The 2006 Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese was picked out at the same time as the corresponding gold capsule Auslese. It offers yet another highly honeyed, high-toned, prickly, almost spiritously aromatic expression of heavily botrytized fruit. The sense of herbal elixir mingled with honey and caramel is in harmony with the wine’s huge residual sugar, but for now the finish is overwhelmingly and superficially sweet. Still, the depth and density of material ought not to be underestimated, and I imagine that anyone able to acquire some of this need not worry about its lasting for at least a quarter century. Heinrich Breuer and Hermann Schmoranz began their Riesling harvest October 6, and finished in record time. Selective picking and watchful decantation and selection of the musts, rather than the use of treatments, was the approach taken here to the problematic health and botrytis of the vintage. The results included a 40% reduction in volume over their recent average.Imported by Classical Wines, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 547-0255