Saarburger Rausch Auslese Goldkap, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken 2018

Scents and flavors here pull strongly in a tropical direction, featuring mango, guava and Persian melon whose richness is modestly cut by the zesty side of candied pink grapefruit peel and the tangy element of glazed pineapple. The feel is seductively creamy, and although this elixir’s sheer viscosity is surely at least as high as that of the collection’s auctioned Spätlese and Auslese, there is an unsurpassed sense of levity and delicacy to this gold capsule Auslese. Influxes of salted caramel and florally perfumed honey enhance the multi-fruit concentration of a vibrantly, lusciously and mouthwateringly sustained finish. Hanno Zilliken is reminded by this wine of the corresponding Auslese in his vintage 1983 collection, the first I tasted from him and the one that first brought his estate international attention. I have not included “A.P. #5” as part of this wine’s name because, unusually given a vintage this rich in high-must-weight Zilliken elixirs, only one of them is labeled as Auslese Goldkapsel. There were in fact two casks designated as gold capsule Auslese, but the Zillikens felt that their contents were too similar to merit separate bottling. Drink between 2020-2055

AP: 05 19. The 2018er Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese GK AP 05 was harvested at 126° Oechsle and was fermented down to noble-sweet levels of residual sugar. This is initially slightly reductive and only gradually reveals some aromatic and ripe scents of pear, anise, guava, melon, dried apricot, orange peel and smoke. Creamy notes of almond, melon and peach are wrapped into honey and acacia flavors on the delicately smooth and refined palate. The finish is hugely long, smooth and refined. 2033-2068