Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg, Riesling, Auslese, 2005

The 2005 Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese smells of ripe peaches and presents a rich but surprisingly single-mindedly peachy, honeyed palate impression. Kraml indicated that this was only around 20% botrytized but I would have guessed much more. Satisfyingly creamy, peachy, and honeyed in finish, and not without a hint of wet stone slate character, this nonetheless lacks the clarity or refinement at least on todays showing, which surprised Kraml as well of the better wines in this years Grunhaus group. Still, taken in itself this is excellent and would have qualified as one of the most successful bottlings in any number of other recent Grunhaus collections. Stefan Kraml met me well before eight oclock on a mid-August morning with an air of quiet confidence and near nonchalance that tipped me off to what would follow: a display of Grunhaus quality such as practically went without saying a decade or more ago. He and owner Carl von Schubert have regained their footing, despite a year in which what von Schubert described as natures eventual turbo-autumn was preceded by severe hail and an unprecedented tornado that felled 200-year-old trees and a portion of the vineyard walls to say nothing of the toll it took on vines! The harvest began October 10 and like many a successful one this year was finished in a mere two action-packed weeks. Up to the level of B.A., incidentally, all of the wines fermented spontaneously. Also recommended: 2005 Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Spatlese feinherb (unknown; 84+?). Importer: P. J. Valckenberg International, Tulsa, OK; tel. (918) 622-0424