Molitor Wehlner Sonnenuhr Auslese Gold Capsule *** 2020 (750ml) *

At 7.5% stated alcohol, this is Riesling built the way the Mosel does it best, weight traded for lift, sweetness held in check by acidity. Markus Molitor's Auslese comes from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, one of the great steep-slope sites above the river in Wehlen, and this bottling carries the triple-star Gold Capsule designation the estate reserves for its richer, more concentrated selections. The 2020 vintage, botrytis-touched and unhurried, is Riesling meant to reward patience.

The nose is precise and concentrated, lemon-scented and zesty, with a clarity that reads as remarkably fresh rather than heavy. On the palate it turns savory and intensely salty, a mouth-watering Auslese with sharp definition and real drive. The finish stimulates through its freshness and a touch of grapefruit bitterness. There is more to come here, a wine still gathering itself, promising rather than fully arrived.