The estate Riesling from Weingut Günther Steinmetz was the only true dry Riesling that winemaker Stefan Steinmetz produced in the acidity-driven 2010 vintage.
The wine smells of stones, primarily, and slightly flinty, but there is also a nice hint of flowers. Very pure. One could say 'linear' or one could say 'focused'. In any case, it has a pleasant and very refreshing aroma.
The Riesling is dry on the palate, with high acidity and medium alcohol, all of which is perfectly balanced. Stefan Steinmetz, who only uses wild yeasts for fermenting his wines, did not deacidify, despite the generally high acidity levels in 2010, but let the must undergo a malolactic fermentation instead in order to soften the wine.
The palate is similar to the nose: full with stones with refreshing citrus fruit on a medium long length. Certainly not a Riesling to everybody's taste but a must for everybody who is not afraid of acidity and prefers mineral purity over fruity pleasantries. Drink now through 2013.