2018 Graacher Domprobst Spatlese 5

As usual, the Schaefers have bottled as their A.P. #5 a Spätlese richer and more conspicuously ripe than its A.P. #10 counterpart. And in this instance, it also delivers an earthiness along with its wet stone aspect that is highly site-typical. Baked apple, marzipan, lily-of-the-valley and a hint of caramel on the nose strikingly signal the advanced ripeness vis-à-vis A.P. #10. The palate impression is slick and honeyed, adding hints of white raisin to an already rich mix. The finish is not as mouthwatering, refreshing or transparent as that of several other Schaefer 2018s, but the aforementioned mineral elements are present as a sort of suffusion, and although sweetness is prominent, it is appropriate to the wine’s ripeness of fruit and confectionary cast.