Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Goldkap, Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm 2006

This offers a beautifully complex nose of greengage, mirabelle and mint wrapped into beautifully honeyed minerals. The structure is clearly that of a BA on the palate but a gorgeous touch of zesty acidity lifts up some beautiful tropical flavors of creamy and honeyed coconut and pineapple, and dare we say Pina Colada. The finish is still a little bit sharp but already very satisfying. This is not yet ready but already shows stunning potential. 2026-2056

The Prum 2006 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule introduces a note of caramel, here with heady over-ripe pear, gardenia, and a Chartreuse-like aura of herbal and floral distillates. Amazingly honeyed and rich yet light to the touch, this is possibly a somewhat more obvious wine than the auction lot of Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese, but also a more concentrated as well as more botrytized one. Expect it to be worth cellaring for four decades. (This wine is A.P. #13.) The Prums picked Wehlen and Zeltingen first, while the Graacher Himmelreich resisted botrytis to a greater degree, and by the time they came to Bernkastel (shades of the scenario at Selbach) botrytis was so advanced that they ended up vinifying their first-ever Beerenauslese from those sites. "From the standpoint of quantity, it was a catastrophe," says Manfred Prum, but he judges this likely the greatest vintage of his lifetime, yet also as a vintage that is open and accessible early. I therefore had the opportunity to taste a wider range of young nobly sweet wines here than normal, although I was not able to re-taste them after bottling. There is in fact very little to taste at this estate from 2006 other than nobly sweet wine. Miniscule amounts of "normal" Spatlese (which I did not taste) were bottled from the Himmelreich and Sonnenuhr.

A kaleidoscope of orchard fruit, with a squeeze of lime served on a wet slate platter. Delicate and fresh, yet concentrated, with a silky, see-through texture. Has great length, with a tangy aftertaste. Drink now through 2035

Very full and opulent and very winning - well done! Round and gorgeous. Drink 2009-2018. Date tasted 9th July 08.