2018 Rausch TBA 02 19
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Tasting notes
Although an oily and viscous product of shriveled grapes, this elixir’s shockingly light green-gold color seems to bear out Hanno Zilliken’s insistence that precious little botrytis was involved in the fruit’s concentration. Candied lemon peel, glazed pineapple and dried apricot, allied to a Chartreuse-like, high-toned concentrate of floral and green herbal essences, deliver an aromatic display so penetrating that it made my nose hairs stand at attention. And high viscosity comes as almost an afterthought given the sense of ethereal levity and the sharply clawed grip with which this wine impinges on one’s soft tissue. Fig, quince jelly, crème de cassis and salted caramel add colorfully to this kaleidoscopically complex performance, and the vibrantly, mouthwateringly sustained finish features pungent counterpoint of lavender and citrus peel even as it coats with creamy persistence. This bottling reflects 100 liters and was offered on the estate’s price list in late 2019. A second TBA that I have not yet tasted – A.P. #1, representing 150 liters – was due for later auctioning.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
David Schildknecht, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The "regular" 2018 Rausch Trockenbeerenauslese (AP 2) is slightly volatile and enormously concentrated, dominated by tart, green citrus and crushed stone notes. Enormously rich and sweet on the palate, with very fine raisin flavors that fill the whole aftertaste, this is a terribly precise and sharp TBA that lifts even 340 grams per liter of residual sugar into wuthering heights thanks to 12 grams per liter of acidity. This is a baby and will become legend one day, no doubt. However, it's probably not you that will detect its true class but your successors. 100 liters produced. Tasted in June 2019, three months after the bottling. This TBA will not be auctioned in contrast to the 2018 Rausch TBA (AP 1), but when? Still no ideas here at Zilliken.