2007 Scharzhofberger Spatlese

When Egon Muller’s wines are at their best, one like his 2007 Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese A.P. #10 (which was auctioned) seems to illustrate the adage “German Riesling cannot get better than the best Spatlese, only sweeter.” Here is practically the utmost in creaminess, refinement, and lift, and a wine that resembles it’s A.P. #9 counterpart except in more rarified form. Melon and quince are garlanded with lily and narcissus, while mineral savor and musky, pheromone-like character lend genuine mystery as well as allure. Hazelnut and almond paste add richness and depth to a finish that for all of its striking richness remains satisfyingly succulent and refreshing. I anticipate more than three decades of seduction await those lucky (and wealthy) enough to acquire some of this at a sufficiently young (human!) age. Egon Muller compares his 2007s with the wines of 1997, which here displayed exceptional purity and advanced, largely noble rot-free ripeness, although the total number of bottlings in 2007 was significantly smaller, and the number of Auslesen alone this year three times greater. (I missed tasting one Spatlese, A.P. #6 that sold out early on, and I have not yet tasted this year’s Trockenbeerenauslese, which hadn’t even finished fermenting on the occasion when I tasted Muller’s other 2007s.) Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY (212) 355 0700