2011 Riesling Auslese Feinherb, Sybille Kuntz
"Auslese feinherb has a violet label symbolizing for the beginning of botrytis of the berries, when the berry skin is turning from a red-gold color to violet. The vines for the Auslese also grow in the best parcels of the Niederberg-Helden site in Lieser. During harvest the grapes are manually selected for only dark-golden almost violet botrytis grapes that have almost shrunk to dehydrated raisins. They are still a bit juicy and taste like fully ripe aromatic fruits. A number of the vines from the Grand Cru site Lieser Niederberg-Helden consist of old ungrafted Riesling vines of more than a 100 years of age that have withstood even the phylloxera. Already centuries ago Riesling wines from this site were among the best in the world." Sybille Kuntz
"Kuntz's 2011 Mosel-Riesling Auslese feinherb (AP #5 12) comes along with 13% alcohol and displays a ripe, dense, intense and elegant nose of ripe apples and some floral aromas. Full-bodied and pretty sweet on the palate, this still elegant Niederberg Helden Auslese is quite alcoholic and powerful in the finish and reflects the warm vintage character. The lingering fruit flavors are rather tropical and I suppose the persistently mineral and well structured wine can have a similarly good development like the 2003 Dreistern Goldkapsel. Good aging potential. But you certainly have to like this style of Mosel Riesling. Drink 2021-2028." Wine Advocate, Mar 2016