2007 - Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Fritz Haag

Pale golden yellow. Rich bouquet of candied apricot, ginger and nut oil, plus a whiff of brown-spice botrytis. The rich, juicy pineapple fruit and crisp slate animate the wine's subtle, creamy texture. Very nicely balanced wine with considerable promise, and seductive on the finish.

Singed grilled pineapple, baked peach, musk melon, and caramel in the nose of the Haags’ 2007 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule leads to an opulent, creamy, and luscious palate dripping with super-ripe fruit and honey. That said, this misses the clarity and lift that characterize the “regular” Juffer Auslese, to say nothing of the spellbinding concentration and complexity exhibited by this wine’s 2006 counterpart. But there is imposing length here, and I have to wonder (and hope) that I might have seen this at an awkward moment. Oliver and Wilhelm Haag have done it again, scoring consistent and sensational success throughout their range. And if 2007 cannot – like 2006 – be compared with any iconic vintage of yore (in 2006’s case, 1953) so much the more exciting. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. 800 596 9463.