Fresh apple with apple pit and grapefruit rind piquancy scent the Haags’ 2009 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Grosses Gewachs and whether (as I suspect) on account of marginally higher alcohol (at 13%) than its Juffer counterpart or on account of some other factor, the sense of bitterness runs all the way through this. I completely agree with Oliver Haag that this wine displays “density and power (“Dichte und Kraft”) –but those characteristics are practically omnipresent in today’s wine world, and I can’t say that this is what I crave from a Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling. Pungent citrus zest and tart apple skin convey a sense of invigoration in the finish but this neither stimulates my salivary glands nor any special desire for the next sip. I would be inclined to drink it over the next 3-4 years. Oliver Haag picked from just before mid-October until November 10, and the resulting collection is most notable for stunning quality in its nobly sweet echelons, although the volume of each bottling is small (typically the equivalent of 200-300 full bottles) due to paucity of botrytis. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. 800 596 9463.