According to the German Wine Law, Auslese belongs to the riper Prädikats in the QMP quality wine group. ‘Selected harvest’ is the literal translation of the term auslese, and starting with the 1994 vintage, the grapes should theoretically be harvested at least a week after a preliminary picking of less mature fruit.
In reality, an Auslese may have been harvested earlier because early harvesting usually produces better Botrytis and sometimes better results regarding the final wine. For every combination of grape type and locale, certain minimum Must Weights are established (ranging from 83° to 100° Oechsle).
When these wines reach their best expression, they are sweet and frequently botrytized wines that may be purchased for less money than the more rarer and more riper Trockenbeerenauslese and Beerenauslese Prädikats. Typically, auslese is connected to dessert wines. Though some vintners prefer to use the term Spätlese even if the Must Weight on which their particular wine is based much exceeds the standard for Auslese. It is to be noted that high-alcohol dry wines are frequently referred to as Auslese trocken.
Riesling Auslesen can be among Germany’s best and most distinctive wines, but Auslesen created from the majority of the new German grape variety crossings (with the notable exception of Rieslaner and Scheurebe) should be treated cautiously as they rarely have the acidity to balance the sweetness. Riesling Auslesen are also capable of ageing for many years.
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