comparing German wines to US wines

[hncjc]

Spatlese, Auslese, etc., now actually only measure the must weight of the grapes at harvest (mostly the amount of grape sugar). While it is true that the names would indicate a later harvest, and thus an "older" grape as you indicated, that is not in all events so. Nonreisling grapes may accumulate must weight before reisling, and thus perversely often have a higher designation. Often the must weight goes up more if the vintage is warm, rather than colder.

As one gets to higher designations, particularly BA and TBA, the grapes likely are largely infected with a mold called Botrytis Cineria (my spelling is probably a little off), also known as the noble rot. Grapes so infected lose much of their water and thus concentrating sugars and other flavors. Eiswein is also made by getting rid of water and concentrating the remaining flavors, this time by freezing the grapes. In California, icewine is often made by putting grapes in a freezer.

As someone else wrote, if you want a Spatlese or Auslese style wine from California, look for late harvest. Sweeter wines often will be designated select late harvest. Usually, on Calfornia wines, the label will state the residual sugar. Great late harvest wines in California are made by Phelps, Chateau St. Jean, Beringer and Arrowood, among others.