2006 Gewurztraminer Trockenbeerenauslese, Willi Opitz

Sumptuous, exotic and endlessly layered, the 2006 Gewürztraminer Trockenbeerenauslese from Willi Opitz is pure decadence in a glass. Deep amber in colour, it opens with a heady perfume of lychee, rose petal, candied orange peel and honeycomb, unfolding into richer notes of apricot jam, saffron and warm spice. The palate is unctuous yet impeccably balanced with waves of tropical sweetness lifted by vibrant acidity, gliding to a finish that seems to last forever. It’s a dessert wine of astonishing concentration and finesse, where every drop feels like sunlight distilled.

For when: dessert feels unnecessary - this is dessert.
Pairs with: foie gras, Roquefort, or simply a quiet, luxurious evening.
If this wine were: a jewel, it’d be a topaz glowing in candlelight, rare, radiant, unforgettable.

Willi Opitz, the maverick sweet-wine master of Illmitz in Austria’s Burgenland, has long been known for his meticulous craftsmanship and experimental flair. Nestled on the shores of Lake Neusiedl, the estate benefits from the region’s unique microclimate, misty mornings and sunny afternoons that encourage the development of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), the secret behind the world’s greatest dessert wines.

Opitz’s approach is intensely hands-on: hand-harvested, botrytised berries picked one by one, gently pressed, and fermented slowly to preserve purity and fragrance. The Trockenbeerenauslese sits at the pinnacle of his range, the rarest, richest style, made only in exceptional years like 2006. Here, Gewürztraminer’s flamboyant aromatics meet the shimmering precision of noble rot, producing a wine of almost otherworldly complexity and grace.