August 1, 2018 | News | Issue Highlights

Weingut von Hövel | 2017er Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett | Label

2017er Weingut Dr. Hermann Erdener Prälat Riesling Auslese Alte Reben GK

The 2017er vintage delivered some stunner. Few epitomize the greatness of the sweet wines as this amazing high-end Auslese by Weingut Dr. Hermann.

2017 Mosel Vintage | Small but Beautiful

2017 Mosel Vintage | Mosel Jahrgang 2017 | Harvest | Picture | Bild

After a brilliantly vibrant 2015 and a gorgeously sensual 2016, the Mosel hit the bull’s eye three times in a row despite (or thanks to) the fact that 2017 was hit by some devastating yield-reducing frost.

The finest of the 2017 wines are simply amazing, combining intensity, purity, and balance ... and there is perfection at the top!

One wine which epitomizes the brilliance of the 2017 vintage particularly well is the stunning Erdener Prälat Auslese Alte Reben GK by Dr. Hermann.

Weingut Dr. Hermann | Drinkability Made Riesling

Weingut Dr. Hermann is one of the great success stories of the last decade. The origin of the Estates lie in the split up of the historic Weingut Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben in the 1960s. Mia Christoffel, who had married the medical doctor Rudolf Hermann, took their share into their separate Estate. Their son Rudi Herman, who tragically died only a few weeks ago, developed this tiny Estate into a sizeable 13 ha Estate over the last decades.

One of the high moments in the Estate’s history must have been when they were able to snatch up a remarkable 0.1 ha parcel in the mythical Erdener Prälat back in 2006.

As of 2000, young Christian Hermann joined his father at the Estate and has been instrumental in vamping up its quality. Over the years, He first made a name for himself through some awe-inspiring noble-sweet wines, a stylistic direction at which the Estate simply excels. Already back in 2013, we highlighted its superb 2012er Erdener Prälat Auslese GK, which turned out to be one of the finest Auslese from the 2012 vintage.

More recently, the Estate has also started to produce truly remarkably playful fruity-styled wines as well as deep and balanced dry Riesling.

Simply put, from its fine but humble origins, the Estate has grown into one of the finest addresses of the region and its amazing 2017 collection (see our report in Mosel Fine Wines Issue No 41 – June 2018) underlines this beautifully. Its 2017er Prälat TBA is pure wine perfection.

Weingut Dr. Hermann | 2017er Erdener Prälat Auslese Alte Reben GK

The Dr. Hermann Estate is one of the privileged few owning parcels (a total of 0.1 ha) in the mythical Erdener Prälat. Its holdings are composed of two parcels, both of which are still planted with extremely old vines. The youngest are thought to be from 1944, the oldest planted in the 1920s.

Erdener Prälat | Vineyard | Weinberg | Terroir | Picture | Bild

This 2017er Erdener Prälat Auslese Alte Reben GK was made from botrytized selections, as Christian Hermann explains: "We had cleared the vineyard from the fully shriveled berries which we used for our TBA. The remainder were superbly ripe grapes partially affected by botrytis which we brought in towards the end of the harvest."

This wine epitomizes everything great about the noble-sweet wines from the 2017 vintage. It is packed with vivid yet pure flavors and delivers these through elegance, finesse, and great purity.

The only drawback is that this wine was only made in tiny quantities. Should you not be able to lay your hands onto some bottles, worry not: The good news is that Weingut Dr. Hermann crafted its finest collection to date in 2017 and has many sweet and noble-sweet wines on offer.

The stunning 2017er collection by Dr. Hermann were reviewed in the Mosel Fine Wines Issue No 41 (Jun 2018).
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Tasting Note | Extract from Mosel Fine Wines Issue No 41 (Oct 2018)

2017er

Dr. Hermann

Erdener Prälat Auslese Alte Reben GK

12 18

96

The 2017er Erdener Prälat Auslese Alte Reben GK was harvested at a whopping 109° Oechsle. It proves quite restrained at first but then gradually reveals a most beautiful, complex and pure nose of anise, pineapple, vineyard peach, whipped cream, acacia flower, dried herbs and smoke. The wine is still compact and loaded with dry extracts on the palate. Yet, a very delicate and refined creamy element joins the party and gives the wine a really classy smooth structure one expects from an Auslese Goldkapsel. The finish is superbly persistent, being both very delicate and animating. The after-taste shows leaves one with ripe fruits including some exotic mango and pineapple as well as spices. This manages to combine ripeness with immense finesse. What a success! 2032-2067

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