January 2012

The Joh. Jos. Prüm Estate was able to produce some stunning wines in 2010 and it is clear that it was able to put its vast experience with high acid vintages to good use. While we were impressed by the whole collection, it is the regular Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese which stands out here in our eyes. This wine epitomizes everything there is to love about 2010: zest, drama, intensity and great aromatic complexity. Is there a drawback? Yes: this wine (and the whole collection for that matter) is as backward as it has ever been in recent years and patience will be required. But then, those lucky enough to have found and held on to some bottles of this Auslese in particular will be in for quite a great treat in a decade or two.

2010er

Joh. Jos. Prüm

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

95

This does not offer much on the nose at this stage beyond super-youthful notes of fermentation, spices and diffused notes of fruits. Behind this primary wall, some subtle notes of pear, pineapple, citrus and honey wait in patience for their future show. What really makes this a head-turner at this early stage is the feel on the palate. Understated zest, gentle creaminess and a hint of almond paste convey a stunning feel of silk and juiciness in the long finish. This is stunning but more than in recent years, there is little point in enjoying this young: this NEEDS time! But will reward those who have the patience to wait. 2020-2030+

December 2011

The unique profile of the 2010 vintage (high acidity, high sugar levels from widespread botrytis) allowed winemakers to produce incredibly racy expressions of BA and TBA. Many of these bottlings flirt with perfection (see Issues No 16 and 17 as well as the Auction Guide 2011 for more detailed recommendations). Markus Molitor produced a splendid collection of BA and TBA bottlings, among which a superbly elegant Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Beerenauslese *. No great BA and TBA is cheap, but this bottling has the additional advantage of being comparatively fairly priced for the quality level.

2010er

Markus Molitor

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese *

98

Fermentation notes still mark the flavors on the nose but make no mistake, because this is a stunner in the making. The wine hints at complex and focused notes of pineapple, yellow and dried fruits, raisin, delicate spices and a touch of honey. The feel on the palate is nearly painfully intense and yet superbly complex and focused, where ripe scents of juicy fruits are underlined by acidity and minerals. The never-ending finish is sharp and just captivating. This is a brilliant wine made in a light TBA style. 2020-2050

November 2011

The von Hövel Estate produced a very attractive collection in 2010 with plenty of juicy and mouth-watering fruity-styled wines. However, what most impressed us was the very high standards of its off-dry (Feinherb) bottlings. We feel that the arrival of young Maximilian von Kunow at the Estate's helm is now unlocking the Estate's potential also in this stylistic direction. Amongh these, we were particularly impressed with the Hütte Feinherb, which offers great drinking pleasure!

2010er

von Hövel

Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Spätlese Feinherb

07 11

90

This is a true beauty in the making. The wine is still reduced and needs considerable airing. However, it then rewards the patient ones with a most beautifully balanced and sappy nose of passion fruit, grapefruit and herbs. A hint of exotic flavors then comes through, which rounds off the feel on the palate and balances the well-integrated acidity. The finish is firm, assertive yet retains great presence with a beautiful tartness. This is a great success in the vintage and highly recommended. 2013-2018

October 2011

Once again the two Auctions held by the Bernkasteler Ring and the Grosser Ring / VDP at the end of September were absolutely amazing events with some stunning wines on sale, as we reported in our Special Issue - Auction Guide released before the Auctions, at beginning of September.
While price levels of some of the best wines proved quite steep, not all great wines needed to break one's bank. This applies in particular to the the stunning Auslese GK-styled Brauneberger Juffer Auslese sold in magnum by the lesser-known Bauer Estate in Mülheim as well as wonderfully elegant Auslese-styled Bercasteler Doctor Spätlese from the Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch - Erben Thanisch Estate.

2010er

Bauer

Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese

16 11

Auction

93

This Estate is not (yet) well known on the international market but this could change quickly judging by this head-turner! It exhibits elegant and fresh scents of peach, pear, mint and apricot flowers on the nose as well as delicately elegant notes of honeyed spices on the palate. This all leads to a firm acidity which freshens up the finish. This wine, only bottled in magnums, is a great success in this vintage. 2015-2030

2010er

Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch - Erben Thanisch

Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Spätlese

Auction

94

This offers a most beautiful and complex nose of sappy yellow peach, pineapple, grapefruit, brown spices and some earthy notes of laurel. The wine is rich yet precise on the palate, with more playful notes of fruits adding to the sensation of spicy complexity. The finish is impeccably smooth and long with plenty of underlying energy. This is a beautiful wine in the making. 2017-2030

September 2011

Producing high quality dry wines proved quite challenging in the Mosel (and more generally in Germany) in 2010. High sugar levels from an early botrytis development and high levels of acidity are really not what winemakers need or want to produce this type of wines. However, a few Estates made some strict selections of not overripe clean grapes and managed to produce some fine dry wines.
The Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Trocken by the Fritz Haag Estate is one of these rare fine dry wines in 2010 and worth being highlighted as wine of the month.

