Piesporter control

St. Urbans-Hof 2005 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese 026 06 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Minted peach blossom, plus thick orangesicle laden with vanilla. Reticent at its core, but delish around the perimeter. There’s no real value in drinking this now, considering the potential upside as it develops some muscle and flesh. (4/09)

Dennis Hof

St. Urbans-Hof 2002 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese 034 03 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Less weird than previous bottles, showing wind-blown slate and a touch of makrut lime leaf, covered with a faint patina of sweet apple. It’s very delicate, perhaps almost fragile, and doesn’t yet seem to be in a drinking mood. (5/08)

Piesporter control

St. Urbans-Hof 2006 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett 10 07 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Light and pretty, but pure, with great acidity and abundant steel flakes. Fun. (2/08)

Piesporter creek

St. Urbans-Hof 2005 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese 26 06 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Gorgeous sweetness, crisp-ripe rapple, green grapes. Balanced and incredibly acidic, but the weight of the fruit more than makes up for it. Clear and crystalline finish. Gorgeous. (2/07)

Piesporter control

St. Urbans-Hof 2005 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese 13 06 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Flowers, banana, papaya. Very youthful. (2/07)