Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese – 14 – 1996 – Egon Müller – Alc.8%. I was bracing myself for disappointment because I have met several 96 Rieslings with peevish acidity but this bottle was close to perfection. It was complex but beautifully focussed and integrated so that it was hard to describe individual flavour components; on a medium/light body with great length, bracingly moreish acidity, gentle sweetness, subtle minerals, white fruit and flowers, silky texture and discreet backbone were all there. Food friendly and supremely elegant; 18/20.
Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Spätlese feinherb – 02 – 2002 - Weingut Vollenweider – Alc.10% was scarcely inferior to the Scharzhofberger. Slightly fuller, richer, spicier and not so perfectly focussed perhaps, it was nevertheless delicious with an extra squirt of acidity to make it very food friendly and justify the “feinherb” designation; 17/20++.