2015 Brauneberger Juffer Trockenbeerenauslese GK

This had just been sulfured, filtered and bottled before my visit (like a Juffer-Sonnenuhr BA), but Haag had set aside a half-bottle’s worth in pre-handling condition, thus kindly enabling me to assess a remarkable souvenir of its vintage. Mirabelle , quince and white peach preserves are laced with fresh lime and grapefruit, rich, bittersweet, smoky toasted walnut extract, and chestnut honey. The haunting aromatic impression alone – without a trace of volatility – is almost as mouthwatering as the near-endless finish, which introduces diverse, saliva-inducing mineral salts. Creamy in feel and nearly weightless, this combines richness with delicacy to an uncanny degree. And in keeping with a remarkable trait shared by several nobly sweet Juffer Rieslings of this collection, brightness – here bordering on spine-tingling – and primary juiciness convey an implausible sense of sheer refreshment to match the finish’s vibrancy. The acids here, incidentally, are only a tick higher than in the corresponding Juffer-Sonnenuhr (13.3 grams versus 12.5), demonstrating once again that the Juffer’s bonus in brightness, vivacity and animation is not down to any quantifiable factor but, in a word, to terroir.