The Breuers rendered 400 half bottles of 2009 Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Auslese gold capsule that brims with purple plum, peach and quince preserves, accented by malt, tasted nuts, and a strongly cyanic impression of fruit pits, all of which help offset the wines sweetness. Overtly dense, ample, and almost darkly brooding in finish, this could scarcely display a more dramatically different personality than its generic counterpart. Peppery pungency, persistent fruit pit piquancy and sizzling impingement of citrus rind all extend its moderately sweet finish. This ought to be fascinating to follow for at least the next 15-20 years, though I am not convinced it will be a notably long keeper for its genre. Berg Schlossberg was the sole site whose botrytis material this vintage was distinctive (“Eigenstandig”) enough, says Teresa Breuer, to merit dedicated bottling. Theresa Breuer underplayed the effects of drought conditions during late summer and early autumn 2009 on the performance of her familys vines in the exposed, rocky Rudesheimer Berg, and, admittedly, there are drip lines in some locations to compensate. But I can easily imagine a connection between that drought and the somewhat peaky acids and strident personalities of many wines in the present collection, and Breuer notes that the slightly lower must weights and consequently lower finished alcohol of several wines probably also reflects at least in part vine stress. (The measured levels of acidity are still lower this year than in the corresponding 2008s.) Picking began already at the end of September and lasted until October 25, under conditions Breuer described as “relatively relaxed.” Incidentally, I re-tasted the top 2008s at this address and would rate the Nonnenberg and Berg Rottland a notch up on my account in issue 187. This is an instance where 2009 is I believe highly unlikely to ever approach the outstanding quality level of its immediate predecessor. (Note: most of the dry-tasting Breuer wines are legally trocken but not labeled as such.)Imported by Classical Wines, Seattle WA 206 547 0255