2015 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Beerenauslese (1 Star)

Last tasted from cask, this delivers a slight botrytis prickle suggestive of candied lemon peel and ginger, along with scents of honey and quince preserves and an aura of white bread reminiscent of how botrytis often announces itself from the great 1971 vintage. The palate is subtly oily and rather viscous but projects an impressively pure sense of quince and peach concentrate, while the zesty, spicy elements anticipated on the nose contribute delightful invigoration without becoming disruptive. An upwelling of nut oils serves for smoky and piquant counterpoint, while hints of lanolin and resin from barrique are decently integrated if in no way synergistic. The finish here pulls out all the stops on the organ, with a resonant, vibratory intensity that bespeaks boundless energy. Thankfully, here is an instance where the influence of oak seems not to have diminished primary juiciness in the least, with the amazing result that a Beerenauslese manages not just to innervate but even to refresh.