Producers

Dönnhoff

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like?

People |

Cornelius Dönnhoff, the man in charge, along with father Helmut Dönnhoff, who elevated the winery to greatness, Anna, Cornelius’s wife who does everything else. Plus a large team of family and friends from around the world.

 

Focus |

Rieslings and Burgundy varietals that reflect the intensity and ageability of the varied terroir from their envious collection of Grosse Lage vineyards in the heart of the Nahe.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Nahe

Village |

Oberhäusen

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability of the weather is what makes wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Nahe is a little warmer on average than the Mosel and cooler than most of the other wine regions in Germany. There are some very warm vineyard sites, giving an almost mediterranean feel, but also with a few cooler, almost Saar-like areas as well. 
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

28 hectares from 9 Grosse Lage (Grand Cru vineyards), across 6 villages. 

• Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle: The top rated Grand Cru site in the Nahe for over 100 years. Blackish grey slate mixed with extrusive igneous rock, porphyry and limestone. Due south facing, 40 – 60 % slope with vines up to 65 years old. Even on this hot site, its regal vibes just equal wines that layer up with incredible intensity, they are still balanced, and ageworthy. Put these in the cellar for at least 10 years. An absolute treasure of a hillside.

• Niederhäuser Klamm: Grand Cru site, volcanic porphyry and decomposed black slate. A very stony almost-extension of the Hermannshöhle and one of the steepest in the Nahe, up to 70%. The Kabinett from here is like laser beams and rocks.

• Oberhäuser Brücke: A tiny, 1.1 ha monopole Grand Cru site, slate, porphyry, sandstone, loam. A low lying vineyard along a river. It's a warm humid site, meaning early flowering and late ripening, often with botrytis and a good spot for eiswein in capable years. With the loam soils and river adjacent it can do great even in the driest years. The wines tend to be wild and exotic, with a firework display of complex flavors. 

• Oberhäuser Leistenberg: Grand Cru site, with lots of decomposed slate. A steep 30 – 60 % sloped site with terraces. It’s south east exposure means good morning sunshine, but a less direct exposure in the afternoon, for lighter, brighter, more lifted wines.

• Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg: Grand Cru site, porphyry soils. From the coldest site in the Nahe with slopes at a 50 – 60 % gradient. Wines have much more cut, are leaner and sharper. The volcanic soil gives them a very flinty minerality.
• Norheimer Kirschheck: Grand Cru site, slate, sandstone, due south facing with a 25 – 45% gradient. A great home for Spätlese as the wines reach adequate ripeness nearly every year and the sandstone gives an intense Nahe-peach note.

• Norheimer Dellchen: Grand Cru site, slate, porphyry. Very steep,  50 – 70 % gradient slope with terraces. Although it faces due south, it is in a dell, or a little dip in the hill and finds itself in the shade both early and late in the day, greatly extending its ripening period. A personal favorite of mine, where the volcanic soils and very long hangtime give a special edge and layer of minerality. Concentrated and taut at the same time.

• Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl: Grand Cru site, löss, loam, gravelly quartzite. A gently sloping, south facing, vineyard in the north of the Nahe, where it is actually warmer than to the south. Vines have more access to water thanks to the loam subsoils. A place for slightly richer Kabinetts with tons of yummy, yummy Nahe peach flavors. 

​​

• Kreuznacher Kahlenberg: top rated Grand Cru in the Bad Kreuznach, gravelly loam. South facing warm site.
• Roxheimer Höllenpfad: Grand Cru site, red sandstone

Grape Varieties |

80% Riesling 

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

• 20% Pinot Blanc / Weissburgunder

• A white skinned mutation of Pinot Noir
• The secret weapon of the Teutonics. They make the best versions of this grape, and they don’t share them.
• Germany is now the world’s leading producer of Pinot Blanc
• pale to straw yellow in color, and delicate on the nose. A slightly nutlike aroma is typical. Vinified dry, its medium to full body and fine acidity complement many types of food.
• Good examples age very well, although generally made with the aim of everyday fresh and dry wines in mind. Even these seemingly innocuous wines have the ability to age over decades..

• 20% Pinot Gris / Grau Burgunder

• A pink-skinned genetic mutation of Pinot Noir.
• Likely introduced from across the border in nearby Alsace by Cistercian monks. 
• Takes on many styles in Germany. 
• The country is the world’s third-largest producer of the grape.
• Typically dry and can range from light and fresh to rich and oak-aged. 
• Most of the time, these wines are more concentrated and flavorful than Pinot Grigio of Italy, with notes of apple, pear, and nuts.
• Because of its pink skins, Pinot Gris also makes delicious orange wines. 

Plus a small amount of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Farming |

Sustainable

• Dry farmed, but hand watered in severe drought years like 2022
• No herbicides
• No pesticides

Cellar Work |

Modern & Traditional

• Spontaneous fermentations
• Fermentation and maturation in classic wooden barrels of German oak and stainless steel vats
• Cellar is large enough to hold an entire harvest in either stainless steel or barrel depending on what the vintage requires.

About the winery |

If you love Riesling, you know the name Dönnhoff. If you don't love Riesling—yet—Dönnhoff will teach you why the grape inspires such passion. They are one of the greatest estates in the Nahe which also makes them one of the best in all of Germany. 

The family has had four generations to dive deep into their terroir and perfect their winemaking. Their top wines are long-lived and collectible. That terroir is, of course, key. The Nahe has the most varied soils (including, especially, different kinds of volcanic soil) of any German region, as well as a climate that ranges from very cold high-elevation sites to pockets of Mediterranean warmth. This gives Dönnhoff a painter’s palette of flavors and textures from which to craft a perfect wine.

What do the wines taste like?

Intensely flavored, well structured, built to last for decades in the cellar. Even the screw caps are intended for 10+ years. The fruit is always flourishing, without being overwrought, what I consider the quintessential Nahe, sun-kissed, just ripe yellow peach flavor. But each bottling has a minerality reflective of its place, whether volcanic soils in a shaded spot, or loam on a south facing gentle slope. 

People |

Andreas Adam & Barbara Adam, his sister

Focus |

Pure, cutting, mineral Rieslings from newly-revived Grand Cru sites. The dry wines are a real winner here, but the sweet ones offer so much pleasure.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Mosel 

Village |

Dhron

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Autumns in Germany are key and in many ways can make or break a vintage. The warm days and cool nights can extend a growing season up to 8 or even 10 weeks. The hope is precipitation waits until the very end, ensuring healthy, clean fruit.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability is what makes Mosel wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen enough.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

 

Vineyards |

6 hectares total, started with 3 parcels from his grandparents

• Dhroner Hofberg: A Grand Cru, abandoned after the 60’s as too steep and expensive to work. Rocky, gray slate with veins of iron oxide. Dhron is a tributary that empties into the Mosel on its right bank before the curve into Piesport. The vineyards are planted on a southwest facing slope for 5 kilometers upstream into the Hunsrück forest and gets colder on the way in. Wines are picked weeks later than the Mosel sites and have a much lower sugar ripeness. Perfect for the changing climate and those who appreciate thrilling, tense wines.

• Dhroner Häs’chen: First purchase during expansion. A terraced, east facing, 3,000 sq meter monopole with ungrafted vines planted in 1930s. Soils are weathered Devonian slate with quartzite and combined with the cooler site make for super filigreed, aromatic wines.

• Piesporter Goldtröpfchen: One of the most famous sites in the Mosel along with Bernkastler Doktor and Wehlener Sonnenhur. This perfect, mainly southern exposition amphitheater sucks in the day's heat, for intensely concentrated wines. The majority hillside was replanted in the 90’s but a few choice parcels were kept and Adam has a 700 sqm plot, planted in 1908, ungrafted, of course. Weathered Blue slate, clay, sandstone, these are dark fruited wines that still matter to show a regal, liquid gold like of opulence, balanced with a purity hard to achieve anywhere but the very best vineyards. Even in these warmer vintages Goldtröpfchen is proof that terroir trumps all.

• Wintscher Ohligsberg: newly purchased site 8 kilometers from the winery. The first wine released in from the 2023 vintage
• Im Pfarrgarten: a tiny little church garden-vineyard next to the winery. Low lying with a gentle slope for juicy, easy going wines. Perfect for summers at the beach.

Grape Varieties |

• Riesling: 
• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

• Pinot Noir: ​​
• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Farming |

Sustainable

• Natural compost for fertilizer
• No herbicides
• Fungicides when necessary
• Careful cultivation of the soil

Cellar Work |

Low intervention

• Only ambient yeast
• No enzymes
• No süssreserve
• Fermentation in old Fuder (1,000L) and Halbfuder (500L) barrels or stainless steel
• Extended lees contact after fermentation

About the winery |

The Adam’s, like most families in the Dhron valley, were polycultural farmers for generations. Andrea’s grandparents farmed 1 hectare of vines across three parcels on the Grand Cru of Hofburg. As late as the 60’s, the wines from this special vineyard could be found on the great wine lists of the world. But as fortunes turned and wine prices bottomed out, his father, like many of his generation, was not interested in the back breaking labor and meager returns from farming these ancient, steep sloped sites. 

