2018 Max Ferdinand Richter Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese (375ml)

Weingut Max Ferdinand Richter produces world-class Rieslings from some of the most esteemed vineyards in the Mosel, and all production comes from estate holdings. The terroir of their steep vineyard sites is generally grey slate with different compositions of ferruginous (Brauneberg), mineral quartz (Veldenz) or clay (Graach, Wehlen, Mülheim) soils; those deeply influence character and flavour of the wines. In order to reduce quantity and increase concentration, pruning is severe and in prolific years a green harvest is carried out in August. The vintage is picked much later than that of most growers and is done entirely by hand. Three passes are done to select the best qualities to eliminate all inferior grapes and to keep perfect botrytis bunches or single berries for Auslese qualities and above. The same attention is paid to all vines from the QBAs on up through the Eisweins.

Other Reviews....
Sourced in all the sections of the cru and picked with 270° Oechsle and perfect botrytis, the yellow-golden 2018 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese is deep, intense and refreshingly spicy and mineral on the compact and complex lime-zesty nose that reminds me of stewed apricots and sweet fig mustard with lemon zests. Incredibly rich, round and viscous but also finessed, fresh and vital on the palate, this is a highly elegant and perfectly balanced TBA with a long, intense and even stimulatingly vital finish. Compared to the filigreed, more crystalline Wehlener Sonnenuhr sibling, this is far more rich and oily textured, yet I can't avoid taking a large sip again and again, hedonist that I am! Thanks to the lower acidity, this is a smooth and sweet but still fine and delicate TBA that tastes fruity, fresh and highly digestible even at this early stage. All the components are already perfectly interwoven, and it's just a question of personal taste if you prefer to have this TBA sweet and smooth or matured and smooth. It's a marvelous wine in any case. It took a long ferment, until the end of June this year, which might have added a bit more complexity compared to the Wehlener Sonnenuhr. Tasted at the end of July and again in later August 2019 when the wine had already closed. Drink 2020 - 2090.
96-98 points
Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (Aug 2019)

The 2018er Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling TBA was harvested at 260° Oechsle and was fermented down to noble-sweet levels of residual sugar. A whiff of volatile acidity quickly gives way to stunning elements of brown sugar, mango, candied pineapple, bitter lemon, raisin and cream. The wine is smooth yet stunningly multi-layered on the palate and leaves a gorgeously smooth yet precise feel of dried fruits and herbs in the long and juicy finish. The saturating sweetness in the finish still needs to integrate. It could then easily exceed our already very high expectations. Drink 2038-2068.
97+ points
Jean Fisch & David Rayer - Mosel Fine Wines