2010er

Fritz Haag

Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Trocken

17 11

91

Made from three tanks fermented with ambient yeasts, this is a beauty and quite a success in this vintage. The wine shines through great clean aromas of flowers, yellow fruits, pineapple, mango and whipped cream on the nose. This wine is about delicacy and complexity and it is easy to overlook its beauty. The balance on the palate is very nice and the finish is long, precise and racy. In one word: Bravo! Now-2017+

August 2011

We have drawn the attention of our readers to the quality wines produced by Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Künstler at the Weiser-Künstler Estate for many years now. It may not yet have reached the international acclaim it would deserve, but make no mistake: This is firmly kicking in the premier league. However, we feel that the Estate outdid itself in 2010, even by their high standards. At all levels, its 2010 wines shine through presence and finesse. You can read more about this Estate and its successes in 2010 in Part I of our detailed 2010 Vintage Report published in our July Issue (No 16).

2010er

Weiser-Künstler

Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling Spätlese

04 11

93

This is already quite expressive in style and offers pure flavors of fresh and juicy yellow peach, slate and some yeast. The wine is nicely fruity on the palate, with apricot and exotic fruits. It remains deliciously light with great energy and finesse. The very long finish is incredibly zesty and packed with flavors. This is a beautiful and racy Spätlese. 2016-2030

July 2011

2010 was a completely off-the-chart with a never-seen-before combination of high sugar levels, botrytis and high acidity levels. This led to many early negative comments by some parts of the press, even before the harvest started! Our extensive tastings during the last months can only confirm that there are some stunning wines out there, in particular at the Auslese and upwards level.

Not all what shines is gold in 2010 but our Mosel of the Month for 2010 shows what gems could be made in this vintage. Find out more about these by reading our Issue 16 with Part I of our detailed 2010 VIntage report.

2010er

von Schubert

Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese Nr. 24

97

Despite being made from 100% botrytized fruits, this offers layers upon layers of clean and incredibly fresh notes of yellow fruits and honeyed whipped cream. The wine is all about subtlety and finesse, and offers the complex balance of true great wines with intense aromatics and yet a lot of finesse. The finish is incredibly pure and hauntingly long. This is a stunning Auslese! 2020-2035

June 2011

2009 marked the rebirth of one of the historic Estates of the Middle Mosel, the Immich-Batterieberg in Enkirch. The Estate had gone through some rough times after its owner went bankrupt and it is only at the end of 2008 that things took a turn for the better. It was acquired by two wealthy German families, who appointed Gernot Kollmann as Estate Manager. He had already made a name for himself at the Van Volxem and Knebel Estate.

The Estate is now focusing on dry-tasting Riesling and 2009 proved a remarkable success with a stunning collection at all levels (see our Issue No 13 of October 2010 for further information). We were particularly impressed by the Enkircher Ellergrub:

2009er

Immich-Batterieberg

Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling

05 10

92+

This offers the most wonderful nose of white peach, white flowers and a delicate touch of fresh herbs. The wine is remarkably elegant and playful on the palate, with great finesse and length. The aromatic purity is remarkable and intriguing at the same time, and this makes it so fascinating to drink. This is a beauty which could ultimately gain further from bottling. It is that good. 2012-2019

May 2011

The 1980s are above all renowned for the 1983, 1988 and 1989 vintages. However, as so often with Riesling, lesser vintages can give birth to stunningly good wines.

And this is no less true for what Bert Selbach at Dr. F. Weins-Prüm managed to produce in the more challenging 1985 vintage. This is one of the all time great vintages at this Estate, even at Spätlese level, as shown by our Mosel of the Month.

You can learn more about this decade and the wines which are delicious to drink now by reading the detailed review published in the Issue No 15 (April 2011).

1985er

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

11 86

94

Tasted at the 100th birthday dinner of the Grosser Ring, this is beautifully balanced and offers the most graceful notes of fresh fruits with a refined touch of honey and dried wood. The wine is just a jewel and a great treat. More please! Now-2020

April 2011

The 2001 vintage marked the renaissance of Riesling. Never before did a vintage got so much praise from the critique. It marked a rebirth for Riesling, with many people (re)discovering the beauty of this grape.

We feature this month one of the highlights of our comprehensive review of the 2001 vintage available in the current Issue No 15 (Apr 2011) of Mosel Fine Wines, namely a sublime Spätlese produced by the Fritz Haag Estate. But also other great wines were produced in this vintage by the likes of Joh. Jos. Prüm, Reinhold Haart, Willi Schaefer, Selbach-Oster and many others. Read more about it by subscribing for free to Mosel Fine Wines.