A generation later Andreas' heart pulled him back to the land. He studied at Geisenheim (The UC Davis of Germany) and interned with Heymann-Löwenstein, St. Urbans-Hof, and Van Volxem. In 2000, at the ripe age of 21, he decided it was time to revive the old family business. 

Hofburg (and all the non-famous Grand Crus at the time) was in such disrepair, lacking a champion, that vineyards were practically being given away. Farmers would sell the vertiginous parcels for 5€ a square meter. He started purchasing choice sites, forming a signature style, perfecting his craft, and garnering some attention for his efforts.

In 2013, after his sister Barbara graduated from Geisenheim and a stint at Keller, he asked her to join him. Together they work the vineyards, now with 43 parcels across 4 incredible, mostly old vine sites, and share all of the cellar work.

Their hard work has paid off, Hofburg is now a name being uttered by Riesling geeks around the world, a feat which they have almost single handedly been responsible for. These are some of the best, lighter bodied, brighter wines in the Mosel, and they get better every year.

What do the wines taste like?

Clean, clear, crisp, balanced, sharp, cutting acidity, with just ripe fruit. Warmer sites will give slightly more opulent character and richer fruit character, but their steely texture is a theme that carries through.

One of the best things about these wines is that each has a slightly different purpose: Juicy, summer-centric Im Pfarrgarten, to the insanely mineral Has’Chen, Kabinett for pure pleasure, GG’s for long term aging, Goldtropfchen for luxury and Hofburg for contemplation. Don’t forget the Pinot Noir, both the rosé, always a favorite for barely there berries and stoney texture and the Pinot Noir (cuttings from a certain Burgundian whose name might start with Rou and end with ier) is one of the BEST in Germany. I would pay anything for it. The point is, there is something for everyone in the AJ Adam line up.

People |

Christopher Loewen & Karl-Joseph, his father

 

Focus |

Riesling that just sings with acidity. These wines have soul and they want you to know about it. Mostly dry, as there is very little in the way of intervention and they stop fermenting when they stop.

 

Country |

Germany

 

Region |

Mosel

 

Village |

Leiwen

 

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability is what makes Mosel wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen enough.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

 

Vineyards |

Slowly they have collected 18 hectares total, 50%+ of the vines are un-grafted and between 60-125 years old.

​​

• Maximin Klosterlay: The original holding of the family, since 1803 when it was auctioned off by Napoleon's government (Maximin Grunhaus was of the same abbey holdings and was sold to the Von Schuberts). An Erste Lage (1er Cru) site with south east exposure, blue slate, and a lot of water access at the base give these wines high toned minerality and a long finish.

• Leiwener Laurentiuslay: Grey slate with deep soils and southwest exposure. Where the family have their house and cellar. A very steep Erste Lage (1er Cru) site with terraced vineyards that was spared the Flurbereinigung (land consolidation) treatment. Meaning its rife with old vines, with better access to water and makes some very pretty, but fully ripe wines. Excellent value to be found here.

• Thörnicher Ritsch: Weathered, brittle, grey slate and quartzite, which you can see layered in the rock face in the photo below. Because of how hard quartz is, the river couldn’t erode it as much as the other hills, making it the second steepest hill in the world, after Bremmer Calmont, in the Mosel Terrassen.  It’s not just the steepness that makes for outstanding wine, it's that this is a standalone outcropping, acting like a geological air conditioner of sorts. One of the features of isolated hills, like that of Corton in Burgundy, is that wind hits the backside, as it comes around the sides, it picks up speed, (like an airplane wing, lifting up), keeping the vines much cooler than those protected on either side by more hills. Add to this one of Germany’s largest forests starting at the end of its west flank, providing colder air still. What that means is that even in the ever warming German climate, the Ritsch is much, much colder, and the wines produced here have much higher acidity, they are often, and rightfully so, compared to the Saar for their tension, and wispy, filigreed nature. Karl-Joseph bought his parcel in 2008 and it took 10 years of farming by the family to get their plot in shape for dry wines.

• Longuicher Maximin Herrenberg: Devonian era red slate, un-grafted vines planted in 1896. This was the 3rd of the three Maximin vineyards (the other being Klosterlay and Grunhaus) which were sold off in Napoleonic times. Bruno Schmitt, the 6th generation of the original purchasers, had no heirs and was looking to sell. He and Karl-Joseph were like two peas in a pod, and Bruno knew Karl would do his legacy site justice. This is home to the oldest Riesling vines in the world and makes some of the most incredible bottles of wine imaginable.
• Herrenberg (no Maximin) is the top of the slope. There is no red, only blue slate here. For the Kabinetts.

 

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

 

Farming |

Vineyard Perfectionist, Practicing Organic

• Christopher is obsessed with farming and works incredibly to have healthy thriving soils and ecosystems in his vineyards.
• Clones for any replanting done are selection massale cuttings from all of their oldest vineyards with huge genetic diversity. Selected for flavor and structure, not yields.

 

Cellar Work |

Traditional, low intervention

• These are some old school methods
• Grapes are direct pressed on their stems, which is normal for the Mosel. It means no skin contact, and super pure juice, like in Champagne.
• Juice is allowed to brown out completely. All the larger, sensitive particles oxidize, turning the juice brown, then they flocculate out to the bottom, leaving a very stable must, which doesn’t have a bunch of easily oxidized bits in it. The same method is used in Burgundy and Austria. I
• They ferment spontaneously
• No temperature control, which is really crazy. The cellar keeps things generally cool, but it means they can get as high as 35 degrees celsius, which is about 10 degrees higher than anyone would normally let their must go. What this means is much less overt fruity vibes, as the aromatic esters burn away, leaving very mineral, stony flavors in its wake.
• No enzymes or corrective additions or subtractions.
• Long lees contact, at least 6 months, further helps stabilize the wine and protects from oxidation.
• Sulfur is used in the sweet wines, but most of these wines are dry and the sweet wines are drier than most.
• There is Malolactic bacteria in the winery, the wines have never gone through it, so there is no need for bacterial filtration

 

About the Winery |

A very cool place full of history and enthusiasm and knowledge. Karl-Joseph turned the estate from a couple of hectares of polycultural farmland into a bustling estate with some excellent wines being produced.

When Christopher came aboard, he did the normal “kid” thing and wanted to change how everything was done. His dad must be a really patient person, because he let him try out many of his ideas, never discouraging him from pushing the boundaries of quality. Not everything they changed worked, but a lot did, and Christopher has come to the helm with much deserved confidence.

One of the most interesting lessons I garnered from my visit was one Christopher learned a few years earlier. In the old nature versus nurture argument, through the lens of terroir versus farming, if all things are relatively equal, nature and terroir will win out . He was sure that if you farmed a site perfectly, got super healthy thriving soils, a balanced ecosystem, healthy vines, that they would produce superior wines to poorly farmed top rated sites.

Once he was able to farm everything the way he wanted, so the playing field was level, is when he really started to experience for himself, that a really great site will always shine through, making distinct, better wines. It was a theory I put to the test again and again the rest of the trip and was proven true many times.

 

What do the wines taste like?

Mineral, elegant, textural, not-overtly-fruity, mostly dry or dry-finishing wines. The old vines and high clonal diversity in the new vineyards really set these apart. They are just turned up to another level, with countless layers of complexity. I never drink enough of these wines and there are never enough of the top to go around.

 

People |

Partnership between Philipp Kettern of Lothar Kettern and Dirk (father), Daniel (son) & Marco (son) Niepoort

Focus |

New winery, with an old-fashioned ethos of wines made with time.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Mosel

Village |

Piesport

 

Climate |

Cool Continental

 

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability is what makes Mosel wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen enough.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

A collection of vineyards in Piesport and Liewen (where Carl Loewen is based) of old vines, single stake trellising, from steep sites.

• Piesporter Goldtropfchen: Philipp Kettern’s slice of home. One of the most famous sites in the Mosel along with Bernkastler Doktor and Wehlener Sonnenhur. This perfect, mainly southern exposition amphitheater sucks in the day's heat, for intensely concentrated wines. The majority hillside was replanted in the 90’s but a few choice parcels were kept and Adam has a 700 sqm plot, planted in 1908, ungrafted, of course. Weathered Blue slate, clay, sandstone, these are dark fruited wines that still matter to show a regal, liquid gold like of opulence, balanced with a purity hard to achieve anywhere but the very best vineyards. Even in these warmer vintages Goldtrophchen is proof that terroir trumps all. 

