Kühn/Peter Jakob Riesling Lenchen Spätlese 2018

93 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2018 Lenchen Spätlese from Peter Bernhard Kühn is outstanding wine. It is again, a touch higher in octane than one might expect, coming in at nine percent, but in the warm vintage of 2018 in the Rheingau, this is probably about average. The wine is beautifully refined on the nose, wafting from the glass in a mix of apple, tangerine, a hint of lychee nut, salty soil tones, violets, bee pollen and apple blossoms. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core of fruit, good acids and bounce, lovely balance and a long, vibrant finish. This is a bit weightier than a classic Spätlese, but I love that it still retains the lightness of step of a classic Spätlese, even at a slightly larger scale. The wine is flat out delicious! 2021-2055. (Mar/Apr 2021)"

93 points David Schildknecht (Vinous): "Pear, quince and lime are laced with mint in an enchanting aromatic display uncannily like that of the corresponding 2017. The feel is subtly oily, complementing the cooling and soothing aspects of mint, while measured sweetness enhances lusciously ripe fruit. “It’s important not to pick Spätlese too late or at too-high Oechsle [here, the grapes reached 88–89 degrees]”, opined Kühn. And also, I would add, important not to leave so much sweetness that it gets in the way of nuance. There is more than enough of that nuance – herbal and mineral in nature – to inform this wine’s lusciously pure-fruited, superbly persistent finish. Drink: 2021-2038. (Apr 2021)"

18+/20 points Michael Schmidt (JancisRobinson.com): "A sublime nose combines local orchard aromas with the fragrance of a lemon and orange grove, fine exotic spices and a hint of honey. On the palate the Lenchen Spätlese tantalises the taste buds with a sophisticated composition of zesty citrus, tingling ginger, fresh honey and a delicate mineral dusting. Drink: 2019-2031. (4/29/19)"