Auslese: the selected harvest of German Prädikat wine
Auslese means "selected harvest", and the name describes exactly what happens in the vineyard. Late in the autumn, only the ripest bunches are picked by hand. In the German and Austrian quality system, Auslese sits above Kabinett and Spätlese and below Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese. It is a Prädikat, not a style: the rules govern how ripe the grapes are at harvest, not how sweet the finished wine turns out.
In Germany the must has to reach between 83 and 100 degrees Oechsle, depending on region and grape. The Mosel sits at the lower end, while the Rheingau asks for more. In Austria the minimum is 21 degrees KMW, roughly 105 degrees Oechsle. Adding sugar is not allowed. Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau is generally credited with the first Auslese, in 1787, and Auslese is still only made in years when the autumn gives the grapes enough sun and time.
Sweet, feinherb or trocken: what Auslese tastes like
Most Auslese is sweet, with ripe notes of apricot, peach, honey and citrus, carried by the acidity that Riesling in particular brings. Some of the grapes may carry noble rot, but botrytis never dominates the way it does in a Beerenauslese. There is also Auslese trocken, mostly from the Pfalz, with more alcohol and body, and off-dry versions labelled feinherb or halbtrocken.
Many growers go well beyond the legal minimums and show it on the label: with one to three stars, with cask numbers or with a gold capsule (Goldkapsel). The long gold capsule (lange Goldkapsel) marks the very finest lots. None of these is defined in wine law. The gold capsule appeared precisely because the 1971 wine law banned the old terms feine, hochfeine and feinste Auslese, which you will still see on older bottles, along with the word Cabinet. Eiswein has only been a Prädikat in its own right since 1982, so older ice wines are often labelled Eiswein-Auslese.
Auslese from the Mosel, Rheingau and Pfalz in our range
The Mosel leads. Joh. Jos. Prüm is here with Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich, from young vintages to old gold capsules. From the Saar comes Egon Müller with Scharzhofberger and Le Gallais Wiltinger braune Kupp, and from the Ruwer Maximin Grünhaus with Abtsberg and Herrenberg. Markus Molitor offers Auslese in all three sweetness styles, Fritz Haag and Max Ferd. Richter bring Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr, and Willi Schaefer adds Graach. From the Nahe there is Dönnhoff.
From the Rheingau you will find Robert Weil, Schloss Johannisberg with its Rosalack, Schloss Reinhartshausen from the Erbacher Markobrunn and Kloster Eberbach, which also made Spätburgunder Auslese from the Assmannshäuser Höllenberg. Bassermann-Jordan represents the Pfalz with Forster Jesuitengarten and Ungeheuer, and Klaus Peter Keller has a Rieslaner Auslese from Rheinhessen. Vintages run from the late nineteenth century to today.
Auslese with food, and how to serve it
A sweet Auslese can be enjoyed on its own as an aperitif, but it really comes alive with food. Blue cheese and foie gras are classic matches, and the sweetness tames spicy Thai or Chinese dishes. With dessert, try a fruit tart with apple, citrus or peach, as long as the dessert is not sweeter than the wine. Serve Auslese at 8 to 12 °C. If you want to go further up the sweetness scale, browse our dessert wine selection.
Auslese FAQ
What is the difference between Spätlese and Auslese?
Both are late harvested, but for Auslese only the ripest bunches are selected and the minimum must weight is higher. The result is more concentration and usually more sweetness.
Is Auslese always sweet?
No. The Prädikat describes the ripeness of the grapes, not the residual sugar. Most Auslese is sweet, Auslese trocken is dry and feinherb sits in between.
What does Goldkapsel mean on an Auslese?
The gold capsule is the estate's own mark for an especially fine lot. It is not regulated, and the criteria differ from one producer to the next.
How long can Auslese age?
A good Riesling Auslese can develop for decades. With age the sweetness recedes and notes of honey and dried fruit come forward.