August 1, 2013: News | Wines of the Month

Weingut Carl Loewen | Riesling 1896 | German Wine Label

2012er Weingut Carl Loewen Riesling "1896"

2012 is all about Kabinett and Spätlese in the Mosel? This truly remarkable wine defies this rule and sets new standards for dry-tasting Riesling.

Mosel 2012 "only" about Kabinett and Spätlese? Not at Weingut Carl Loewen

The Mosel vintage 2012 is a must-buy vintage for lovers of classic juicy Kabinett and Spätlese. And yet, this month, we do decided to highlight a dry wine. The Mosel vintage 2012 has produced some good dry wines but, on the whole, the vintage 2011 is a superior vintage for these wines in the Mosel.

Yet, one Estate broke this rule: Weingut Carl Loewen. It produced a simply stunning collection of dry and dry-tasting Riesling.

Weingut Carl Loewen | Riesling "1896"

The jewel in the crown of this Estate's portfolio has to be its remarkable Riesling "1896" (NB: this wine should not to be confused with the Estate's Longuicher Maximiner Herrenherg Trocken 1896). As you will read in the tasting note here below, this wine has been made from vines planted at the end of the 19th century using winemaking methods from essentially the same period. This is Mosel wine as it used to be a century ago! Besides the nostalgia, this is above all a terrific wine which sets new standards for dry-tasting Riesling.

The superb collection of 2012er Riesling by Carl Loewen were reviewed in the Mosel Fine Wines Issue No 22 (Jul 2013).
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Tasting Note | Extract from Mosel Fine Wines Issue No 22 (Jul 2013)

2012er

Carl Loewen

Riesling "1896"

12 13

93

This wine is a project done by Christopher Loewen, the son of Karl-Josef, who is still completing his studies in Geisenheim. The grapes for this wine were harvested from very old vines planted in the Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg vineyard (planted back in 1896 and hence the denomination). The wine has the particularity of being made in the ancient way, i.e. by threading grapes by foot in the vineyard, some maceration, pressing using an old basket press and fermentation in cask. Well, this seems to have paid off because this looks like a massive success in the making! The wine offers a great and opulent nose of fresh yellow and white peach, flowers and some minerals. It is nice and spicy on the palate, and the finish is long and fresh. The aromatic presence makes it a great wine to enjoy now but this has quite some development potential in the coming years. It is that impressive! Now-2017

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