Peter Lauer Riesling "Barrel X" feinherb 2023

'Barrel X' is winemaker Florian Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a slightly off-dry (feinherb) Saar Riesling should be. If we were in Burgundy, this would be the equivalent of a 'Bourgogne Blanc.' As an appellation-level wine, it is sourced from multiple vineyards in four different villages of the Saar: Ayl (Lauer’s home village), Saarburg, Wawern and Wiltingen. Florian says, 'From Ayl and Wawern, the wine gains the fruit and power, from Saarburg the racy acidity, and from Wiltingen, the spice.' There’s some RS, but it’s so well integrated with the acidity, it’s like biting into a perfectly ripe peach or melon — not sweet, per se, just in perfect balance. It’s the ultimate wine to pair with anything spicy (Thai curries, pho, tacos) or fried (tempura, fish and chips).