2015 - Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese 2* Green Capsule, Markus Molitor

Village-typical cherry and lime on the nose transform themselves into a soothingly sorbet-like, rich yet cooling palate presence tinged with mint and laced with drippingly ripe honeydew melon. Don’t be misled by its labeling: this two-star Auslese is no less discreet in sweetness than its green-capsule Spätlese or Kabinett counterparts. Stony, smoky and otherwise elusive mineral notes convey intriguing counterpoint on a superbly sustained finish. The wine’s acidity, like its residual sugar, is by no means obvious. But the extent to which the two check one another results in an impeccable balance as well as an animation that puts me in mind of well-wound springs beneath the wine’s surface.