(Goldtropfchen from the middle of Piesport and Philipp’s balcony)

Grape Varieties |

• Riesling: 

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

• Pinot Noir: ​​
• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Farming |

Practicing Organic

• No herbicides
• No chemical fertilizers
• No pesticides
• Sheep graze the vineyards for weed control
• All vines are staked in the traditional, single stake method

Cellar Work |

Time, Natural, low intervention

• They take all the time in the world, needed, for the wines to hit their true potential
• Almost everything is aged 1-3 years, sometimes more
• In old neutral barrels
• On the lees for reduction and stability
• Most are not filtered
• Very low amounts of sulfur, sometimes none is needed
• New cellar, old methods

About the winery |

Dirk Niepoort is one of Portugal’s most esteemed winemakers, historians and philosophers. His family is one of the few of Portuguese descent to actually make Port in the Duoro valley, and since the early 1800’s, and was one of the first to start on still red wines as well. He also now has exciting projects in Bairada and Dão, arguably the two most exciting regions in the country for cool climate winemaking.

He’s now known all over the world for his partnerships with winemakers in other regions as well as Austria, Spain (Telmo Rodriguez and Raul Perez), and South Africa. As well as the open partnership wines under the “Nat Cool” labels. They are sulfur free, natural wines, that can be from anyone who wants to follow the hands-off traditional ethos. 

The story of Fio actually starts Dirk’s friendship with the Mosel-master Wilhem Haag, who taught him that wines didn’t need to be rich and powerful to be good. Since then, he’d been on the lookout for the right partnership to try and make wines in the Mosel valley.

Philipp Kettern, is the head of his family winery, Lothar Kettern in Piesport. They’d been farming here for 200 years, and his father had been making wine for decades. In 2009 Philipp took over the estate, which was run very conventionally at the time. Many low-lying, flat sites, a mix of grapes, with the normal conventional agriculture and highly technical winemaking.

As luck would have it, Dirk met Philipp Kettern over a week of wine dinners and classes with collectors in the Virgin Islands. They bonded over their love of Riesling, great wine and the Mosel Valley. But then Dirk, not one to beat around the bush, told Philipp he didn’t want any more of his Lothar Kettern wines, they just weren’t what he wanted out of Mosel Riesling.

Philipps was flabbergasted, but instead of being offended, he took the criticism, and committed to making the changes he knew his winery needed. He wanted to make the types of wines he and Dirk bonded over, but he also knew he couldn’t change his family’s established brand in a day.*

So the two started their own collaboration, along with Dirk’s son’s Marco and Daniel. Fio means thread in Portuguese and there is now a string tying them all together. 

One of their main inspirations was a quote from a very old Riesling wine making manual they found which stated that the best Mosel Rieslings needed 20-30 years in the barrel. It was this gift of time they felt was missing from the Rieslings of today, often bottled within 6, even 3 months of harvest, never being allowed to show their true potential.

What do the wines taste like?

The gift these wines bring is like no other. All steep sites, many very old vines, from incredible vineyards, all natural winemaking, where time is allowed to filter and stabilize the wines. 

They taste like nothing else in the valley. And even though they all have very fun, eye-catching labels, each bottle, each label, each wine tells its own story. There is a playfulness to the non-Riesling wines. The Pet-Nats are some of the best I’ve ever had, more like Champagne or Jacky Blot’s triple zero, than glou-glou. The orange wines are great versions of an often thrown away style.

But sometimes, with the Rieslings, especially the top bottlings,  you have to be patient while you drink them, they need to open up, some need to age further. They are not fruit forward, they are almost all dry, not austere, but sometimes a little stern. 

At the very least I think everyone should try them. They won’t be for the masses, but I’m hard pressed to imagine that there isn’t something for everyone in this line up.

*Philipp has drastically changed the style of his family wines. He’s traded his flat vineyards for those uphill the steepest, coolest sites. Viticulture is now organic and biodynamic practicing, but without the shackles of certification. The focus is on light bodied, elegant Kabinett and Spatlese, with low levels of RS. They are wines that make you smile. I imagine Dirk is very proud.

 

Merkelbach

People |

Brothers Alfred & Rolf Merkelbach, now in the hands of Sebasitan Selbach & his father Johannes

 

Focus |

1950’s style Rieslings from 1.5 hectares of very old vines.

 

Country |

Germany

 

Region |

Mosel

Sub Region/Village |

Ürzig

Climate |

Cool Continental

Vineyards |

• Kinheimer Rosenberg - Just downstream the Ürziger Würzgarten with the same soils, almost as steep, with less of a bowl shape, and a slight western exposition. Very spicy and mineral.

 

Grape Varieties |

 Riesling:

• The King of White Grapes.
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet.
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years.

 

 

Farming |

Practicing organic

Cellar Work |

Traditional

• Large old Mosel Fuder (1000L) and Halbfuder (500L) barrels for fermentation and aging.
• For many years they used cultivated yeast, but since the Selbachs took over it is now spontaneous.
• Hand racked barrels
• Long lees aging
• Not much has changed in 50 years and the wines are still made in these cellars.

About the winery |

Drinking Merkelbach is like taking a sip of history. Rolf and Alfred had 140 combined vintages under their lederhosen and were ready to pass on the baton. They decided to sell to the perfect family, the equally historic Selbach are now in charge and taking great pains to keep the traditions alive.

The brothers only owned two three vineyards, with a few parcels leased in a third. Their home and backyard is the greatest of the three: Ürziger Würzgarten. It is one of the valley's steeper vineyards, curved into an amphitheater, and crimson-hued thanks to the red slate throughout.

These days, most Mosel wines are the result of technological advancements: made in stainless steel, with temperature control, selected yeast, and plenty of lab testing. But the charm of Merkelbachs' wines (and those of our other favorite Mosel winemakers) comes from the bare-bones, old-school methods used to make them. They aren’t formulaic or cookie-cutter — no, they're exotic and intense, ethereal and textured, delicate but with flair.

When the Selbachs took over, they agreed to keep making the wines the way they have been for decades. They also love drinking them, so why would they want anything to change? Everything is still done by hand, in their giant, ancient Fuder, with guidance from the Merkelbachs.

Four years on, how is Sebastian Selbach handling his new post? With much aplomb. At last year's Skurnik German tasting — among literally hundreds of wines — their 2021 Ürzinger Würtzgarten Kabinett bottle stood out among all the rest. Get a glass and jump into my time machine, these are a wild ride.

What do the wines taste like?
Classic, old-school, light as a feather, juicy and fruity but not too sweet, spicy as all get out with red bell pepper and citrus notes. They didn’t follow the fads of the last half century. Must weights have stayed at their lower end across the board. There are no GG’s. An occasional trocken will be found, if the vintage allows. True to the character of the Mosel and the Würtzgarten especially.

 

Schloss Lieser

(From left to right, Nikalas, Ute, Thomas & Lara)

People |

Thomas Haag (Father), Ute Haag (Mother), Lara Haag (Daughter), Nikalas Haag (Son)

Focus |

Rieslings from Grand Cru sites with a focus on purity and low manipulation techniques for very long aging.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Mosel

Village |

Lieser

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability is what makes Mosel wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen enough.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

220 different vineyards 30 ha, all Grand Cru sites

• Graach: A unique village and set of vineyards downriver from Wehlen on the right bank of the river. It has the same blue Devonian slate as its neighbors but a layer of loam for more water retention. There are also natural springs under the hill providing water to the vines, even in the driest of years. It is set a little further back than some of the other villages making it slightly cooler as well. There is a very specific flavor profile from these sites, an earthy-peach note that comes through in the wine no matter the producer. Home to Willi Schaefer.
• Himmelreich: fruity, charming, delicate and elegant, more easy going.

• Domprobst: Darker, herbs, darker fruit, earthier, takes longer to open up, ages even longer.

• Brauneburger Juffer: Decomposed Devonian slate. Usually lighter, more delicate wines, similar to Wehlen but they tend to open up and come around sooner.

• Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr: Decomposed Devonian slate; the “filet” piece of the Juffer

• Wehlener Sonnenuhr: Blue devonian slate soils and a continuation of the Zeltinger Sonnenhur. The same steep slopes in most places, same altitude, same rocky meager stop soil. Different sundial. These can be some of the most gossamer, intriguing and yet perfectly fruity wines in the world. Home to J.J. Prum.

• Piesporter Goldtropfchen: One of the most famous sites in the Mosel along with Bernkastler Doktor and Wehlener Sonnenhur. This perfect, mainly southern exposition amphitheater sucks in the day's heat, for intensely concentrated wines. The majority hillside was replanted in the 90’s but a few choice parcels were kept and Adam has a 700 sqm plot, planted in 1908, ungrafted, of course. Weathered Blue slate, clay, sandstone, these are dark fruited wines that still matter to show a regal, liquid gold like of opulence, balanced with a purity hard to achieve anywhere but the very best vineyards. Even in these warmer vintages Goldtrophchen is proof that terroir trumps all.

