2007 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg BA 50 (Auction)

The 2007 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Beerenauslese Nr. 57 is restrained in the nose but suggests both honey and pit fruit distillates. On the palate, pear nectar, quince preserves, and white raisin make for a very sweet show, to which candied citrus rind and brown spices offer some pungent contrast. This is imposingly long as well as viscous, but will need a lot of time just to be able to point the taster toward its full potential, which will probably be measured in more than three decades. There is another lot of B.A. designated for eventual auctioning, which I did not taste. Christoph Tyrell – like his Ruwer neighbors – had a far more successful vintage in 2007 than in 2006, although his lighter dry wines were a bit shrill and reminiscent of marginally ripe Sauvignon Blanc (more gooseberry than red currant; cassis leaf than black currant). His numerous Auslesen – while they won’t make one forget their amazing 2005 counterparts – are nonetheless noteworthy, and sure to be long-lived. Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA 800 596 9463.