Salil Benegal
Salil Benegal
This has been one of my favorite dry Rieslings for a while, except for ages it was a pain to find/source in the US. Then, once I found places like Wine Library or Saratoga Wine Exchange regularly bringing them in over the last few years, the wines on release were a bit odd and inconsistent. A couple here and there showed slightly sweet compared to the older PHs with a lot more apparent ripeness and fruit, and once or twice a bit unbalanced because of that sweetness. Perhaps that's climate change, perhaps it's the house style changing slightly, or perhaps a bit of both.
But this one's absolutely in the zone, and one of the best Rieslings I've had in a while. Like other recent vintages, it doesn't feel fully dry and it's more in halbtrocken/barely feinherb territory. But it also has bracing acids and a firm mineral base beneath the bright fruit and gentle herbal/floral accents, and it's incredibly compelling with tremendous balance and a freshness and energy to the fruit that makes each sip invite the next. The slight sweetness rounds out the palate nicely, and the whole package is incredibly easy to drink. As good a dry(ish) Riesling as I've had in a while.
But this one's absolutely in the zone, and one of the best Rieslings I've had in a while. Like other recent vintages, it doesn't feel fully dry and it's more in halbtrocken/barely feinherb territory. But it also has bracing acids and a firm mineral base beneath the bright fruit and gentle herbal/floral accents, and it's incredibly compelling with tremendous balance and a freshness and energy to the fruit that makes each sip invite the next. The slight sweetness rounds out the palate nicely, and the whole package is incredibly easy to drink. As good a dry(ish) Riesling as I've had in a while.