Kai Schätzel Riesling Reinschiefer 2016

Sourced from Schätzel's three top Nierstein sites — Hipping, Ölberg, and Pettenthal — with a small portion from the newly acquired Schloss Schwabsburg parcel in the side valley just west of town. At just 11% alcohol, this is bone-dry yet featherlight, sitting in rare company alongside the most expressive low-alcohol Saar and Ruwer bottlings. The nose is vivid: sharp lemon, green herbs, and acrid crushed stone, all carried with real precision. On the palate, firm structure meets relentless juiciness, and the long finish opens up into layer upon layer of herbal and mineral detail, closing with a saline pull that lingers and genuinely makes your mouth water. Remarkable transparency for a wine at this weight. Should drink beautifully for another decade, though the track record for Nierstein Riesling in this style is still short enough that confident predictions feel premature.