2022 Ansgar Clusserath Trittenheimer Apotheke Spatlese, Mosel

The 2022 Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Spätlese is coolish and refined on the discreet, flinty and very delicate nose. Bottled in late May 2023, this is a round, lush and refined, very elegant and quiet Riesling with savory salinity and crystalline acidity. The wine has fine grip and will develop beautifully over the years. 8% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted chez Wittmann in July 2023.

The 2022 vintage was very dry, or even especially dry in Trittenheim, Mosel, says Eva Clüssertath. "There was no rain throughout the summer," she recalls. "Surprisingly, however, the vines coped well with this drought. However, we had to completely disburden the young vines, which were under six years old." Cutting of all or many grapes was done in July and August on all those vines that appeared to be suffering the most. "This immediately had the effect of causing the vines to start growing again," Eva says. In Trittenheim, too, the top sites situated on barren rock were particularly dramatically affected. As is well known, fermentations always take a long time at Clüsserath, but in 2022, they took even longer than usual. The acidity levels were rather low, and in order not to slip into malolactic fermentation, the cellar was not heated in the cold months. However, malolactic fermentation could not be prevented in one (Steinreich) fuder. For the sweet Prädikat wines, the grapes were pressed as whole bunches, and for the dry wines, the grapes were slightly crushed and left for only one to two hours and then pressed to preserve the acidity. So far, I have only tasted the sweet Prädikat wines, during a visit chez Wittmann in Rheinhessen, when the dry wines were still not finished. The Kabinett and Spätlese from the Apotheke are exceptionally good in 2022, combining hedonistic talents with finesse and crystallinity.

93 points SR robertparker.com