2008 Nikolaihof "Vinothek" Riesling Wachau

From the site Im Weingebirge, fermented in stainless steel, aged in a large oak cask and bottled in April last year, the 2008 Riesling Vinothek is clear and deep on the initially somewhat untamed and gamey as well as flor-inflected and slightly oaky nose that nevertheless indicates very clear and healthy, elegant and concentrated fruit with flinty notes, and it gains clarity and complexity with air. Aeration is highly recommended here and gives way to ginger notes and detailed terroir notes representing the amphibolite, loess and paragneiss of the soil. On the palate, this is a concentrated, fresh and elegant, tightly structured and refreshing mineral Riesling whose grip is still firm and biting (12 milligrams per liter of free sulfur dioxide). This is still a discreet wine that is to be handled with care and a carafe. I kept the bottle for five days to taste the wine again since the first impression represented caged potential rather than revelation. The second tasting showed a little bit more open and finessed, pure, fresh and saline yet still not singing. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in January 2025. 2008 was not an easy vintage on the Danube. The mild winter was followed by an early budbreak. Flowering from mid-June was delayed, and the entire vegetation period was characterized by heavy rainfall. The summer hardly took place and led to a damp, cool fall. The wines of the vintage tend to be lighter and characterized by a lively acidity structure.(SR)