Christoffel Erben, Weingut Joh. Jos.
Mosel Saar Ruwer, Germany
Erdener
Treppchen
Auslese** AP #10
Riesling
2003
$49.99
7.5%
Dark gold but not near amber, pools deeply into the glass, dull surface but minimal hue loss at the rims. The nose is soft, generous and loaded with whipped cream, vanilla bean and raw cookie dough, dappled in honey and molasses, does have a welcome warm rubber core, the peach, guava, nectarine, mango scents sugary and concentrated, strong floral dew at the end. Full-bodied with just an echo of acidity, massively scaled so that it belly flops into the mouth. Tangerine, pink grapefruit and lime citrus gives it a soft drink character. Dough, coconut custard, vanilla with caramelized brown sugar and honey, nothing here remotely diverges from the script of full-on sugar. Search but you are unlikely to find any stony qualities, nothing here to suggest a sense of terroir. Maybe some savory herbs and mint. Kiwi, peach, mango, pineapple, maraschino cherry with the consistency of fruit cocktail. The only possibility going forward is the fruit fading because the chance of tertiary development is nil.
87 points