Picked early (in mid-October) with often just 10% of botrytis, the 2015 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule is very clear, fresh and concentrated on the nose, with complex slate and citrus-fruit aromas; it also has a cool precision that almost reminds me of an ice wine. Super piquant and elegant on the palate, this is a laser beam of an Auslese—so perfectly focused, intense and energetic, with so much salt and tension. But it also has a generously lush and perfectly balanced fruit. This is a great and finessed Auslese and pretty unique in its style. Total acidity is 9.9 grams per liter. Just one fuder has been produced, so roughly 1,000 liters. The same picking of the 4.2 hectares brought 100 liters of Trockenbeerenauslese.