Molitor Haus Klosterberg Beerenauslese goc 2005 (375ml) *

Beerenauslese sits high on Germany's ripeness scale, made from individually selected, botrytis-touched berries that concentrate sugar and flavor into something unabashedly sweet. This one comes from Markus Molitor in the Mosel, drawn off the Haus Klosterberg bottling in Wehlen and carrying a gold capsule, the traditional marker for the richest tier within a Prädikat. Riesling grown along the steep Mosel keeps its bright, mineral acidity even at this level of sweetness, which is what lets a dessert-weight wine like the 2005 stay lively rather than cloying on the palate.