2009 - Niederberger Helden Riesling Auslese, Lieser

High-toned allusions to an herbal elixir and honeydew melon liqueur garishly scent the Schloss Lieser 2009 Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese, which adds to the aforementioned elements a suggestion of spiced apple jelly. Yet for all of this wine’s extravagance, sweetness, and lushness of texture, its herbal elements take on a satisfyingly cooling role in the finish, where more than enough fresh fruit acidity reveals itself to convey refreshment and keep the nearly hundred grams of residual sugar from dominating. Expect this to be worth following for 25-30 years. Thomas Haag picked from mid October until almost the middle of November. “The only drawback” of extending the harvest so late, he insists, “was 15% losses vis-a-vis 2008, thanks to the necessary selection. There was really not much botrytis. We made two T.B.A.s which are still fermenting (that was in mid-September), but we didn’t make any B.A.” With the exception of the aforementioned T.B.A.s, and an inaugural Grosses Gewachs (from the Niederberg Helden) that I unfortunately realized too late I had inexplicably been deprived of an opportunity to taste, all of this collection was bottled already in April. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. 800 596 9463