Germany's exceptional 2001 vintage

This has been an extraordinary vintage for Germany – see my story in wine news for an extended overview.

Such high ripeness levels were attained relatively easily, thanks to a 'Goldener Oktober' (weather, not the dreary wine) that many of the wines have been declassified to a lower category, simply to have QbAs and Kabinett wines to sell.

Some Auslese wines are particularly difficult to taste at this early stage and I have surely under-marked some of them. Those I feel most uncertain about I have appended a ? to my score out of 20.

The combination of extreme, crystalline...