Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Auslese 2011

Sassafras, anise, and candied lemon scent Molitor’s 2011 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese three star A.P. #106, then mingle on an expansive, uncannily buoyant palate with quince and apple jellies as well as mirabelle preserves. Here is the point, insists Molitor, at which botrytis (in only around one-third of the grapes in this early picking) came into play, and there are smoky (nut oil, black tea), spicy; and stale-bread yeasty notes here that I associate with noble rot, and which not only add intrigue but also supply welcome contrast and counterpoint to the confitured fruits and liqueur-like herbal essences. There is a veritable torrent of sheer, energizing primary juiciness to this wine’s rich yet reverberative finish, a function, suggests Molitor, of the perfectly blemish-free, juicy condition of the two-thirds green-gold grapes that were picked along with the nobly-rotten. This glorious performance should serve as a thirty year benchmark.