Exclusive Sweet Wine Auction – No Reserve Price 2006 Schloss Lieser, Niederberg Helden Riesling Beerenauslese Goldkapsel – 6 half bottles (0.375 L) Original cardboard box, bottles wrapped in original paper, pristine condition, intact labels Professional storage at OHMS Connoisseurs Choice wine cellar A rare Mosel noble-sweet wine set from one of Germany’s most acclaimed estates. Schloss Lieser’s Niederberg Helden is a VDP.Grosse Lage site on steep blue Devonian slate above Lieser, producing Rieslings of exceptional finesse, purity, and longevity. The 2006 vintage delivered outstanding botrytis selections with concentrated fruit and vibrant acidity, making it a benchmark year for Mosel dessert wines. Goldkapsel – What It Signifies Goldkapsel is an estate designation used to mark the most selective Auslese and Beerenauslese lots within a Prädikat. It indicates higher levels of noble rot selection, concentration, and rarity beyond standard Auslese. Goldkapsel wines are tiny-production, botrytis-rich selections with elevated richness and extended aging potential, prized by collectors worldwide. Beerenauslese – Difference and Prestige Beerenauslese (BA) is one of the highest Prädikat levels in German wine law. Unlike Auslese, which uses very ripe grapes, BA is made from individually selected berries affected by noble rot (botrytis cinerea). This results in intensely sweet, concentrated wines with extraordinary complexity and longevity. BA wines are rare, labor-intensive, and represent the pinnacle of Mosel craftsmanship. Winemaker and Philosophy Thomas Haag, from the renowned Haag family of the Mosel, took over Schloss Lieser in 1992 and rebuilt it into a world-class Riesling estate. His philosophy focuses on authenticity and naturalness: sustainable vineyard work, hand harvesting in multiple passes, spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, and cool, slow elevage so each site’s character speaks clearly. Thomas Haag aims for Rieslings of complexity and precision that are elegant, pure, and built to age. Haag Family Connection and Estate History Thomas Haag is the son of Wilhelm Haag and brother of Oliver Haag of Weingut Fritz Haag. He revitalized Schloss Lieser from the early 1990s, acquiring prime parcels across the Middle Mosel’s top crus, and restored the estate’s historic reputation. The castle itself dates to the late 19th century under Eduard Puricelli and served as a press house for the Schorlemer vineyards in the early 1900s before falling into decline and later being revived under Thomas Haag’s leadership. Awards and Recognition Thomas Haag was named Winemaker of the Year by Gault Millau in 2015 and by Falstaff in 2021. Schloss Lieser holds the highest rankings from leading German guides, including five stars in Eichelmann and the top FFFFF rating in Feinschmecker. The estate’s noble-sweet wines are consistently counted among the finest in the Mosel. VDP Membership and Classification Schloss Lieser is a member of the VDP, Germany’s elite association of top estates. VDP classification is origin-based, with Niederberg Helden designated VDP.Grosse Lage, the highest site tier. From these parcels, noble-sweet Prädikatsweine such as Beerenauslese are produced at the highest natural ripeness, without chaptalization, emphasizing terroir, selection, and longevity. Vintage 2006 – Significance The year brought a hot early summer, a cooler August, and rapid botrytis development in September. Leading estates executed meticulous selections to isolate healthy fruit and noble botrytis clusters, yielding outstanding Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese. 2006 is widely praised for nobly sweet Mosel Rieslings with exotic fruit profiles, high extract, and balancing acidity. Tasting Profile and Critic Scores The 2006 Niederberg Helden Beerenauslese Goldkapsel shows deep yellow to golden color, with aromas of candied citrus, apricot, custard, and lemon peel. The palate is silken and velvety, with layered tropical fruit, honey, and spice over slate minerality, balanced by refreshing acidity. Robert Parker Wine Advocate: 96 points DoctorWine: 95 points Prague Wine Trophy: 99 points Drinking Window and Aging Potential Beerenauslese from top Mosel sites ages for decades. This wine is superb now and built for the long term. Expect a graceful evolution toward caramelized citrus, dried apricot, almond, and truffled nuances. Optimal drinking window now through 2050 and beyond, with the concentration and acidity to carry for three to four decades in pristine storage. Half-bottle format is ideal for dessert service and collector rotation while retaining longevity. Provenance, Condition, and Collector Value Six half bottles in original box, wrapped in original estate paper. Labels intact, capsules sound, high fills. Purchased directly from Schloss Lieser in March 2009 and stored undisturbed in the OHMS Connoisseurs Choice professional, climate- and humidity-controlled cellar. An investment-grade Beerenauslese Goldkapsel from a VDP.Grosse Lage with documented provenance and perfect presentation. Shipping and Buyer Confidence Fully insured, professional packing to protect against climate changes and damage. EU shipping via DPD Rest of Europe via EMS Overseas via EMS or DHL Please see our reviews and client experiences on our Catawiki profile. No reserve price. A rare opportunity to secure a world-class Mosel Beerenauslese Goldkapsel from the great 2006 vintage, with pristine provenance and condition.