The 2017 Riesling Zeltinger Himmelreich Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) offers a concentrated, super precise and refreshing bouquet of lemon chutney, candied grapefruit zests and spicy slate aromas. What piquancy and precision! It's already sharp as a laser beam on the nose. The palate is concentrated, highly refined and elegant but nervy and salty in the vibrating underground. This Auslese has a seamless texture and reveals great finesse with stimulating salinity and crystal clear, even filigreed structure. This is an amazing, Eiswein-like Auslese that will last four or more decades. It is also a historical first for Markus Molitor, who hasn't produced a three-starred Auslese in this cru before. Tasted at the domain in April 2019. -SR

White peach and pineapple on the nose take on both syrupy and fresh aspects on the glossy, silken palate. This two-track fruitiness – similar to that exhibited by the corresponding Bernkasteler Badstube – proves not in the least inharmonious. The vibrant, penetrating finish is remarkably focused for a wine this rich and ripe. It exhibits ideally judged sweetness; tugs at the salivary glands thanks to an unexpected influx of marine salinity; and invigorates thanks to tingle of pineapple core, piquancy of peach kernel and bite of cinnamon stick. -- David Schildknecht