Each wine has its own trajectory. Some might call it a learning curve. Bordeaux traditionally began its life harsh and tannic, but slowly matures into that sumptuous ambrosia on which most of us cut our teeth. Today, that is an expensive school. Burgundy, on the other hand, has the great advantage of being succulent from the barrel, invigorating just after bottling and almost addictive as it matures. Humorously, Riesling evolves in two directions. The charmingly sweet kabinett and spätlese actually dry out while they age; the dry variants, on the other hand, tend to become softer and taste almost like succulent late harvest wines as they approach their tenth birthday. It is thus not surprising that so many consumers enjoy mature riesling…as long as it is called something else. A bottle of 2004 Frederic Emile opened here in Jakarta is on the right side of history. Comments