Not quite GG

Although the customary VDP grand cru symbol was embossed onto the side of this bottle, the "GG" initials were missing from the label. Indeed, this wine is simply referred to as a Spätlese trocken on the back label. The man at the wine shop was slightly confused by this, too. Upon subsequent research, I learned that the Knipsers chose not to classify this as a Grosses Gewächs at all in 2005.

Weingut Knipser, Riesling Steinbuckel Spätlese trocken 2005, Pfalz, Germany
Golden yellow in appearance. Showing a herbal and waxy opening on the nose before various notes of lemon and cream emerge. These twin components play an olfactory game of ping-pong right the way through. Quite bitter notes to begin with on the palate; not exactly what I was expecting. However, peachy lemon gradually takes the upper hand in tandem with a mellow, viscous mouthfeel. This is quite complex but, at the same time, not really at the level I would expect of a GG. This wine is simply a very good Spätlese trocken. Nothing more, nothing less.

But contained in one of those heavy GG bottles? Hm.