• Bernkastler Doktor: An iconic 3.2 ha vineyard in the Mosel, Schloss Lieser leases some parcels from this impossible to buy site. Composed of blue & gray slate.
• Lieser Niederberg Helden: Decomposed, soft slate with deeper soils

Grape Varieties |

Riesling:

• The King of White Grapes.
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet.
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years.

Farming |

Sustainable, Practicing Organic in some vineyards

• Working towards fully organic viticulture
• Need more manpower, as Lara and Thomas spend more time at the winery, there are more hands to make the work.
• Will spray fungicides if absolutely necessary
• Harvest cant take 4-8 weeks as each parcel is picked 3-4 times for ripeness and perfect quality levels

 

Cellar Work |

Low Intervention, Reductive

• Low yields, mostly from old vine sites
• Very light pressing and no skin contact for very light pure wines
• Sedimentation after press, so clear juice goes into the fermentation tanks
• Spontaneous fermentation always
• Can take 6-10 weeks, but will allow it to go as long as it takes to happen, very complex wines
• First racking after fermentation into stainless steel tanks on fine lees
• Will use some old wood barrels in cool years
• Matures as long as it needs to 3-18 months normally, tasted every day until Thomas feels it is ready.
• Racked and settled again a few more months.
• No fining, filtering
• Very little sulfur needs as wines are reductive and have had a lot of time to stabilize

 

About the winery |

One man (and a woman) gives up his birthright to revive a historical name becoming the greatest estate in the Mosel, along with Egon Muller in the Saar. This is a story worth knowing.

This 119 year old winery is in its heyday thanks to Thomas Haag. Established in 1904 by Freiherr von Schorlemer, who had a stunning collection of 100 acres all along the Mosel and Saar Valley. He used the famous neo-Renaissance castle built in 1875 as his winery and press house.

The whole operation was sold in 1970, changed hands several times, and spent the next 25 years falling into decline. Most of the vineyards were sold off and the wines came to have a very poor reputation. But in 1992 Thomas Haag was hired as the head winemaker and director, with only 6 hectares and 1 Grand Cru site left, but since then their fortunes have been on the rise.

Five years later he bought the place with Ute, his wife, and they’ve been investing heavily with 24 hectares of all the best Grand Cru sites in the Middle Mosel now represented. The castle is owned and operated by Marriot, but they live and work right next door in a 100 year old stone compound.

Thomas Haag is the first born son of Fritz Haag, a very well respected winemaker in the valley. Thomas was expected to take over as was his birthright, but when Fritz retired in 2004, Thomas wasn’t ready to give up on all the hard work he’d put into the estate. His brother Oliver took over the family domaine and now there are two Haags each with a legacy of their own.

Now Lara, Thomas’s daughter has taken over the business side of things, and son Nikalas has finished at Geisenheim to help his father with operations. With this much talent and dedication, Schloss Lieser looks set to have another 100 years to look forward to.

What do the wines taste like?
Light and sharp, chiseled but not jagged, with fruit, but dominated by minerality. They feel unpolished, alive, real, but so silky and elegant. These are unique wines, with a reductive purity, a little locked up in their youth but with whispers and promises of very long lives ahead of them.

Really magnificent craftsmanship, site specific, complex and intense.

Selbach-Oster might be one of the hottest domains along the Mosel, if not in all Germany.” – Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate.

Selbach-Oster

People |

Johannes (father), Barbara (mother & Sebastian (son) Selbach

Focus |

Passion and respect for the history, tradition, culture and practices of Mosel Riesling. Wines with a clear sense of place but a fruity, juicy, inviting ease to them as well. 

Country |

Germany

Region: |

Mosel

Village |

Zeltingen

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but usually an average of about 7 out of 10 years.
• Vineyards were planted on steep, south facing slopes to capture the maximum amount of sunlight every day, and often along rivers for the reflection of the sun back on the berries. Every little bit counted.
• Those long dry autumns are key to making great Riesling. It is a variety that can take advantage of super long ripening periods, getting ever riper and more flavorful skins (physiological ripeness), accumulating more sugar, without loosing acidity (needed for freshness and aging) the way other grapes do. Germany’s climate and Riesling are a heavenly match.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability is what makes Mosel wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen enough.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

24 hectares across 4 villages in the Middle Mosel. 

Soils |

Blue Devonian slate is found in every site. This is low pH, high iron and mineral content rock. It is very friable, allowing roots to penetrate very deep into the hillsides in search of water and nutrients.

• Zeltingen: Selbachs home village on the right bank. All vineyards here have blue Devonian slate.
• Himmelreich: The coolest site, now a boon in these warmer years. A very steep, due south facing, and warm parcel right behind the village, where Anrecht is located. Most of the hill faces west and many great Kabinetts come from the top section of the hill. Wines tend to be more lime green and herbal here, very zippy acidity. 

• Schlossberg: Slightly warmer than Himmelreich and cooler than Sonnenuhr, middle in elevation and steepness as well. Aspect is west, south-west, with the Schmitt parcel facing due south. More clay and topsoil for more water retention with wines that fare well in drier years. From white pith to lime, orange peel and grapefruit to ripe peach and tropical mango.

• Sonnenuhr: An extension of its more famous neighbor Wehlener Sonnenur (thanks to a certain winery located in a village across the river). It too has a sundial (this one is older), and is steeper, high elevation Grand Cru facing due south with very little topsoil. The wines here are deep, can get very ripe and spicy but with a salty minerality,  in cooler years have that perfect balance of levity and concentration.

• Wehlen: Across and down river from Zeltingen. Blue devonian slate soils. Home to J.J. Prum.
• Sonnenuhr: Also blue Devonian slate as it is a continuation of the Zeltinger Sonnenhur. The same steep slopes in most places, same altitude, same rocky meager stop soil. Different sundial. These can be some of the most gossamer, intriguing and yet perfectly fruity wines in the world.

• Graach: A unique village and set of vineyards downriver from Wehlen on the right bank of the river with a south, south-west exposure. Natural springs throughout the vineyards provide water to the vines, even in the driest of years. It has the same blue Devonian slate with big chunks so quartzite as its neighbors in Wehlen and Zeltingen but a deeper layer of loam on top for more water retention. It is also set a little further back from the river than most other villages, making it slightly cooler, with less direct sun reflection as well. There is a very specific flavor profile from these sites, an earthy-peach note that comes through in the wine no matter the producer. Home to Willi Schaefer.
• Himmelreich: fruity, charming, delicate and elegant, more easy going.

• Domprobst: Darker, herbs, darker fruit, earthier, takes longer to open up, ages even longer.

• Bernkastel: Blue devonian slate soils and home to possibly the most famous site in Germany the Doktor. This is the start of the Miracle Mile and the village is large enough to span both sides of the river.
• Badstube: a large 68 hectare, gently sloping hill behind the village. Doktor, Graben are individual sites within it. Wines tend to be fruity and rich with notes of berries and peach and effusive aromatics.. They have a parcel of ungrafted vines.

• Graben: A recent purchase of a plot with 100 year old vines to the left of the Doktor. Very hot, but shut down during ripening, which kept the fruit from producing too much sugar. Intensely concentrated wines brimming with minerality and a shockingly high amount of acidity.

 

Grape Varieties |

 

• Riesling: 
• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

• Pinot Noir: ​​
• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

• Weissburgunder
• A white skinned mutation of Pinot Noir
• The secret weapon of the Teutonics. They make the best versions of this grape, and they don’t share them.
• Germany is now the world’s leading producer of Pinot Blanc
• pale to straw yellow in color, and delicate on the nose. A slightly nutlike aroma is typical. Vinified dry, its medium to full body and fine acidity complement many types of food.
• Good examples age very well, although generally made with the aim of everyday fresh and dry wines in mind. Even these seemingly innocuous wines have the ability to age over decades..

Farming |

Practicing Organic

Cellar Work |

Very traditional, low intervention

• Even with a state of the art facility and all the gadgets available at hand the majority of these wines are made simply.
• Spontaneous fermentation, no temperature control, allowed to take as long as it needs.
• Fermentation and aging of most of the wines is in large old Fuder (1000L barrels)
• Some of the younger, fruitier wines are made in stainless steel.
• Nothing added except sulfur.

About the winery |

This is a happy place full of smart, dedicated, and passionate people. Johannes is like a walking, talking history book, always connecting the dots, with an incredibly deep understanding and insight into his home region and its wines. 

The Selbachs have been in the Mosel wine business since the 1600s. Johannes' great-grandfather Mathias Oster started a negotiation business, which is still thriving today. It provides some of the best value Riesling in the US. 

Sebastian, while not as effusive as his father, has the intense concentration and dedication of someone much older than himself. He’s an incredibly talented winemaker with some of the best wines of the estate being made on his watch.

