Rausch Riesling Spätlese 2017 – Weingut Zilliken from the Saar
The Zilliken Rausch Riesling Spätlese 2017 is a fruity-sweet, graceful Riesling from the VDP.GROSSE LAGE, the Saarburger Rausch. The grapes grow on Devonian slate and diabase. After manual harvesting, the wine was aged in neutral Fuder barrels. This finely fruity, juicy and animating Saar Riesling from Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken impresses with firm, precise acidity and deep, smoky minerality. On the palate, exotic pineapple, juicy peach, and sweet-sour rhubarb dance, accompanied by rose and clove. A Zilliken Riesling Spätlese with great tension, simply electrifying.
Rausch Spätlese 2017 – a wine and its values
- 7.5% alcohol
- 80.4g/l residual sugar
- 9.1g/l acidity
Zilliken Riesling – awarded
- 95-96 points Robert Parker
- 95 points James Suckling
- 93 points Mosel Fine Wines
- 93 points John Gilman
- 18/20 Schweizer Weinzeitung
The long finish reveals the concentration of the Zilliken Riesling Spätlese. On the tongue, it feels weightless. With a moderate alcohol content of 7.5%, it is an ideal companion to light dishes with chicken or fish, to sushi or scallops, or to spicy Asian cuisine. The Rausch Spätlese pairs well with desserts like Pavlova with strawberries or blackberry pie. Even if it is delightful when young, it only shows its full potential after 7-12 years of bottle aging. Try it out; we also have aged Rieslings from Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken in stock. Or you can practice patience, because the future of Zilliken Riesling Spätlese looks rosy.
By the way, our cellar is cooled in summer and heated in winter by a geothermal heat pump powered by a photovoltaic system, so that the wine can mature optimally.
The 2017 vintage in the Saar
The 2017 vintage was a year with challenging weather conditions: the budbreak of the vines was early and well developed in April when frost struck. Fortunately, the vines recovered quickly with varied weather. The start of the harvest was delayed by the Zilliken family, so that healthy, ripe grapes could be harvested at the beginning of October. By mid-October, shriveled berries could also be picked. Thus, the 2017 vintage is a successful one, with an exceptionally present vintage with high extracts, especially in the noble sweet range, as with this Zilliken Riesling Spätlese. Overall, very good qualities comparable to the 2011 and 2015 vintages.