Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2014

Alkaline and austere on the nose, with wet stone, moss, and a sharp lift of almond extract. Maraschino cherry and lime edge in behind, then arrive with real tartness on the palate alongside crab apple and a firm, dense minerality that borders on phenolic severity. High-toned cherry-almond notes carry through to a penetrating finish, giving the wine some lift against its otherwise tight-knit, unyielding structure. Patience is required — this is a wine wound tight around its own intensity. (A parallel tasting of the 2010 revealed a more generous expression: kelp, moss, and wet stone alongside unexpected richness, with saline pull and well-integrated lemon zest energizing rather than sharpening the finish. I'd put the 2010 at 92 points today, two above what it earned on release.)