The best thing about Selbach-Oster is that while they are rooted in tradition, it's their understanding of it that allows them to push forward into the future. From the new GG’s to Pet-Nat’s and zero alcohol wines, they are always innovating, always trying something new, and always striving to do so in the most loving and inviting way possible.

What do the wines taste like?

Happiness. Fruity, and juicy, but with enough freshness to keep them alive on your palate and in bottles should you choose to cellar some.

There are a number of very old vine bottlings with deep, intense mineral concentration.

The GG’s are great for beginners to the style. A new addition to the already extensive line up, but with the structure and composure to make you think they’ve been around all along. These are on the easier drinking side, dry, but not harsh, fruity but also with a salty, stoney intensity.

And finally, there are few things in life as good as the single parcel “snap-shot” wines Anrecht, Rotlay, Bömer, and Schmitt. All harvested at once, towards the end of harvest with everything on the vine, no matter ripe, underripe or botrytized for a perfect expression of place. Picked at an “Auslese'' level of ripeness, but never with a designation. They are dizzyingly complex, with a steely core of mouthwatering acidity from the under ripe grapes and a silky, mouth filling texture. I have never, ever had wines that lasted so long on the palate as these. Worth every penny, and underpriced as far as I’m concerned.

Willi Schaefer

People |

Christoph & Andrea Schaefer

Focus |

Riesling perfection from the Graach. Tiny, crafted production, impossible not to love, impossible to get.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Mosel

Village |

Graach

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability is what makes Mosel wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen enough.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

4.5 hectares total, mostly in his home of Graach

• Graach: A unique village and set of vineyards downriver from Wehlen on the right bank of the river with a south, south-west exposure. Natural springs throughout the vineyards provide water to the vines, even in the driest of years. It has the same blue Devonian slate with big chunks so quartzite as its neighbors in Wehlen and Zeltingen but a deeper layer of loam on top for more water retention. It is also set a little further back from the river than most other villages, making it slightly cooler, with less direct sun reflection as well. There is a very specific flavor profile from these sites, an earthy-peach note that comes through in the wine no matter the producer. 

• Himmelreich: Up river, just over a little crest from the Domprobst. These are slightly fruitier, with white and green character, charming, delicate and elegant, more easy going and ready younger, but still with that beguiling earthy peach thing.

• Domprobst: Very steep with a darker, herb and deeper fruit profile, the earthiness is more pronounced, these take longer to open up and unwind and find their pleasure but they age forever.

• Wehlener Sonnenuhr: Blue devonian slate soils and a continuation of the Zeltinger Sonnenhur. The same steep slopes in most places, same altitude, same rocky meager stop soil. Different sundial. These can be some of the most gossamer, intriguing and yet perfectly fruity wines in the world with a yellow to red fruit profile, most vintages. Home to J.J. Prum. Willi Schaefer has a tiny .25 hectare parcel.

Grape Varieties |

Riesling: 

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Farming |

Sustainable

• Harvest is not my analytics but only by taste

Cellar Work |

Traditional - Low Intervention

• Grapes are very gently crushed
• Low pressure in pneumatic press
• Gravity fed to stainless steel tanks for sedimentation
• Gravity fed into old Mosel Fuder (1,000 L)
• Spontaneous fermentation with natural yeats
• Allowed to ferment as long as it takes
• Careful monitoring of each barrel to check for perfect balance of sweetness and acid balance.
• Uses a temperature controlling steel tube inserted into each barrel if it is going to fast to chill it down.
• Slowly lowers the temperature in each, so the yeast die off slowly and naturally
• Long lees contact for further stabilization
• Comparatively small amounts of sulfur needed for these lightly sweet wines.

About the winery |

Without a doubt one of the greatest addresses in the Mosel. Incredible wines, no matter what the vintage brings. 

This is a family operation based in love and appreciation for great Riesling. Starting in the 12th century with the first vineyard donated to the family and documentation of winegrowing in 1590. Notoriety of the estate started with Christoph’s grandfather Willi, who established the “house style” of very lightly sweet wines with perfect structure after the cold snap of 43-44 left wines with unfermented sugar. He spent the next 30 perfecting his techniques.

Son of grandfather Willi was Christoph’s father Willi who took over from his father in 1971 and brought further global attention to the estate. The first exported wines were to the US in 1983 and since then have become some of the most coveted wines in the world.

Christoph started working for his father in 2002 after studying in Geisenheim and interning at Schlossgut Diel, in South Africa and at Saintsbury in California. He brought in his wife Andrea whom he met at school and gained business experience staying at wineries around the world. They took over completely in 2015 and carried on the legacy of his fathers before him.

They only farm 4.5 hectares of land, which is all they can handle with the intensive amount of work they put into their vines. This is work which pays off no matter the vintage, the character of which is what Christoph feels is the most important thing to capture. Ask him to compare vintages and he has difficulty, as for him, each stands on his own as a testament to the singularity that is every year and every moment.

With so little land, there are never enough bottles to sate the thirsty palates of Schaefer fanatics. To know them is to love them, is to be disappointed that you will never have enough.   

What do the wines taste like?

They’re silly delicious. You cannot be unhappy drinking these perfect ur-Mosel Rieslings.  And as crystalline as they are, as ethereally complex and limpidly clear, they have a quality of calm; they don’t fuss at you with how amazing they are. 

I am possibly repeating myself in saying that Armin Tement (supported by brother Stefan and his wife Monika as well as his parents Manfred and Heidi) has made Weingut Tement Austria’s number one wine producer. Although it has been one of the country’s finest wine addresses already during the 1990s and 2000s by Armin’s father Manfred, the son has pushed the limits even farther. In terms of size, sophisticated winemaking and the immense range of high-quality wines, I don’t see anybody else producing wine on this level in Austria... —Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

People |

Armin Tement, Monika Tement (Armin’s wife), Stefan Tement (Armin’s brother), Manfred Tement (Armin’s father) and Heidi Tement (Armin’s mother)

(From left to right: Stefan, Manfred, Heidi, Armin, Monika)

Focus |

In pursuit of perfection. This was the first Styrian winery to win international recognition, but the accolades have only pushed them to craft ever more chiseled expressions of place. Decidedly classic in style and flavor, but natural in method.

Country |

Austria
​

Region |

Styria/Steiermark

 

Subregion |

Sudsteiermark

Climate |

Three competing weather patterns converge in Styria.

• Wet, warm air from the mediterranean in the south. Very high precipitation annually and all the disease pressure to go with it.
• Hot, dry air from across the Pannonian plane to the east. Helps with ripening, concentration and disease pressure.
• Cold breezes from the west and north flow down the alps, ensuring bright acidity and freshness in all the wines. 

Vineyards |

• Zieregg: Arguably the best Grand Cru site in Styria. The Tement family has decided to split this large vineyard into four distinct, named sites to further explore the nuances specific to each. All are at 1,000 feet to 1,350 feet elevation. What is now simply, Zieregg, is south-facing and covered in pure coral limestone. Wines from here are about as perfect as they come, combining elegance, finesse, intensity, concentration, and length, no matter the grape variety. Both the Sauvignon Blanc and Morillon (Chardonnay) seem expensive, but a pittance compared to Grand Cru Burgundy, whose quality they far exceed in most circumstances.

• Zieregg Kår: Pronounced “Koar” which means “cool hill” for its south-west exposure. Soil is marl over coral limestone and the wines here have more tension and a tighter structure, if not quite so much density and concentration.

• Zieregg Kapelle: A plateau at the top of the hill, getting sunshine all day long with heavy clay topsoil. This means richer wines, although not overly so, as they are tempered by the cooling air of the surrounding forest. Keep these for the long haul as they have gobs of concentration for development.

• Zieregg Steilriegel: The oldest family plot, the most complex wines, everything is turned up a notch here. Pure limestone soil and all the structure, acid and minerality that come with it.

• Grassnitzberg Riff: A terraced site in a closed off valley with a south-southeastern exposure 900-1,260 feet high. The soils are sandy-loam with coral limestone for a slightly more open knit fruit, but the very cold nights mean searing acidity and a salty, mineral tang.

• Wielitschberg: Their warmest west facing site with clay over marl and limestone. Traminer, or Gewürtztraminer finds itself perfectly at home here, where it archives both adequate ripeness to showcase the typical perfume, spice and fruit notes but with more freshness and silky texture than most.

• Sulz: Here we find “Opok” the classic Styrian soil of loamy chalk and marl that give the region its distinctive minerality. A warmer site with south, southwestern exposure with an elevation up to 1,470 feet make it well suited for Pinot Blanc and Morillon. Wines from here are built to last and are best with at least 5 years before opening, I’d say give it 10-20 if you can.

• Ottenberg: Another plateau at 990 feet elevation with sandy topsoil over limestone. Home to Welschriesling, normally an innocuous workhorse variety, finds new life with more mineral than fruit and a balanced structure. 

