Monzinger Halenberg, Riesling, Auslese,

It would have been a waste, opined Schönleber, not to have done something with the impeccably clean but overripe and lightly desiccated grapes that informed this Auslese, and which would have added too much potential alcohol to the Grosses Gewächs. But there wasn’t much more juice in them than in those that had been set aside for BA and TBA – too little, in fact, for a proper day’s pressing – so subsequent incoming bunches that harbored a higher percentage of juicy grapes were added in. Peach, pear, orange and pineapple combine for an intense fresh-fruit concentrate at once luscious and tangy. The underlying feel is seductively silken, but orange zest and cinnamon lend invigorating sizzle. Mouthwatering salinity adds to the delights of a vibrant, ringingly clear finish.