2009 Piesporter Goldtropfchen Auslese

The Haart 2009 Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese #15 reflects botrytis material having been almost entirely pulled out, and the healthiness of the fruit shows in a green rhubarb and grapefruit alliance, balanced against quince preserves, pear nectar, and honey. Some of the sweet floral perfume of the A.P. #13 Spatlese returns in the nose. Mouth-filling and subtly creamy, this at the same time persists in bright, positively tart animation and an uncanny sense of lightness (at only 7% alcohol, yet with 118 grams residual sugar held largely at bay). Look for a quarter-century of delight from this long-finishing beauty. Theo and Johannes Haart’s harvest commenced mid-October, and although it continued for nearly three weeks, they reported that rain arrived a bit earlier and more heavily here than elsewhere on the Mosel, so they were happy to have been almost entire done by then. Must weights of their exceedingly small crop were high from the get-go, so that care had to be taken in Piesport (stubbornly high-acid Wintrich was another matter) lest there be too much alcohol in the resultant dry wines or too little acidity. The Spatlesen were typically harvested a week later than the corresponding Kabinetts, yet seldom at significantly higher must weights. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. 800 596 9463