Dustily pungent as well as overtly fungal manifestation of botrytis on the nose of von Schonborns late- and sporadically-picked 2009 Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Beerenauslese follow onto a viscous, rather sweet-sour palate, its sharp lemon citricity not restraining its superficial sweetness. This has to be seen as a wine to cellar for 2-3 decades in hope that its sheer sweetness will back-off sufficiently, but in the end I dont think well be rewarded with more noble expressions of botrytis than are evidenced now. That said, there is impressive richness and sheer persistence here to be sure. The latest collection from Peter Barth and his team further demonstrates the high standards that now prevail at this venerable estate. “The window for optimal harvest seems to keep narrowing,” Barth notes, and the relatively high finished alcohol levels on this years dry Schonborn Rieslings certainly testifies to that fact, leaving the 2008s at this address with a distinct edge over their 2009 counterparts. Despite the ravages of hail in Hattenheim and Erbach – including the loss of nearly one-third of the estates anticipated crop of Marcobrunn – the number of different bottlings from that site and from the monopole Pfaffenberg is still considerable. Various importers, including Dee Vine Wines San Francisco, CA; tel. (877) 389- 9463, Slocum & Sons, North Haven, CT; tel. 203-239-8000, Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700, Winesellers Ltd. Niles, IL; tel. (847) 647-1100