2022 TBA No. 2 Welschriesling

Vinified in stainless steel, the golden-yellow 2022 Trockenbeerenauslese No 2 Welschriesling Zwischen den Seen is superbly precise and concentrated on the nose that displays perfectly ripe, yellow botrytis fruit with beautiful lemon nuances intermingled with saline and herbal tea notes. The wine is rich but highly finessed and elegant on the palate, beautifully balanced and mouthfilling, Savory as it is, the wine develops a subtle intensity without power or overconcentration. It is full of finesse and brightness yet also this characteristic salinity that makes Kracher's wines so irresistible. This is a fabulous, very sustainable and gastronomic TBA that no wine lover would want to put down the glass. In any case, the drinking speed is likely to be quite high, and the finish is the longest of the 2022 collection. By Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

Lively and bright, this has a gorgeous playful aspect with pineapple and peach and biting acidity that cuts through some of the sweetness. Rich and intense yet delineated, precise, finessed and elegant. Citrus fruit, saline notes and savoury touches of vanilla, white chocolate and dried herbs. I like this a lot, lifted and pure with plenty going on. Thick and viscous but keeps a sherbet, citrus kick on the back which makes it so fun and approachable. Totally yum. A marvelous wine. One of five wines in the line up, from the outstanding 2022 vintage, entering the Place de Bordeaux this September. Director and winemaker Gerhard Kracher. Georgina Hindle, Decanter

Apple. Pure and simple. Granny Smith. But with a red apple skin too. A little white pear. Peanut brittle and salt. Pure, simple – a little like the cuvée no. 1 – but with more obvious potential (though both will age very gracefully and gain in complexity). There’s a fascinating hint of greenery here – part floral, part herbal, part almost grassy – and it breathes freshness into this in a most beguiling way. Fresh ginger too. I love that very Kracher peanut brittle note. Gorgeous, though once again at this stage the residual sugar slightly triumphs on the palate over the acidity (less of an issue, ironically, with the higher number – i.e.: higher residual sugar – cuvées). The Drinks Business, Colin Hay

Helles goldgelb; intensives vielschichtiges Bukett; Aromen von Maracuja, Blütenhonig und Verbene; kräftig, engmaschige Struktur; Kumquats und Mandeln im Finish; fruchtiger, balancierter Schmelz im Abgang; langer Nachhall; Marillen und Minze im Rückaroma. 95+/100 Punkte. By Willi Balanjuk.

98/100 The Wine Advocate
98/100 Decanter
95+/100 Willi Balanjuk
95+/100 The Drinks

591 kJ / 141 kcal in 100ml