2015 FX Pichler Unedlich Smaragd Riesling

David Schildknecht Vinous Media 96-97 points

A portion of Loibenberg intended for this bottling ended up shriveling to become B.A. and T.B.A. So the 2015 “Unendlich” is anomalously based on Kellerberg and Höhereck and represents a very small production even by the standards of this elite bottling. The nose is head-turningly floral and peachy. On the palate, a luscious concentration of white peach nectar is laced with bittersweet liquid iris perfume, supported by a hint of sweetness (from 6.5 grams residual sugar). Seamlessly pure and caressingly polished, this gains interest as well as welcome contrast from richly savory blond tobacco, piquant lime peel, an undertone of wet stone and a sprinkling of ash. A surging finish lives up to the wine’s name and, for all of its overwhelmingly fruity richness, conveys persistently haunting florality and uncanny vibrancy.

The varieties of nature are never-ending, but each vineyard resembles a microcosm that reflects life and history – also those of our family." The idea to make the most of a terroir and varietal had already been alive long before the first "Unendlich" (the German word for never-ending). With the 1998 vintage, that vision for the first time became true. It reflects our passion to craft a wine that is an experience for all senses – a total work of art.
The label for this exceptional offering was inspired by the stage setting created by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute". It represents a starry sky on blue ground – a symbol of cosmic infiniteness. An allegoric way to describe a wine with a "never-ending" finish.