Harvested only three days later than the feinherb rendition, the Pfeffingen 2006 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe Spatlese reflects a very different state of ripeness as well as the rapid onset of botrytis. Redolent of mint candy, sage flower, black currant, nectarine, pink grapefruit and banana, its veritable bowl full of fruits on the palate prominently features those classic Scheurebe markers pink grapefruit and cassis. Suggestions of grapefruit rind and berry skin invigorate, while lending counterpoint to the wine’s sweetness. This gaudy, lush and luscious Scheurebe should be capable of entertaining you over the coming 12-15 years. Pfeffingen suffered 40% losses vis a vis normal, even though most of their crop had already been picked when the worst rains arrived on October 3rd. Scheurebe was so resistant to the effects of rain, Jan Eymael reports, that they did not even begin picking it until all of the Riesling was finished, and at that point the fruit was still healthy. But not for long: a week later, says Eymael, Beerenauslese could be picked straight from the vine! To compensate for the high acidity in fruit harvested this early, Eymael gave many of his wines significant skin contact in the press, and he was also happy to the extent that the young wines dropped tartrates. But above all, the high extract inherent in this well-watered vintage serves to buffer acidity. The tart, brisk personality of some of this year’s wines thus comes as something of a shock relative to the vintage norm, but not considering the early harvest at this address.Imported by Rudi Wiest, Cellars International, Carlsbad, CA 800 596 9463.