The 2004 Bacharacher Hahn Riesling Auslese A.P. #3 – picked in late October – smells of mango, orange, pink grapefruit and vanilla. Creamy and oily in feel and yet delicate on the palate, it finishes surprisingly discretely and soft with, notes of vanilla, sweet flowers, and again lightly salted tropical fruits. The flavors and the combination of creaminess and clarity are lovely, but I can’t help thinking that there is a certain energy or oomph that’s wanting. There has long been a provision for drip lines in the Hahn as a controlled experiment, but Peter Jost says that Mother Nature pretty much delivered the right amount of water in 2004 without technological assistance. This is not the first year in which the starting point for Jost’s wines was a must weight legally sufficient for Auslese. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300