• Sernau König: One of the most unique sites in the line up defined by its soaring elevation, up to 1,500 feet and the Drau river at its base, layering gravel and alluvial soil over millennia. Besides the elevation, the surrounding forest protects it from wind, but also keeps temperatures lower for spine tingling acidity and inimitable minerality. It also lends to a greener-more garrigue focused profile with tarragon, lime pith, pine and mint imbued wines. 

Grape Varieties |

• Sauvignon Blanc. Now the most typical grape of the region, but it was Manfred’s passion for the variety and focus on it and Morillon that helped catapult it's now lofty reputation. The style is unique for this very popular grape. Very old-world and mineral driven, not quite as austere as Sancerre, or fruity, sweet or green as New Zealand, more of the body and richness of Bordeaux,  but without the new oak or blending partner of Semillon. An excellent addition to the repertoire of any lover of crisp, intense, semi-aromatic, white wine.
• Morillon = Chardonnay. The 2nd most planted white grape in the world finds a comfortable second home in Styria. The best are on par with the 1er and Grand Cru white Burgundies, often for a fraction of the price.
• Welschriesling: Not to be confused with Riesling. This is a workhorse grape, capable of high yields and made for easy drinking, simple wines. In the right sites, with old vines and well farmed you can create some mineral driven delicious little bottles.
• Others: Gelber Muskateller, Blaufränkisch, Gewüztraminer, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), and Zweigelt.

Farming |

Biodynamic

• Manfred changed from bulk to fine wine production in the 80s, but the typical conventional methods of his time.
• Armin started conversion to organic viticulture in 2005.
• All 80 hectares were certified organic by 2018.
• In 2022 all vineyards are now doubly certified biodynamic by both Demeter and Respekt.
• Everything is hand harvested, a feat with that much acreage on such steep slopes.

Cellar Work | 

“Tement’s own style” - Armin Tement

• Natural, in classic wine’s clothing
• 12-24 hour maceration before pressing
• Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast
• Non-single vineyard cuvée are fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks
• Aged for 6 months on the lees
• Filtered
• Single vineyard bottlings are all fermented and aged in large, neutral oak barrels
• Age for 18-24 months on the lees
• Unfiltered
• Wines see no sulfur until bottling

About the winery |

Manfred Tement was the first of his kind, favoring Sauvignon Blanc and Morillon over Welschriesling. Before he started in 1986 this was an innocuous, bulk wine region, with most wine being consumed by the locals at the charming Heurigen and Budenshank (wine taverns) spread across the beautiful countryside. His commitment to quality took 5 years for anyone to notice, at which point a German wine magazine declared Tement to make the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. 

That’s a lot of praise to live up to, but the family has not tired from always raising the bar and keeping their much deserved attention. Manfred’s sons Armin and Stefan have taken on the task with gusto. Farming has been a huge priority, not only hand harvesting, but conversion to organics and now biodynamics. Ask any farmer in the Finger Lakes, Bordeaux or Galicia, all very wet regions, about the difficulties or organic farming and most will tell you it's just impossible. Especially on 80 hectares in a remote region rife with super steep slopes. They preserve.

In the winery they’ve pulled everything back. Ripeness levels, skin maceration, new oak, temperature control, filtering and sulfur. Today these are as pure an expression of place over winemaking as one can get. 

Why aren’t they more famous here? My theory is two fold. Austrian wines in general do not get the attention they deserve. This may be a hold over from the 1984 wine scandal (happened in a totally different region), or assumptions of over ripe-styles based on now outdated Parker years, or just a general aversion to German words and bottles. 

The second half is Styrian wine is expensive and their old importers didn’t do them justice in getting the wines in the hands of the right people. These are difficult, remote terrains to work and the thirsty locals could consume everything, if we let them, meaning it's often more economical to sell domestically. So wine from an unknown region starting at $25 and up (prices which don’t seem as crazy today as they did 5 years ago)? It’s a difficult sell and needs the right champions. Bowler & Flatiron are those champions.

What do the wines taste like?

Classic in the best sense of the word. Terroir driven single-vineyard wines are the stars of the show and rife with mineral intensity. While gorgeous on release these are wines that will continue to develop and unfold for years in the cellar. Their diversity in site is rivaled only by Burgundy, Mosel and the Wachau, hence the huge line up of single parcel bottlings, but each is unique and worthy of attention.

But don't miss out on the zippy Kalk & Kreide with your back yard BBQ this summer! This is Styria at its most charming. It is a better value and higher quality than ANY Sancerre at the same price.

Some consider this the world's best Sauvignon Blanc (don't tell Vatan or Vacheron, but it's pretty darn amazing). I’m especially partial to the reductive, limestone-minerality of the Morillon myself.

Tement is the best in the region, one of the very best in Austria, and that puts them in line with the greatest winemakers on earth. 

Wines on Offer |

Tement, Gelber Muskateller Sand & Schiefer, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 This organic Gutswein (territory wine) comes from seven of the best single vineyards, grown on sandy (for easy drinking fruity notes) and schist (for a layer of minerality) soils. The grapes were selectively harvested by hand and naturally fermented before aging for six months on lees in a stainless steel tank. A true reflection of South Styrian terroir.

 

 

Tement, Gewürztraminer Wielitschberg Erste Lage, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $49.99 $43.99

Ried (vineyard) Wielitschberg is a perfectly situated site for warmth-loving Traminer with great structure and varietal character. Smoky minerality combined with a delicate bouquet of lilac and chocolate mint, which is reflected on the dry palate with plenty of lively refreshing aromatics. A lighter style than those found in Alsace, more precise finish, a perfect summer-at-the-beach wine.

 

 

Tement, Morillon Muschelkalk, 2021 $25.99 $22.87

Morillon is the local name in Styria for Chardonnay. The "Muschelkalk" Morillon is a regional wine that comes entirely from Sudsteiermark vineyards. It's predominantly grown on coralline limestone soil. It spends 18 months of aging on its lees in big, neutral oak casks before being bottled unfiltered. Bright and balanced now, but even better after two-three years of bottle age. This is a great reasonable cellar option. If you haven’t enjoyed Morillon from Styria yet, then you’ve been missing out.

Tement, Morillon Sulz Erste Lage, 2019 $44.99 $39.59

“The barrel-fermented premier cru (1STK) 2019 Morillon Ried Sulz opens with a fresh, intense, yeasty and slightly oaky bouquet that seems deeper, toastier and more intense than the corresponding Pinot Blanc (Weisser Burgunder). On the palate, this is a rich yet vital, vibrantly fresh and sustainably structured Chardonnay from coolish calcareous marl soils located in a warm site. An impressive wine that needs a few years to open up and flow free. 12.5% stated alcohol. Glass stopper. Tasted in December 2021. 93 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate 

Tement, Morillon Zieregg Grosse Lage Steilriegel, 2020 $88.99 $78.31

A very special Morillon from a special single parcel of our best site Zieregg. Here the limestone changes to marl, which has more heat storage capacity and is ideal for a fully concentrated, intense style of wine. Cool winds also favor the aromatic expression of the grape. After natural fermentation, 20 months of aging on lees in big, neutral oak casks it is then bottled unfiltered. Better than all but the top Burgundy wines. It will go the distance in your cellar, in your glass and in your memory. This is a not-to-be-missed wine.

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Ehrenhausen Korallenkalk, 2020 $25.99 $22.87

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Grassnitzberg Erste Lage, 2019 $38.99 $34.31

"The 2019 Ried Grassnitzberg Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes quite reductive and needs a lot of air, but it is precise, deep and clear. A second bottle was far better and a clearer Grassnitzberg representative, with a deep, cool and intensely fruity nose with mango notes and fine, smoky spice. Complex, elegant and fine on the palate, this is a full-bodied, juicy, ripe, savory, salty and grippy Sauvignon from Grassnitzberg that is tartly bitter on the finish and needs plenty of time to shine. The 2019 is not at all for young-wine or brand drinkers, but for collectors and connoisseurs of demanding wines. This is a tightly knit, taut, big wine that needs around 10 years before its journey really begins. 13% stated alcohol. Glass stopper. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2021. 96 pts" -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Grassnitzberg Riff Erste Lage, 2020 $47.99 $42.23

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Grassnitzberg Riff Erste Lage, 2020 (1.5L) $101.99 $89.75

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Grassnitzberg Riff Erste Lage, 2020 (3L) $190.00 $167.20

"Tement's former Grassnitzberg comes under a new name since the family opted for a particular naming for the coolest part of the 80-hectare single vineyard that is located on a coral limestone shelf in the southeast-exposed Erste Lage (premier cru). The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Ried Grassnitzberg Riff 1STK opens very clear with elegant fruit and floral notes on the nose. Almost austere in its phenolic grip on the palate, this is nonetheless an elegant, herbal-fruited Grassnitzberg from the coral limestone reef with a dense, firm-mineral structure and length. Though still a bit restrained, it is a superb Sauvignon that will evolve in bottle. 13% stated alcohol. Vinolok closure. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2022. 94+ Pts" -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Kalk & Kreide, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

A hugely varied terroir mix from 55 different Sauvignon Blanc parcels, mainly grown on mineralic limestone soil. It spends six months aging on lees in a stainless steel tank. There is a sharp bite to the acidity, keeping the wine very refreshing against the just ripe fruit. Not exactly old world meets new world, but more like old world meets balance.

