Auslese

What is Auslese? Auslese is a Prädikatswein category in the German and Austrian wine classifications, made from hand-picked, very ripe bunches harvested late in the season. It sits one step above Spätlese and one step below Beerenauslese in the must-weight hierarchy, marking a clear jump in concentration and ripeness. Wines are most often sweet and most famously made from Riesling, though dry trocken versions exist, particularly in the Pfalz. The category traces its origin to Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau, where Auslese was reportedly discovered in 1787.

How Auslese Is Made

Auslese requires fully ripe grapes harvested by hand, typically late in autumn from late November into early December. Producers select only the ripest bunches, leaving less developed fruit on the vine, which is why Auslese is not made in every vintage — cooler sites and weaker years simply do not deliver the necessary ripeness.

The minimum must weight in Germany falls between roughly 83 and 100 degrees Oechsle, varying by region and grape variety. Mosel Riesling sits at the lower end around 83 degrees, while Rheingau Riesling needs about 95. In Austria the bar is set at 21 degrees KMW, which corresponds to roughly 105 degrees Oechsle. As with all Prädikatswein, chaptalization is forbidden — all the natural sugar must come from the grapes themselves.

Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot responsible for the most concentrated German sweet wines, may appear in Auslese fruit but does not define the style. That distinction belongs to Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, where botrytis is the driving character. In Auslese it is a supporting note at most.

Style, Grapes, and Aging

Riesling is the dominant variety, with the Rheingau, Mosel, Pfalz, and Baden producing the most recognized examples. Spätburgunder Auslese is an emerging style on the red-wine side, reflecting Germany's growing confidence with Pinot Noir at high ripeness levels.

Most Auslese is sweet, with concentrated stone fruit, honey, and citrus flavors balanced by Riesling's signature acidity. Alcohol typically lands around 13 to 14 percent. Dry Auslese, labeled trocken, ferments most of that sugar out and is associated especially with the Pfalz, where it serves as a full-bodied, structured expression of late-picked fruit.

Riesling Auslese ages exceptionally well, often holding and improving for ten years or more. To place it in context, Kabinett begins around 67 to 82 degrees Oechsle and Spätlese at 76 to 90, while Beerenauslese and Eiswein climb to 110–128 and Trockenbeerenauslese reaches 150–154. Auslese occupies the pivot point where ripeness shifts from classic to truly opulent.