A.J. Adam, Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Trocken, Mosel

Very intense and typical riesling, light bodied, some petrol.

Compared to my May tasting note this is chalk and cheese. Stunning! Ripe, almost opulent yet with great balance, luscious stone fruit with good acidity, rounded and great length. Sadly my last bottle.

Two years on this is good but not exceptional. The 2015, which is also on a descent, beats this. Just a lack of focus here.

Pale straw, crystal clear, beautiful color. Intense and complex on the nose. Herbals, floral notes, lime zest and smoke. Very aromatic. It is even better on the palate. Vibrant, fresh and powerful. Excellent balance between Total Acidity (9,8 g/L) and Residual Sugar (7,1 g/L). Salty minerality and a very long, sweet finish. This is not a GG but it performs like one.

Update to my tasting note of 10/9/2020. Colour:med gold, bright, clear. Nose: v full, fresh, opulent too, spicy notes have grown as has the overall complexity. Taste: light body, rounded, spicy followed by good varietal notes that have hints of petrol, good acidity although the structure is a touch loose, long finish, rounded, good fruit and a touch soft. Hint of bitterness. Overall, this is a big wine that may be hitting its apogee soon. Above all, tasted blind, I …

Andreas Adam and his sister Barbara have built a great domaine from their family holdings. Their Dhroner Riesling, often at only 11% ABV yet ripe, is a great luncheon wine. Häs'chen is excellent, a spicy lieu dit on the Hofberg. I had never heard of the Dhron, a tributary of the Mosel, before I met the Adams, but the Hofberg is a splendid steep hill, facing south-west over the river, composed of weathered Devonian slate mixed with quartzite. The Adam …

Quick impressions at a trade tasting. My usual 5 star rating system- but all in brackets as many of these were barrel samples. edgy and pungent nose, pineapple, on the palate a lighter wine but with a good persistent impact, citrus, good length [***]