Rich peach, ripe apple and pungent spice are reinforced by obvious sweetness in the Schonborn 2009 Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Kabinett, whose lower acidity compared with the estates other Kabinetts of this vintage results in a less lively or well-balanced effect. That said, subtle salinity helps offer a bit of offsetting interest in the finish. This doesnt capture the greatness of its vineyard, but then, that sites tendency toward rapid sugar accretion in recent years strikes me as no less problematic when it comes to achieving the delicacy of an ideal Kabinett than it does when seeking balanced alcohol in a dry wine. I would plan on enjoying this over the next 4-6 years. The latest collection from Peter Barth and his team further demonstrates the high standards that now prevail at this venerable estate. “The window for optimal harvest seems to keep narrowing,” Barth notes, and the relatively high finished alcohol levels on this years dry Schonborn Rieslings certainly testifies to that fact, leaving the 2008s at this address with a distinct edge over their 2009 counterparts. Despite the ravages of hail in Hattenheim and Erbach – including the loss of nearly one-third of the estates anticipated crop of Marcobrunn – the number of different bottlings from that site and from the monopole Pfaffenberg is still considerable. Various importers, including Dee Vine Wines San Francisco, CA; tel. (877) 389- 9463, Slocum & Sons, North Haven, CT; tel. 203-239-8000, Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700, Winesellers Ltd. Niles, IL; tel. (847) 647-1100