Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr, Riesling, Spätlese, 2008

At 7% alcohol even lighter as well as higher in residual sugar than its Niederberg Helden counterpart, Thomas Haags 2008 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese A.P. #8 is luscious and nectarous, with Chartreuse like herbal and floral liqueur character and an oily slick that however does not (he claims) come from botrytis (which he insists was virtually non-existent here). Melon, white peach, and nectarine lend a juicy matrix to an amazingly creamy and luscious palate display and a finish of utter weightlessness. Rather than the floral perfume liquefying, in this instance its more as though the entire wine has vaporized and can be inhaled all the way through to its long finish. Advanced ripeness in this site usually results in tropical in fruit character, but here we have the essences of northerly orchards allied to cloud-like opulence. This astonishing performance should be worth following for 25 years or more. A danger in so many recent vintages, says Thomas Haag, was that growers told themselves I need a Kabinett; I have to have Kabinett; I must pick sooner! whereas this year, Kabinett was assured, even assuming you waited long enough to do justice to vintage potential. Haag is one of numerous growers who subscribe to the notion that (in his words) the mix of weather in 2008 was ideal, guaranteeing permanently adequate humidity of the soil, so that mineral matter was released and could be taken up into the vines, as you can plainly taste. And given his penchant for finesse, clarity, and delicacy, as well as for high residual sugar that demands efficacious acids to balance, its not surprising Thomas Haag has a high opinion of 2008. Indeed, his collection is among the vintages best. Haag essayed some selective picking for Beerenauslese, but like many growers decided that what he had collected was better declassified, especially in view of how spoiled we have been by botrytis in recent years and how tough are the present economic circumstances. Due to time constraints and the unusually extensive range of nobly sweet wines here, Haag and I did not take time to taste his two trocken offerings, whose absence from the U.S. market made it subsequently impossible for me to corral. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. 800 596 9463

DRINKING WINDOW 2010 - 2035

date of review 02/2010