Alexander Laible broke off from father Andrea Laible’s renowned winery in Durbach and went it alone a good few years ago. He made a name for himself from the outset. I’ve tasted too few of his wines in the ensuing years to make an objective judgement. Here’s a new start.

Alexander Laible, Riesling trocken Alte Reben 2014, Baden
“SL” apparently stands for Selektion, i.e. Herr Laible has put quite some effort into this.

Textbook yellow straw in appearance. Prickly lime, red grapefruit and pineapple on the nose. However, the whiff that dominates is a combination of sweat and dry saliva. I ask myself whether it’s a dud bottle, but, as I write this, I have a glass of another Laible Riesling in front of me with the same characteristic. I would therefore conclude that sweat and dry saliva are a signature scent of the Alex Laible Collection.

Crystalline and lingering on the palate. Beautiful lime notes that almost border on sweet. A hint of grapefruit. Perfect balance … although here come the saliva flavours (I’m chuckling to myself as I write this, but it’s true). Long finish. Very drinkable. Twenty-four hours later, the sweatiness has dissipated somewhat but is still present. But here’s the bigger picture: succulent, juicy, gorgeous. A very enjoyable wine.