Von Kunow’s 2006 Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese is another of those prickly-pungent botrytis Rieslings of its vintage, here displaying an odd and awkward combination of cutting acidity with a diffuse over-ripe peach, musk, and honey impression. Von Kunow points out that these 2006s really “ate sulfur,” and I suspect this one may be temporarily stunted by the effects. Ebernard von Kunow’s outstanding 2005 collection gave promise of a return to the quality that made this estate a leader for most of the last quarter century, and – in the context of a challenging vintage – his 2006s were reassuring on that score. Patient settling of the musts and selective bentonite fining were von Kunow’s non-aggressive tools for dealing with the negative side of botrytis one of the most rigorous triages that time permitted had taken place in the vineyards. Rapid harvest, low yields and a frank desire to simplify things a bit, have resulted in fewer individual bottlings than one generally associates with this address.Importer: Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA; tel. (800) 596-9463