2006 Riesling Oberhäuser Brücke Auslese

If he were living in Hollywood, Helmut Donnhoff would never have become a star. His strengths are not in sales and marketing. Although not as shy and withdrawn as he was a decade ago, he still prefers tending his vines to receiving guests. More importantly, he is little influenced by the critical press's reviews of his wine. "I know what I need to do to please the crowd, but I prefer making wines that my friends like to drink. Selling beerenauslese as spatlese might win you kudos, but what's the point?" He remembers times in the early '70s when all wines below the level of kabinett were essentially dry. "We've made it difficult for our clients to understand the style of our finest spatlese." In terms of sheer drinkability, his spatlese are in a class of their own. That said, he has polished his style at every level and now also makes dry rieslings of astounding purity. Although few estates are so precise in their expression of vineyard character, when Donnhoff is on the label, the site is less important: the wine is going to be good. (Terry Theise Estate Selections; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY) Also recommended: 2006 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken (87), 2006 Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Trocken Grosses Gewachs (89), 2006 Riesling (85), 2006 Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett (86), Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Riesling Spatlese (89), 2006 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (91).