The 2006 Bacharacher Wolfshohle Riesling Beerenauslese signals botrytis in sharp pungent notes of spice, citrus rind, prickly hint of volatility, and some outright fungal notes. Honey, mango, coconut, and caramelized peach viscously coat the palate, while spice and citrus oil notes add some offsetting sharpness to a wine presently almost overwhelmed by its sweetness. This undeniably intense, long nobly sweet Riesling seems less pure, and less likely to develop refinement than does the corresponding Auslese. But it would be foolish to open a bottle again for at least a dozen years, and I have no doubt its sheer longevity will be measurable in decades. Few growers even contemplated leaving any grapes hanging for Eiswein this vintage, and if they actually took nature up on the dare, they waited for a long time for a reckoning. Without spraying against botrytis, Jochen Ratzenberger Jr. insists that the proper management of the family’s vines and greening between the rows kept rot at bay, but 30% less than a normal volume was harvested. The Ratzenbergers began picking on Septermber 25 and were done on the 12th of October.Imported by Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644
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