Andreas Bender Dhron Hofberger Kabinet 2018

Andreas Bender works in the village of Leiwen on the Mosel in Germany, farming organically, and this Riesling Kabinett comes from the steep Dhron Hofberger site. The Mosel's defining feature is blue Devonian slate, and the Hofberger's steep, south-facing slate slopes hold the day's heat and radiate it back to the vines, helping Riesling ripen this far north while the stone lends a mineral edge. Picked at Kabinett ripeness and left with gentle residual sugar, the wine sits at just 7.5 per cent alcohol, the low strength and off-dry balance that Mosel Riesling is known for. Cool, slow fermentation preserves the delicate aromatics and locks in the racy acidity that offsets the sweetness, so the wine tastes fresh rather than heavy. The colour is pale and bright. The nose shows crisp yellow apple, white peach and lemon with a floral top note. The palate is light and vivid, the touch of sweetness held in check by high acidity, finishing clean and long with a slatey note. Serve well chilled at 8 to 10 degrees.