 

 

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Sernau König Grosse Lage, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $71.99 $63.35

"From Gamlitz, the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Ried Sernau König GSTK opens with a cool, refreshing, leafy and tart nose with ripe and juicy but also concentrated fruit notes. Dense and powerful on the palate, with tremendous salt and tension, this is a powerful, grippy and long-lasting Sauvignon from the gravelly soil. 13% stated alcohol. Vinolok closure. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2022. 95pts" -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage, 2019 $74.99 $65.99

“Dense, ripe and tight on the nose, the 2019 Ried Zieregg Sauvignon Blanc is surprisingly cool and elegant yet aromatic. Dense and taut yet very elegant and balanced on the palate, this is a compact, salty and persistently complex Sauvignon classic from the Zieregg, but perhaps also as akin in essence to the Grassnitzberg as is otherwise rare (or at all). It still needs an enormous amount of time. 13% stated alcohol. Glass stopper. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2021. 96+ pts” -- Stephen Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage, 2020 $88.99 $78.31

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage, 2020 (1.5L) $160.00 $140.80

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage, 2020 (3L) $330.00 $290.40

 “Armin Tement calls 2020 “the most balanced vintage for ages" and says that the wines are "calm and deep." The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Ried Zieregg GSTK reveals clear, elegant, bright and fine spicy fruit with grassy, herbal and stony notes. Juicy and powerful on the palate, with plenty of energy and firmly structured length as well as refreshing phenolic notes, this is an elegant, complex and balanced, super persistent and salty-mineral Zieregg with great length and, once again, impressive complexity. 13% stated alcohol. Vinolok closure. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2022. 96 pts" -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage IZ Reserve, 2018 $178.99 $157.51

"Tement's 2018 Ried Zieregg GSTK Reserve IZ displays a vigorous yellow color as well as a dense, intense, woodsy nose with ripe, concentrated fruit. It is very present in contrast to earlier vintages, which, for all their fascination, were far more untamed and enigmatic in their youth. The wine is rich and lush on the palate but firmly structured, with clove and wood flavors, a dense and very concentrated texture and firm but fine tannins. This is an almost stunningly powerful, dense and substantial Sauvignon with great, aromatic and juicy length. As always, it is an exciting Sauvignon blend, in this case from a warm vintage with clear, very aromatic fruit. 13.5% stated alcohol. Vinolok closure. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2022. 97 pts" -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage Parzellenkollektion, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $164.99 $145.19

A special collector's pack with three different micro-parcels from the famous Zieregg Grosse Lage. These wines are only available in this mixed case: Zieregg Steinbruch, Zieregg Dreieck and Zieregg Weisse Wand. And 2020 is the last year that it will be offered as they are now bottling Zieregg Kar and Zieregg Kapelle each year.

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Grosse Lage Vinothek Reserve, 2019 $160.99 $141.67

"Blending the ripest Sauvignon grapes of the vintage entirely sourced from the plot "7 rows" and aged sur lie in 700-liter barrels for 24 months Tement's, 2019 Ried Zieregg GSTK Vinothek Reserve is clear and intense but fine and herbaceous on the nose, with riper, more concentrated, elegant and floral fruit. Intense and rich on the palate, it is very dense and powerful but juicy, with firm tannin structure and great length. This is a highly complex, promising Sauvignon with lots of potential. 2019 is “similar to 2017, but a bit more tangible, with grip and structure, yet velvety," Armin Tement commented about his wine, which was bottled with 13.5% stated alcohol. Vinolok closure. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2022. To be released in spring 2023. 95+ pts" -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Kapelle Grosse Lage, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $88.99 $78.31

NEW with vintage 2020. Ried ZIEREGG KAPELLE is a high plateau above the winery, at the foot of the Karmeliter Chapel. Very juicy Sauvignon Blanc with decent notes of flint on the nose, deep spice and dark cool fruit on the palate.

 

 

Tement, Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg Kår Grosse Lage, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $88.99 $78.31

 A new wine starting in vintage 2020. Kår (pronounced Koar) stands colloquially for "kolta Riegel". It is from grandma Edina's home vineyard and Kiesner Mountain with west-south Exposure and cool microclimate. This is Sauvignon Blanc as the Tement’s like it: meager, cool, athletic & structured.

 

 

Tement, Vermouth Alfred Dry, NV $41.99 $36.95

Tement wines make up the base wine for the Vermouth and the brandies are made by Manfred Tement's friend, Alois Gölles, who is responsible for lively and fine brandy. The ""Alfred"" Dry is made with wormwood, cardamom, thyme, fennel, coriander, rose petals, and orange peel. Bitter, spicy and absolutely delicious.

 

 

Tement, Vermouth Alfred Rosso, NV $41.99 $36.95

Another winning combo, this time with Tement’s Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch as the base wine for the Vermouth and Alois Gölles, Manfred Tement’s friend, provides the delicious brandy. Herbs include wormwood, cardamom, thyme, fennel, coriander, rose petals, and orange peel. I can never decide which I like better, you should just buy both!

 

 

Tement, Welschriesling Ottenberg Veitlhansl, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $36.99 $32.55

white strawberry, faint riesling fruity nose. Mineral, delicate.

 

Tement, Welschriesling Weinstock Alte Reben, 2020 ( 3-btl min.) $73.99 $65.11

First vintage was 2011 to bottle single vineyards. Made in the oldest 500L barrels. From Zieregg, previous owner named Weinstock. Planted in 1978. Richer, mineral. Great intensity. Grassy nose....smells like the dried cut grass in the vineyard.

After tasting through at least 50 producers and over 300 wines at last year’s vieVinum wine fair in Austria, I can unequivocally say that Jurtschitsch is one of Austria's greatest wine estates. If you already appreciate the wines of Hirsch, Bründlmayer, Knoll, Alzinger, Bernhard Ott, Prager, and the rest of Austria's elite forces, but haven’t stumbled on Jurtschitsch, you, my friend, are missing out. And if you don't know anything about Austrian wines or those names I just mentioned, then this is the perfect place to start.

This Estate is now among the finest of the region, and a must address for acid-affine lovers of Saar Riesling. — Mosel Fine Wine Review

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Sub Region/Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Stefan Muller

 

Focus |

Riesling from the Saar, showcasing his excellent holdings through wines that are balanced, ripe, delicate and aromatic.

 

Country |

Germany

 

Region |

Mosel

 

 

Sub Region/Village |

Saar Valley, Village of Konz

 

Climate |

Cold Continental

The wind whipped Saar Valley has always been one of the most difficult regions in the world to ripen grapes. Global warming has helped with more consistently great vintages, but this is still a place where acid-heads find their happy place.

 

Vineyards |

• Niedermenniger Herrenberg: Red slate, always adds a little extra spice. Lots of old and un-grafted vines
• Niedermenniger Sonnenberg: Red slate, from iron influence = a nice kick of spice, west, south-west exposition. Vines up to 50 years old.
• Krettnacher Altenberg: Blue slate and the local green slate known as Diabas. Smaller vineyard, cooler site. Very steep
• Krettnacher Euchariusberg: Gray and blue slate with quartz, vines planted in 1944 and 1964. Very steep, owns 5 hectares.

 

Grape Varieties |

Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc

 

Farming |

Sustainable

• Pragmatic, will use fungicides to save the vintage
• No herbicides or pesticides
• lots of organic practices
• Hand harvested
• Vineyards full of vegetation, bugs and other critters for a very healthy eco system.

Cellar Work |

Ad Hoc, with low intervention techniques

• Mix of stainless steel vats and old, used barrels
• Wild yeast
• No chaptalization
• Sulfur only at bottling
• No recipe for any wine, each is made on its own merits, depending on what the vintage calls for

 

About the winery |

Stefan is a pragmatist who believes in preserving the unique qualities of each site. This is best done with careful farming in the vineyard with as few interventions there and the cellar as possible. He’s not beholden to a recipe, but makes each wine on its own.

His collection on old vines in some of the almost-forgotten sections of the Saar are given extra special attention. Riesling lovers will recognize some of the names from Zilliken and Falkenstein who are also devoted to reviving this section of the Saar. Every vintage these wines gain more and more clarity, making them an excellent value.

 

What do the wines taste like?

