2001 Riesling Oberhäuser Brücke Eiswein

"Thex000D ripeness and quality of fruit this year were remarkably consistent," saysx000D Donnhoff, echoing sentiments he voiced about his wonderful 1997s as well.x000D "It was hard to harvest reallyx000D high-level Pradikat wines, but on the other hand it was hard to harvest anyx000D really simple wine either. The startingx000D point on the first day was already 85 Oechsle, but there was 100 Oechsle in thex000D top vineyards without selection. So onex000D thought naturally enough If it that high right off the bat, imagine thex000D results when we start selecting, but that notion was deceptive and in fact itx000D was extremely difficult to achieve much more. x000D The bunches and the berries within them were quite homogeneous inx000D ripeness. It as if each vine did itsx000D duty, neither more nor less." Thex000D sweet spot of the vintage for Donnhoff, stylistically speaking, was off-dryx000D Spatlese, harvested late in October or early in November.x000D At this point, there was already a subtle,x000D fine botrytis - less than in the great '89s here, but more than in his '90s, whichx000D Donnhoff has always insisted lacked ultimate complexity and concentration onx000D account of their absence of noble rot. x000D Donnhoff describes 2001 as his year of flying blindx000D "Since I did no analyses besides whatx000D is required by law," he explains with evident delight, "I wasn't keptx000D awake worrying about numbers that didn't seem to agree with the taste.x000D Either the balance was there or it wasn't,x000D period." (Terry Theise)Also recommended: 2001x000D Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spatlese Trocken, 2001 Norheimer Dellchen Kabinettx000D Riesling Halbtrocken ($24), 2001 Riesling, 2001 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling BA.