1976 J. Lauerburg Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 96 points

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  12/27/2018 - straight outta iowa Likes this wine: 96 Points

  I am frequently surprised by both the longevity and resiliency of great riesling. My sister was in town on Christmas Eve, and I had been waiting to open a particular birth year wine for her -- in this case the 1976 Lauerburg Berkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese. I wanted to put a little more chill on it after retrieving it from the 55 degree cellar, so I put it in the freezer with the intention of pulling it out a few minutes later. With all the merriment of people arriving the bottle slipped my mind, so...fast forward an hour and a half (!) and -- WHOOPS! -- I pulled it out only to discover I had created an "eiswein". So I let it sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour until the ice was no longer visible, pulled the cork and poured a few glasses. The wine was absolutely amazing. Though it appeared cloudy in the bottle, the color was much lighter than I would have expected. A more brilliant yellow than the old gold one normally suspects in older riesling. The auslese sweetness had diminished with time, replaced mainly by petrol, and held together with perceptible but unobtrusive acid. There was also a waxy quality reminiscent of an aged hermitage blanc. The wine was delicate yet intense, very light on its feet yet quite long on the palate. Really extraordinary at the age of 42.

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