2004 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Auslese Goldkapsel

The 2004 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule was harvested from fruit left behind on the first pass for the “regular” Auslese and was residing in tank when I tasted. Beneath a haze of primary fermentative aromas emerged suggestions of sea salt and citrus rind. The refined, ethereal but concentrated palate offers smoked meat, peach preserves, marzipan, honey, orange marmalade, brown spices, quince jelly, malt and brine. This enormously concentrated and complex wine finishes with a long rush of flavor and seems destined to perform superbly for several decades in bottle. The main harvest was finished in mid-November after what Hess called “a glorious burst of sunny weather” but, incredibly, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese – still fermenting when I visited – were harvested on the 29th of January! I shall report on those at this time next year. Imported: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. (800) 596-9463