2017 Lieser Niederberg Helden Auslese GK 12
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Tasting notes
Mango, muskmelon and overripe pear are tinged with brown spices and smoky black tea on an almost explosively forward nose. The palate impression is even richer and glossier than that displayed by the corresponding “regular” Auslese. But the finish, while undeniably impressive in sheer persistence, lacks the brightness or animation delivered by that latter bottling, and for now at least, there is a slight surfeit of sheer sweetness. Certain German critics of note have gone gaga over this wine.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Based on 35% to 40% botrytized grapes, the 2017 Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese –Goldkapsel– is rich and intense on the nose but still bright, clear, citrusy and flinty. On the palate, this is a rich, exuberant and very juicy but refined Auslese with a long, salty-piquant and intense finish. It's perfectly balanced but still pretty sweet, with highly finessed acidity and mouth-filling fruit. Tasted in March 2019.
30% botrytis. Smoky in the glass. Then baked apples with fresh mango and a touch of passion fruit, flavour that builds and builds to a glorious crescendo. Creamy and honeyed and totally extrovert. One of the richer Auslesen in this tasting, where the acidity seems more indistinct. (TC)
Like the Niederberg Helden Auslese but more so. Tastes a good deal sweeter and would probably be sweet enough for fruit desserts. At the moment the sweetness and the acidity still need time to meld and I find the non-Goldkapsel wine better integrated. Just needs more time. (JH)