2007 - Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Joh. Jos. Prum

The 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule is proof that – 40 years after the Summer of Love – Flower Power is still a viable concept, at least chez Prum. Sweetly perfumed gardenia, decadent lily, bitter-sweet iris ... all cavort in a matrix of apple and quince preserves, vanilla and lemon cream, honey and white raisin. And for all of its richness, sweetness is the last thing on your mind while this wine is on the table. I imagine you could simply inhale its entire, vast sensual contents, so ethereal is every aspect of it. And if that doesn’t get you high, then you’re no Mosel wine lover! The characteristics of great Riesling from the Prum estate coincide with one of the most striking virtues of 2007 Mosel Rieslings in general, namely the ability to combine intensity of aroma and flavor with delicacy, and caressing richness with vivacity. In a sense, the best wines in this year’s collection are like Prum-squared in their distinctiveness and expressivity. Manfred Prum acknowledges good reasons for the widespread comparison of 2007 with 2004, and thinks the present vintage also shares the richness of 2005. Notoriously little attention is paid at this address to dry-tasting wines, and I was unfortunately not able to taste either a Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese trocken or a Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese feinherb. Nobly sweet wines which I have not yet tasted include Wehlener Sonnenuhr auction Spatlese, gold capsule Auslese, and Beerenauslese; a Graacher Himmelreich long gold capsule Auslese, and a Bernkasteler Badstube Eiswein. Various importers including: P. J. Valckenberg International, Tulsa, OK; tel 918 622 0424 and Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA 800 596 9463

Golden yellow. Christmas fruitcake with cherry, white raisin and honeyed botrytis on the nose. Glossy, creamy and rich on the palate, with fine slate, brown spice and floral elements woven into a braid of flavors. The botrytis component adds complexity on the complex, mineral-driven finish. What an auslese!