2011 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese

With more than 50 vintages under his belt, Manfred Prum is not only the grand old man of the region but also a source of inspiration for the current generation of winemakers. In that light, his read on the current vintage is worth taking seriously. "Riesling can often have too much acidity," he claims, "but it never lacks acidity." With that ideal in mind he allowed the grapes to mature in 2011 until he thought they were ripe enough to harvest, undaunted by the falling analytical values on total acidity. Although I found the wines almost too rich, at least in comparison to his superb 2010s, he takes a more relaxed and patient view. "The wines remind me of the 1959s at this stage of their development," he added nonchalantly. If that turns out to be the case, then perhaps my scores will prove to have been a touch conservative. Also recommended: 2011 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese Feinherb (87), 2011 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett (88), 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese #24 Auction Wine (93), 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese #25 Auction Wine (93+?), 2011 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule (92), 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese #26 Auction Wine (93+?), 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule #25 Auction Wine (93+?), 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Long Gold Capsule #27 Auction Wine (94).