2001er

Fritz Haag

Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

14 02

Auction

100

The wine is incredibly light (almost white) in color and most beautifully elegant on the nose, with stunning and captivating notes of apricot flowers, green herbs, lime and whipped cream. The wine is racy on the palate with an irresistible touch of sweetness coming through in the finish. Despite all the things going on in the glass, this wine remains truly Spätlese in style, something which leaves one speechless. It offers the complexity and weight of an Auslese but the purity and finesse of a Spätlese. This is wine perfection! Now-2031

March 2011

Nik Weis at St. Urbans-Hof produced a stunning collection of wines in 2009, and this at all levels and style directions (see our Issue No 13 for a detailed review of the Estate). Our Mosel of the Month is a sappy dry-tasting wine from a great underrated vineyard (known formerly as Feilser) whose central part is now mostly tended by this Estate. The wine is made in the classical style of the region, without excessive residual sugar but enough to buffer the acidity.

2009er

St. Urbans-Hof

Schodener Saarfeilser Marienberg Riesling Spätlese Feinherb

23 10

91

This wine is made in an off-dry style (with less than 25 g/l of residual sugar). The wine offers the telltale notes of the Saarfeilser based on somewhat direct and yet incredibly juicy notes of peach, lime, minerals, and a touch of cassis. The wine is playful and sappy on the palate, with further a great acidity-sweetness tension. The finish is straight and direct, with more sappy notes of white fruits. This is not a monster of complexity but, boy, is this easy to understand! Now-2019

February 2011

When asking people about truly great Mosel wines, most would mention a great fruity-styled wine (be it Spätlese, Auslese or luscious Trockenbeerenauslese) from their favorite Estate. But few wine lovers know that this region was first renowned for its dry-tasting wines. This style of wine has regained momentum over the last years and is now part of the landscape.

How good these wines can be is best illustrated by the following true benchmark dry-tasting Riesling by any standard. Read more about these wines and more generally about the potential of "dry" Mosel Riesling in our January 2011 Issue.

1998er

Heymann-Löwenstein

Winninger Uhlen Riesling Trocken

96

Made exclusively from grapes out of the Rothlay, this is a frightfully good piece of Riesling and a major success. Rather closed initially it reveals beautiful notes of slate, flowers, yellow peach and papaya with further airing. It is energetic and vibrant on the mid-palate and shines through breathtaking purity and complexity. The finish is long and remarkably precise. As for any great wine, it comes over as "obvious", as if making such a wine is the simplest thing on earth. And it is very easy to overlook the beauty and depth of this effort. But do not get fooled: whoever still has some bottles of this gem in his cellar is the proud owner of one of the best dry Riesling available. We love it! Now-2018

1997er

Karthäuserhof

Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken

95

This is a stunner of a wine! It offers the most incredibly fresh nose of pineapple, cassis, mint and even a hint of coconut. The wine is zesty (despite having "only" 7 g/l of total acidity) but also superbly silky on the palate. The finish is clean and airy, and yet deep and complex. This perfectly stored bottle is benchmark stuff. Now-2017

January 2011

This is another Spätlese from the great 2009 vintage, and one which we have tasted only recently. It really caught our eyes so that we issue this as our Mosel of the Month.

2009er

Dr. Hermann

Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese Herzlay

09 10

92

This wine opens up to very fine and complex notes of pure yellow peach, grapefruit and whipped cream. It then develops more exotic fruits much in the way Erdener Prälat wines do (this is not very surprising given that the Herzlay vineyard touches the Prälat). As many 2009s, this Spätlese really has the weight of an Auslese. But also as many 2009s, the finish is zesty, giving the wine a great Spätlese raciness. This is simply lovely. 2015-2029

December 2010

The 2009 vintage allowed to produce some stunningly well balanced Mosel Riesling made in the traditional dry-tasting style. Manfred Loch at Weinhof Herrenberg produced a stunning collection of wines in 2009, among which this dry tasting Wiltinger Schlangengraben Riesling from old vines (Alte Reben) is certainly a highlight and one of the best of its kind that we have had the pleasure to taste.

2009er

Herrenberg

Wiltinger Schlangengraben Riesling Alte Reben

09 10

93

This is made from very old vines (mostly planted in 1893) situated in the former south-south-east facing Feilser vineyard, the only Saar vineyard directly facing the river. This offers the most wonderful balance and finesse. The aromatics are driven by delicate notes of canned yellow peach, mango, flowers and mint, with some nice smoky notes in the background. The wine is fresh, ample and yet focused on the palate, with vivid but superbly integrated acidity. The finish is essentially tasting dry (despite the 16-18 g/l of residual sugar) and seems endless. This is simply gorgeous! Now-2019