The Barmes-Buecher 2007 Riesling Steingrubler (as before, spelled here with its High-German Umlaut) harbors aspects of vendange tardive, despite its modest 17 grams of residual sugar. Lime, sweet clover, honeysuckle, fresh ginger, and quince preserves in the nose segue into a bright, spicy palate, with high-toned distilled pit fruit allusions, the sizzle of ginger, and a slick of honey pointing to the wine’s enormous ripeness and brush with botrytis, while bright citrus, mint, sage, and chalk point in a cool, refreshing direction. This needs time, I am sure, in order to really show itself, but the promise is clear, and I would expect it to be worth following for at least a decade. There is as usual a lot of fascinating wine in Francois Barmes’ constantly shifting, hugely diverse as well as just plain huge 2007 collection, though the level of success was on the whole consistent. As in the past, though, I remained relatively unconvinced by Barmes’ way with Pinot Gris, despite its being a grape that elsewhere revealed special potential in 2007. I can’t say 2006 here represents an advertisement for Barmes’ conscientious and long-standing biodynamic practices, but then, in a year of rampant rot, surely the absence of anti-botrytis sprays has to have been sorely felt at many biodynamic estates. There were a couple of 2006s here too fungal to recommend, with the majority of what was a reduced line-up meriting mild recommendation provided they are drunk-up soon.Importer: Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644; also, a Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29
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