($135; for 375 ml.) Lively but discreet aromas of black cherry, orange rind and lemon drop. Today the wine's rich, supple passion fruit flavor and invigorating acidity are not yet fully integrated. Crisp mineral salts and sweet herbs linger on the finish. Needs time to come into harmony.

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On the same day as their Himmelreich Eiswein, the Selbach's harvested a 2004 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Eiswein that exhibits sharper (lime and radish), more esters (cherry distillate and lilac) and more penetrating (danger of nose bleed!) personality than its fellow frozen concentrate. In the mouth, there is an undeniably edgy insistence to the acids and near-opacity of flavors by dint of sheer concentration and viscosity. The finish grips you by the throat and takes you down into a swirling pool of freezing distilled fruit and floral essences from which the lucky will emerge dazed but not-at-all dimly aware that they must somehow acquire at least one more bottle and revisit in 10 to 20 years.

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Pure and electrifying on the palate, with rapierlike acidity corralling the rhubarb, apricot and citrus flavors. It's lean and wiry, with fine intensity and a long finish.

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