the early years he built cellars and winery buildings on a hill on Leiwen's periphery. He named his estate for the patron saint of German winemakers, St. Urban, and'hof'(the German word for'estate'), St. Urban's Estate.

"Apple jelly, pineapple, mint, magnolia, and a pungent nip of incense in the nose of Weis's 2007 Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese lead to a palate delicate even by the standards of the vintage. Yet here too, there is a flattering creaminess of texture, as well as deep nut oil richness and savory, saline, crustacean, and crushed stone mineral expressions that remind me of grand cru Chablis. The finish here is almost endlessly fascinating and the wine's sweetness perfectly judged. As in the case of corresponding Ockfener, Weis relates that the high ripeness here came virtually without any botrytis."

94 points Robert Parker

91 points Stephen Tanzer