Salomon Riesling vom Kogl Feingebrannter / NV / 350mL

Description:

The Salomon Riesling vom Kogl Feingebrannter is a clear, dry Austrian distillate made from Riesling, bottled at 350mL and carrying no vintage. Expect the varietal lift you'd know from Kremstal Riesling — stone fruit and citrus — rearranged into something warmer and far more concentrated.

Aromatics arrive first: white peach skin, lime zest, a touch of green apple and the faint kerosene-like edge that good Riesling develops. Behind that sits something floral and slightly herbal, with a dusting of crushed stone.

The palate is clean and quite dry, with the sweetness suggested by the fruit rather than delivered by sugar. Warmth builds through the middle, then the finish tightens and turns mineral and long, leaving citrus oil and a cool, almost peppery lick on the back of the tongue. There's real texture here for a spirit this transparent — silky rather than fiery, and best served chilled but not frozen, so the aromatics stay open.

Serve it after dinner in a small tulip glass, alongside apple strudel, a plate of stone fruit, or hard alpine cheese. It also works as a digestif after something rich — roast pork, goose, or a long lunch that needs finishing properly.

The 350mL format is the point: a spirit like this is a small-pour proposition, and a half-size bottle means you finish it while it's still fresh rather than watching it sit half-empty for years.