Dunkles Gold im Glas. In der Nase frische Zitruszesten, Grapefruit, Lemongras und exotische Tropenfrucht, dazu Pfirsich, Honig und feine Kräuteranklänge. Am Gaumen hochkonzentriert und dennoch messerscharf frisch, getragen von einer lebendigen, rassigen Säure, die die üppige Süße perfekt ausbalanciert. Seidig, mineralisch und energiegeladen mit sorbetartiger Leichtigkeit. Ein langer, minutenlanger Abgang mit beeindruckender Präsenz und großer Trinkanimation. The 2006 #11 Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen delivers a thickly concentrated yet razor sharp and refreshing essence of this grapes endearing virtues: high toned sage, bergamot and mint; pink grapefruit and oranges; peach preserves and glazed pineapple; honey and nut oils. With silken-smooth refinement, nearly levitating gracefulness, sorbet-like refreshment, and an infectious energy that carries you up into its finish, this is Scheu out on the dance floor, dressed in black tie, showing off without missing a beat. Given this wine’s sheer sweetness not to mention overall intensity, it will be capable of fascinating pairings with a diverse range of desserts. And it should dazzle for two decades or more. 96/100 The Wine Advocate / David Schildknecht Kracher TBA No. 11 Zwischen den Seen Scheurebe 2006 (Burgenland, Austria; 100% Scheurebe; 299.4 g/L of residual sugar; 9% alcohol). I’d love to have the formula to calculate the potential alcohol level in the fruit when it was picked here – with 9% alcohol and almost exactly 300 g/l of residual sugar in the finished wine! If I’m not mistaken (and I might well be) we’re at well over 25% of potential alcohol at fermentation. Fascinating, with eucalyptus, chocolate (really!) and spearmint vying for attention with the baked and scorched apricot, plum and even pineapple notes. There’s a subtle and delightful hint of confected raspberry lurking in there too; and, with aeration, crème brulée. The intensity is sublime, but this is at the same time really restrained and elegant, the considerable viscosity almost difficult to take in at first, not least as one is – as always – struck first and foremost by the almost shocking freshness and purity of the fruit and its associated vibrant, almost pulsating, acidity. Brilliant and, for me, the pick of the 2006s. 98. /100 by Colin Hay The Drinks Buisness

Mittleres Goldgelb. Zarte Rauchigkeit, Zitronenthymian und Limettenzeste prägen die Nase. Am Gaumen dicht und cremig, fast opulent in der Textur, gleichzeitig von lebendiger Säure und intensiver Zitrusfrucht getragen. Aromen von Litschi, Maracuja und rosa Grapefruit verleihen Frische und Spannung Medium golden yellow. Delicate smoke, subtle lemon thyme and lime zest on the nose and in the mouth. This wine is incredibly thick and creamy, yet its vivacious acidity and intense citrus flavours keep it from cloying. This Rubenesque angel is extremely primary-almost unformed today-and really must be given time before a proper assessment can be made. 95/100 The Wine Advocate / David Schildknecht Kracher TBA No. 12 Zwischen den Seen Scheurebe 2006 (Burgenland, Austria; 100% Scheurebe; 373.3 g/L of residual sugar; 6% alcohol). The residual sugar level here is off the radar and, again, if my back-of-the hand calculation is right, we’re at over 25% of potential alcohol at fermentation. Another extraordinary wine whether or not one looks at its vital statistics! In a way this starts to resemble a Tokaji Esszencia, and the question is whether to serve this by the glass or the spoonful. Either way, it’s amazing, though I have a marginal preference for the Scheurebe TBA cuvée no. 11, today at least. It’s not that it’s all too much – or at least not too much sugar. If anything, it’s too much tension. But, of course, it needs all of that racy tension to cut the sucrosity. The two together, although perfectly balanced, still have one feeling like one’s just watched at close quarters a titanic struggle between two goliaths. So whilst this is perhaps more impressive, there’s much to be said for the relative tranquillity of the lower-numbered cuvées. At the same time, this is a startlingly brilliant wine, with an incredibly creaminess to the mouthfeel that the others don’t quite have. And the candied orange notes – aromatically and on the palate – are sublime. 96. /100 by Colin Hay The Drinks Buisness

In der Nase entfalten sich verlockende Aromen von reifer Marille und duftigem Quittenkompott. Am Gaumen zeigen sich saftiger Pfirsich, aromatische Quitte und Apfelkompott, begleitet von einem Hauch Akazienhonig. Im Abgang bleiben feine Tabaknoten und ein Hauch Birne zuru¨ck, wa¨hrend sich wu¨rzige Kra¨uter und ein salziger Nachhall harmonisch entfalten. The 2006 #4 Chardonnay Trockenbeerenauslese Nouvelle Vague offers aromas and flavors of grilled pineapple, spiced apple, banana, and orange and vanilla cream. Yet for all of its gaudy side, and its honeyed botrytis and new wood patina, this also displays almost a Burgundian side of its grape, in its notes of toasted hazelnuts and wheat germ. Texturally, though, the impression here is more of juiciness and polish than of creaminess. In a remarkable display of self-sufficiency of which Chardonnay was memorably capable in Kracher’s hands, this multi-faceted elixir remains bright and refreshing, checking its sweetness before residual sugar can throw a blanket over a long finish that is spicy and invigorating. Kracher TBA No. 4 Nouvelle Vague Chardonnay 2006 (Burgenland, Austria; 100% Chardonnay; 189.8 g/L of residual sugar; 12% alcohol). Fascinating. Peanut brittle. Cordite. Werther’s Originals, which might not mean much outside of the UK – but, essentially, caramel meets butterscotch, with a more creamy mouthfeel and texture. Sorry, I digress! Brandysnaps! A little wild strawberry, which is wonderful and almost a hint of strawberry jam in the process of being made (gently bubbling nice a New Zealand geezer!). This is incredibly viscous in the mouth (we’re at No. 4 and we know there are higher levels of residual sugar, and hence viscosity, to come!) but what is amazing is that what one senses is the salinity, first, and then then freshness – never really the sucrosity. Another truly amazing wine from Kracher. Utterly unique and utterly brilliant. “It’s Chardonnay, Jim, but not as we know it!” (with apologies to Mr Spock from Star Trek). 96. /100 by Colin Hay The Drinks Buisness 93/100 The Wine Advocate / David Schildknecht

