The Muller 2008 Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule exudes ethereal aromas of honey, white raisin, gardenia, heliotrope, white peach preserves, and marzipan. Rich and satiny yet sleek and enormously penetrating on the palate, it suggests incipient caramelization, but is largely given over to sheer concentration of pit fruit essences drenched in honey and shot through to a remarkable degree with saline, stony, and crystalline suggestions of things non-living. The almost raucous dynamic and baroque complexity of the corresponding Wiltinger contrasts sharply with the harmonious, serene, high-toned personality and heavenly levity on display here. In fact, it is hard to imagine a much more impressive example of sheer purity of noble botrytis, even if one were to ratchet up must weight and Pradikat. At the same time, it's hard to imagine a much more dramatic example of the inherent ability of the Scharzhofberg to pack loads of botrytis yet retain its sheer purity of fruit, its elegance, and its sensibly discernible vineyard identity. As Muller points out, this extraordinary elixir was possible only by dint of fanatically rigorous selection across nearly the entire range of his Scharzhofberg parcels. It should certainly outlive any American reading this who is legally allowed - even if, like the vast majority of us, unable - to purchase it. Egon Muller finds merit in the comparison of 2008 with 1988 - or perhaps, as I suggested of his collection specifically, to 1969, a vintage with which, as he pointed out, the youthful 1988s were frequently compared. He notes that -half the 2008 harvest became Kabinett, and most of the rest Q.b.A.- but most of these Kabinetts would have been classified a grade higher in the, for its time, -classic Spatlese vintage- of 1988. That said, Muller and his team - who, unlike most of their Saar neighbors in search of a balance of dry and nobly sweet wines, do not spray against botrytis in summer - managed some superb selective harvesting this year, for which, he relates -the last week in October was the best time. At the end of October, it rained a bit again, and the botrytis was no longer so good. And that's why there is so little nobly sweet wine this year.- Apropos Kabinett, Muller takes a dim view of creeping residual sugar in wines so-labeled - confessing that he did not prove immune to that temptation - and is now bottling in the 30-35 gram range. He is always at pains to point out that he views and styles such wines in the manner traditionally associated with so-called Naturwein rather than in a manner especially associated with capital--K- Kabinett. Nonetheless, 2008 is one vintage where the Muller Kabinett bottlings exhibit precisely the delicacy that many of us consider the essence of that post-1971 category. For the most part, these 2008s - which, as a group, constitute a summit of their vintage - were bottled significantly later than the estate norm. (As always, Muller wines from his monopole Braune Kupp are bottled under the Le Gallais label.) Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY (212) 355 0700