Bottled under the “Le Gallais” label - like all of the Rieslings from Muller’s monopole “Braune Kupp” – the 2004 Wiltinger Braune Kupp Riesling Spatlese A.P. #19 exhibits a plummy fruit aroma and flavors characteristic for this site. Faintly tart plum skin, fresh lime, honey, and brown spices accent the deep fruit on the palate. High-toned esters, honey, and spice suggest the influence of noble rot, but the long finish is juicy, clear, and dominated by juicy plum fruit, invigorating salty minerality, and a floral note that wafts across the palate. This lot from the Braune Kupp – certainly a wine well worth cellaring for 20 or more years – was auctioned. Muller’s harvest (other than Eiswein) was completed in mid-November because, he maintained, the off and on rain rendered additional development of truly noble rot unlikely. While this year’s collection offered marginally less excitement in the lower price echelons than we have come to expect from a couple of recent vintages, those of the top wines that I tasted were noble indeed - fully worthy of this estate’s lofty reputation and prices.