An auction lot of 2005 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese A.P. #22 exudes lightly caramelized apple and white peach while preserving a clear, luscious citricity, although its counterpoint of creaminess and brightness is not quite as striking as that exhibited by the auction Spatlese. Even as one recognizes how concentrated this wine is by botrytis and how honeyed the consequent palate impression, it retains a remarkable degree of refreshing juiciness, delicacy of texture, and refinement of flavor, all especially evident in the finish. And one can rest assured this has the structure to age satisfyingly for 30 or more years. “We made what I think was the right decision to harvest relatively early,” says Manfred Prum, before botrytis became the most prominent element in the wines’ character as in his opinion had been the case in 1976. Still, the Prums were blessed this year with terrific quality but cursed with a dearth of material that could legitimately be bottled even as Spatlese let alone Kabinett. (Note: There is usually more than one bottling and therefore more than one eventual A.P. number chez Prum for any given Kabinett or non-auction Spatlese and even some Auslesen. The differences in character, they promise, are kept to a minimum, and indeed in many cases it is a matter of the same base wine temporarily stored in more than one tank. For that reason, I was as usual not privy to the A.P. numbers of the un-bottled, non-auction wines that I tasted.) Various importers including P. J. Valckenberg International, Tulsa, OK; tel. (918) 622-0424 and Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. (800) 596-9463

Pale golden yellow. Subdued bouquet of passion fruit, nut oil and acacia blossom.The lusciously sweet tropical fruits are highlighted by a refreshing gingery acidity that keeps the palate light in spite of the wine's impressive density. Elegant, airy and aristocratic rather than overblown, this auslese finishes astoundingly long, on a note of spicy botrytis.

Smells much more of the soil than the Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 2005; firmer, chalky, cool wet stones. Leafy. On the palate it has more density and the acidity seems more pronounced – the sweetness too. Oranges, spices, deep and quite unctuous. Altogether a more demanding, powerful wine – the baritone to the Himmelreich soprano? Seems more evolved as well. A wine that commands attention. (TC)