2017 Bernkasteler Doctor Auslese Goldkapsel
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Tasting notes
Cheesy post-fermentative notes mingle with sweaty and musky scents to give the nose an intriguing cast, but one that many tasters will not find enticing. With that come overripe pear and faded lily perfume. The palate is glossy and lush though naturally alcoholically light, with inner-mouth perfume accentuating the decadent impression conveyed by the wine’s pear and quince fruit. The unabashedly sweet finish is impressive for sheer persistence, but lacks the freshness delivered by the corresponding Spätlese A.P. #3 or the salinity exhibited by the Spätlese A.P. #4. This reminds me of what I consider the more typical Thanisch Doctor Spätlesen and Auslesen of a decade or two ago: wines that gained definition and enhanced complexity with bottle age, but in their youth showed decadently overripe and surprisingly soft.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
David Schildknecht, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese is very elegant and flinty on the concentrated but refined and terroir-driven nose. Lush, rich and silky on the crystalline and finessed palate, this is a super juicy, refined and highly attractive Auslese with a long, complex, persistently mineral finish. The 2017 already drinks very well but will give so much more in decades. It is perfectly balanced and highly sensual, with lingering salinity and crystalline finesse. Very dangerous stuff indeed. Tasted in March 2019.