Graacher Himmelreich, Riesling, Auslese, Goldkap, 2018

Even more concentrated than Wehlener Sonnenuhr this year, tightly-wound, botrytis richness is more evident here than on the other wines, intense and profound dried apricot and honeyed stone fruit balanced by a juicy ruby grapefruit freshness. Haunting length of flavour and expansive on the finish, this will need time in bottle to unravel. The Himmelreich of Graach is a first rate vineyard, the soils are a little deeper and richer than the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and the site is little less sun-blanched. The wines as a result are often full of soft fruit and youthful charm with typically more acidity but less minerality than those of the SonnenuhrHarvest was at the beginning of October after an early start to the growing season, the grapes hang time was therefore long, this has resutled in what Katharina Prum considers to be a very fine and charming vintage similar to 2007 and 2009 but more savoury and mineral.