Wöhrwag 2001 Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg Riesling Auslese

Golden color. Aroma of raspberry, blackberry, very ripe peach and honey. It is sweet on the palate, but not as sweet as you would expect an Auslese say from the Mosel. The 2001 Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg from Baden-Württemberg has 12% alcohol, which is relatively high for this Prädikat level, where you would expect something like 8 or 9%.

It is quite a bold Riesling, with luscious berry flavors, along with buckwheat honey (that is the really dark honey you rarely find in stores). Luckily the acidity is high enough to balance so much unexpected Riesling boldness, which has the audacity to finish in a licorice flavor at the end of a medium long lenth. On the second day after opening the Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg had a much softer mouthfeel, which rounded the flavors nicely. I probably should have decanted it after opening.

I admit I am not used to a 12% alcohol Auslese. The grapes must have been very ripe to leave so much residual sugar. The sweetness, the honey, the concentration of flavors is not giving me a soft hug. This is a Riesling with a serious tattoo.