2016 Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Auslese No 17 (Auction)

“There was virtually no botrytis this year,” confirmed von Schubert, and while this roughly 300-liter auction lot of Auslese is an exception, its impressive concentration would not have been possible save for November 30’s hard frost. This declassified Eiswein was harvested high up near the forest and quite far back (i.e., west) in the Herrenberg. White currant and quince jellies are mingled with high-toned herbal extracts on the nose. A viscous, glycerol-rich palate benefits from productive tension between the honeyed and tangy aspects of quince and white currant. The mounting midpalate sense of sweetness, accompanied by suggestions of candied grapefruit peel, had me anticipating that things would turn downright syrupy, but instead the wine’s abundant acids kick in for an almost searing, slightly metallic finishing impression. Yet the fruit concentration is such that a sense of richness remains. This brash sibling to the estate’s 2016 Eiswein bottling will likely exhibit the up-and-down, joker’s-wild evolution typical of Riesling from frozen fruit, but those few fans lucky enough to score more than a couple of half-bottles should enjoy an exhilarating ride.