This is full of gunsmoke slate, white pear and gentle pepper, with the sweet hit of late harvest but floating above the palate, saline fresh and surprisingly open at this stage for a wine that you know will age effortlessly for a good few decades or more (we had a 1998 Spätlese that was barely stirring). Salivating and just utterly drinkable. 100% Riesling from steep slopes across five vineyard sites, 90% ungrafted with 10% grafted.

To my surprise, this delivered more effusive as well as decadent floral perfume than many a non-Himmelreich Prüm 2018, along with less of the citricity that I associate with this site. No doubt partly in consequence of those factors, there is a stronger sense of sheer sweetness here than in the other Auslesen of this collection. But of course, it is very early days for assessing a Prüm Himmelreich Auslese, that description being among those most consistently associated with ageworthiness on the Mosel. Scents and palate presence of fading lily blossom, Golden Delicious apple essence, overripe quince and Persian melon combine for a decadently heady and rich performance, with a glossy, creamy texture and prominent sweetness managing to avoid heaviness or stickiness en route to a caressingly and envelopingly lingering finish. -- David Schildknecht