Winemaker Notes
In 2018 they had to work hard to prevent erosion in their very steep Brauneberg vineyards after an intense two day rainstorm in August. But for the vines, it was a welcome break from the extreme summer heat. And what followed was a blissfully unhurried harvest of top-quality fruit. The 2018's are already showing beautifully, with phenomenal balance, a playful expression of Mosel slate, charming elegance, and above all a delightful drinkability.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A unique Spätlese, full of fresh herbs and even a touch of mowed lawn. Reductive, flinty and very subtle, this has a laser-sharp attack of acidity that takes the mouth aback, but it’s only medium-bodied and has a soft sensation of sweetness on the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Graceful, showing a good amount of concentration on the palate, offset by vivid structure and vibrancy that flows through. Notes of mango, guava and lime mix with elderberry and coriander details, all linked by a common thread leading to the long, pure finish. Best from 2021 through 2033.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Following the Mosel River as it slithers and weaves dramatically through the Eifel Mountains in Germany’s far west, the Mosel wine region is considered by many as the source of the world’s finest and longest-lived Rieslings.
Mosel’s unique and unsurpassed combination of geography, geology and climate all combine together to make this true. Many of the Mosel’s best vineyard sites are on the steep south or southwest facing slopes, where vines receive up to ten times more sunlight, a very desirable condition in this cold climate region. Given how many twists and turns the Mosel River makes, it is not had to find a vineyard with this exposure. In fact, the Mosel’s breathtakingly steep slopes of rocky, slate-based soils straddle the riverbanks along its entire length. These rocky slate soils, as well as the river, retain and reflect heat back to the vineyards, a phenomenon that aids in the complete ripening of its grapes.
Riesling is by far the most important and prestigious grape of the Mosel, grown on approximately 60% of the region’s vineyard land—typically on the desirable sites that provide the best combination of sunlight, soil type and altitude. The best Mosel Rieslings—dry or sweet—express marked acidity, low alcohol, great purity and intensity with aromas and flavors of wet slate, citrus and stone fruit. With age, the wine’s color will become more golden and pleasing aromas of honey, dried apricot and sometimes petrol develop.
Other varieties planted in the Mosel include Müller-Thurgau, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), all performing quite well here.