Leuchtende Bernsteinfarbe mit zarten Messingreflexen. Intensiv aromatisch mit Nuancen von tropischen Früchte wie Litschi, Mango, Ananas und Maracuja. Am Gaumen sehr konzentriert, fast ölig und cremig. Leichte Nougat- und Karamellnoten im Abgang. Kracher TBA No. 5 Zwischen den Seen Scheurebe 2006 (Burgenland, Austria; 100% Scheirebe; 183.2 g/L of residual sugar; 11.5% alcohol). Here we change register again, with more exotic fruits – lychees and guava, a little passionfruit too – alongside the now familiar quince and butter-softened apple. There’s a little black tea leaf too and a hint of both bergamot and smoke – so, Russian caravan tea leaf perhaps. Again, that remarkable acidity. Here it seems almost more intense as the wine has quite a narrow frame in the mouth. There’s a lovely combination of burnt orange rind and fresh mint on the finish. Wondrously sapid and salivating. 95. /100 by Colin Hay The Drinks Buisness

Die 2006 TBA No. 7 von Kracher zeigt in der Nase frische Zitrusnoten wie Zitronenzeste und Grapefruit, ergänzt durch kandierte Aprikose, Quitte, florale und honigige Nuancen sowie dezente Kräuter- und Mineralnoten. Am Gaumen ist der Wein straff, klar und konzentriert, die Süße elegant eingebunden. Aromen von Zitrus, Honig und feinen Kräutern verbinden sich mit einer subtilen Mineralität, die auf seine Herkunft und die Böden des Neusiedler Sees schließen lässt. Die Textur ist schlank, animierend und harmonisch. Der Abgang ist lang, frisch und vibrierend, mit zitrischen Noten, Honig und leichter Kräuterwürze. The green-gold-glinting 2006 #7 Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen is another of Kracher’s testimonies to the potential of that ubiquitous and much unloved Central European grape variety. Scents of grilled pineapple, passion fruit, spruce resin, and browned sugar lead to a thickly-rich yet invigoratingly pungent and resinous palate, and the hugely-honeyed finish pulls up just short of becoming cloying. I would plan on revisiting this in several years. It will certainly be capable of holding up to a decade of cellaring, though whether any complexities gained will justify that, only time can tell us. Long-time readers know that I can be hard on Kracher’s Traminer TBAs because this naturally low-acid grape has trouble dealing with the huge levels of residual sugar they impose on it. 92/100 The Wine Advocate / David Schildknecht Kracher TBA No. 7 Zwischen den Seen Welschriesling 2006 (Burgenland, Austria; 100% Welschriesling; 206.1 g/L of residual sugar; 11% alcohol). Statistically, we might already be in the sucrose stratosphere, but (a) there’s more to come; and (b) you hardly notice it! Dried and fresh apricots, apricot compote, a little scorched pineapple and quince jam. Incredibly intense, once again, this is spherical in form in the mouth with a glacial, cool interior from whose heart the citrus acidity seems to radiate, pulsating as it does so. A wine of staggering freshness and sapidity given the level of residual sugar. Astonishing. 94. /100 by Colin Hay The Drinks Buisness

Mittlerer, goldbrauner Ton. In der Nase reife Steinobstnoten, Marillenkonfitüre, zart nach Nüssen und Kräutern, ein sehr ideales Bild der Sorte, feine Honignote, sehr vielschichtig. Am Gaumen seidige, cremige Textur, bereits sehr gut in Balance, feines Säurespiel unterlegt, sehr gut integrierter Restzucker (290 gr), durchaus trinkanimierende Stilistik, bleibt sehr lange zurück, insgesamt sehr leichtfüßig wirkender Stil, der nicht auf 20 Jahre Reife schließen lässt. Verführerisch und elegant, hier wirkt alles wie selbstverständlich. Kracher TBA No. 9 Zwischen den Seen Welschriesling 2006 (Burgenland, Austria; 100% Welschriesling; 290.0 g/L of residual sugar; 8.5% alcohol). Gosh, there’s almost 100 g/l more residual sugar in this than the TBA cuvée no. 7, also from Welschriesling. And, but for the monumental viscosity of this, you might well not have any inkling. Aromatically this is extraordinarily elegant with a gloriously pure and intense menthol note – almost crème de menthe alongside the scorched caramel and burnt peach skin notes. Staggeringly fresh on the entry and intensely salivating in its salinity and very natural acidity, this is yet another unique and remarkable wine from Kracher. Almost infinite on the palate with the waves of silky sapid freshness sustaining this over the distant horizon. The menthol returns. 96. /100 by Colin Hay The Drinks Buisness