Fritz Haag BJS Riesling Auslese 1992

[primowino]

BJS is short for Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr, one of the top vineyards in the Mosel. This stuff is nectar, if nectar can be light, ethereal and only 8% alcohol. Most people probably drink Ausleses as a dessert wine, but Haag's wines are best not adulterated by anything but the lightest food.

The flavours are difficult to compare with earthly fruits, but if pushed I think there are apples here. There are also hints of petrol coming in, I think it is at a perfect age unless you are completely allergic to the character of mature riesling. These wines are amazing value in the UK, I bought this two years ago for £14 and you can get Haag's generic Riesling Kabinett for £8 and it is great. In the last decade people have moved strongly towards red wine, partly for reported health advantages but also possibly and ironically to get away from nasty off-dry whites especially bad German examples (I suspect this is more true of the UK then the US). Many people are therefore missing out on some of the best wine values around.

Edited November 18, 2003 by primowino (log)