The Saar has always been ground zero for the most delicate, mineral driven and laser beam focused wines in the world. The wines at Müller are exquisitely balanced, succulent, wildly aromatic, unapologetically ripe, and true to the Saar.

 

Wines on Offer |

Stefan Muller, Riesling Altenberg Kabinett, 2021 $23.99 $21.11  49g/l RS, 11.1g/l acidity. Wait, WHAT??? FOR ACID FREAKS. Krettnacher Altenberg and Euchariusberg are two of the top-ranked sites on the Saar; steep, well-situated, and slatey. But Altenberg is much smaller, cooler, and in addition to its foundational blue-gray slate, contains the exceedingly rare ""green slate"" known as Diabas. This fruity Kabi, picked from young vines (2014) and vinified in steel, teems with fresh aromas of apples and tangerines, and holds its sweetness in a precise structure. A precious and rare example of ultra-filigreed Saar Riesling. "The 2021er Krettnacher Altenberg Riesling Kabinett was made from fruit picked at 78° Oechsle in the central part of the vineyard (Klassenbörchen) and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (48 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose made of pear, smoke, citrusy elements, and fine spices. The wine is feather-light yet nicely intense on the palate and leaves a stunning feel of herbs and fine spices in the long and medium intense finish. The aftertaste is featherlight and slightly linear but incredibly vibrant. 2029-2041. 91 pts" -- Mosel Fine Wines   Stefan Muller, Riesling Euchariusberg Auslese, 2022 $39.99 $35.19 Made from specially-selected berries picked from vines planted in 1976 on gray slate. This is a classic expression of Saar Auslese, a rarity in 2022 but absolutely delicious and balanced nonetheless. Whole cluster pressing, spontaneous fermentation, full yeast maturation. 79g/lRS, 10.7g TA, 7% abv.   Stefan Muller, Riesling Euchariusberg Kabinett, 2021 $23.99 $21.11 The 2021er Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett was made from fruit picked at 80° Oechsle in the auf der Traif sector of the vineyard and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (40 g/l). It offers a racy nose driven by citrusy fruit sorbet, pear, smoke, wet stone, and subtly floral elements. The wine is beautifully delineated on the palate and leaves a nicely direct and linear feel in the long finish. A kick of acidity in the aftertaste makes for a vibrating and almost dry-tasting feel. 2029-2041 - Mosel Fine Wines   Stefan Muller, Riesling Euchariusberg Kabinett Alte Reben, 2021 $30.99 $27.27 11.8g acidity, 48g/l RS, 7.5% alc. Stefan Müller holds vineyards in the villages of Niedermennig and Krettnach. This is made from old un-grafted vines in the Krettnacher Euchariusberg, fermented to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar. A lovely, lighter new release from here, harvested early for Kabinett (this is usually a Spatlese site), so it combines ripeness with that wonderful Saar ""floaty"" feeling. "The 2021er Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett was made from fruit picked at 78° Oechsle on over 50-year-old vines in the prime Gross Schock sector of the vineyard and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (47 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose made of fine green herbs, a hint of pear, greengage, a subtle dash of whipped cream, floral elements, and lots of smoky flavors. The wine is gorgeously delineated on the palate and leaves a superbly juicy and fruity feel in the long finish. The aftertaste is just a delight of vibrancy, focus, and yet intensity. 2029-2041. 93 pts"" -- Mosel Fine Wines   Stefan Muller, Riesling Euchariusberg Spatlese Alte Reben 1944, 2022 $35.99 $31.67 From very old vines (around 1944, not much planting happening around then!) in a mix of gray and blue slate. The old vines are felt in that extra boost of complexity, refinement and length. Whole cluster pressing, spontaneous fermentation, full yeast maturation. 60g/ RS; 9.8g TA; 8% abv.   Stefan Muller, Riesling Herrenberg Feinherb, 2021 $24.99 $21.99 Kabinett-level ripeness, but fermented drier for delicate feinherb style. From the red slate of Herrenberg, again for a dash of spice. Apple blossoms and lemon curd in a perfectly balanced, dancing, graceful, utterly charming wine that will excel with a huge variety of cuisine. 32g RS 10.8g TA.   Stefan Muller, Riesling Sonnenberg Kabinett Alte Reben, 2021 $25.99 $22.87 One of Müller’s prized sites is a parcel of 50 year-old ("alte reben") vines situated in the western, south-west-facing part of the Niedermenniger Sonnenberg. The iron-rich slate over a base of deep red soil gives it a signature, almost sanguine quality. Year after year it is our favorite Kabinett from Stefan. Buy a case, drink a couple now, then enjoy the rest from your cellar over 20-30 years. 44g/l RS, 11.5g/l TA. Vinified in stainless steel. "The 2021er Niedermenniger Sonnenberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben was made from fruit picked at 80° Oechsle on over 45-year-old vines and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (45 g/l). It offers a still rather austere nose made of smoke, green herbs, spices, tea, and wet stone. A firm kick of acidity makes for a citrusy and almost off-dry rather fruity-styled feel on the palate. The wine leaves one with quite some vibrancy and flavors of passion fruit sorbet in the long finish. The aftertaste is all about focus, raciness, length, and mouthwatering flavors. This highly sprung Kabinett will particularly appeal to acid freaks with a soft spot for a dash of creaminess. We would not be surprised if it eventually warrants a higher rating at maturity, as the acidity blends in! 2026-2036. 93+ pts" Mosel Fine Wines   Stefan Muller, Riesling Sonnenberg Spatlese Alte Reben, 2022 $33.99 $29.91 From a mix of old vines planted in 1967 in the south-facing part of the vineyard. Not quite as old as the “1944” but a layered, complex wine that can be cellared for decades. 60g/l RS, 9.5g TA, 8% abc.   Stefan Muller, Riesling Trocken, 2021 $19.99 $17.59 From old vines planted in 1983 at the top of the Niedermenniger Herrenberg, a red slate site, known to throw a dash of spice to the profile. Vinified to dryness in 2/3 stainless steel, 1/3 Fuder barrels. Normally this wine sees partial malolactic fermentation, but thanks to super low pH none occurred in 2021. This vintage is especially energetic, crunchy, and mineral. 8.3g/l RS and 8.5g/l TA.

The wines are exquisite, and each of the various Marienburg parcels is different: they shimmer aromatically, are alluring and profound, intense yet streamlined. Truly one of the Mosel’s best. — Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous Media

 

The wines are authentic, expressive and have an inimitable identity that represents the particular origin of which the terraced parts with the often ungrafted vines can give unforgettable drinking experience (Fahrlay Terrassen, Felsterrasse, Raffes). These are not wines to enjoy quickly or even thoughtlessly. I'd rather recommend to drink them slowly, not too cool and with all the time they need and you are ready to give them. — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

People |

Rita & Clemens Busch

Focus |

Stalwarts of biodynamic farming, natural wine making, bottling single vineyard, single soil type Riesling. Mostly dry, with some outstanding sweeter wines.

 

Country |

Germany

Region |

Mosel

 

Sub Region/Village |

Punderich, at the border between the Middle and the Lower/Terrassen Mosel

 

Climate |

Cool Continental

 

Vineyards |

• Marienburg, named as such in with the 1971 wine law, lumping together 90 hectares of steep and flat sites of many soil types. Clemens has spent decades re-delineating the single vineyard names of old. He started with 2 hectares from his father in 1975 and now farms 18.

• Felsterrasse: 70 + year old vines, single staked in light gray slate with bands of iron. Reportedly this is Clemens favorite single vineyard. Needs time in the bottle.

 

• Fahrlay: the only blue slate parcel, imparting raging acidity, floral notes and concentration to age for decades.

 

• Rothenpfad: Red slate. A geologic formation of iron- and copper-rich red-colored rock that starts in the Saar (see Niedermenniger vineyards in Stefan Müller), pops up at the Ürziger Würzgarten (Merkelbach), Erdener Prälat and Enkircher Steffensberg (Immich Batterieberg, Vollenweider & Weiser Künstler) sites in the Middle Mosel, and ends at Pünderich. Signature spicy kick, exotic and ripe.

 

• Falkenlay: 65-90 year old ungrafted vines planted on gray slate. Ginger, ripe and saline. Lends itself to long term aging.

 

• Raffes: A section of the Falkenlay vineyard where the vines are sheltered from the wine, gain more ripeness and produce the deepest most concentrated wines at the estate.

 

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

 

Farming |

Biodynamic

• Clemens took over the conventionally farmed estate in 1975
• Stopped using herbicides in 1976
• He and Rita converted to organics in 1986
• Certified biodynamic by the EU and Respekt in 2005
• They are role models for biodynamic farmers around the world

 

 

Cellar Work |

Natural

• The master interpreter of natural wine in Germany
• Light skin contact, for some tannic grip

 

About the winery |

Clemens, the 5th of his name, along with wife Rita, are stalwarts of biodynamics and natural wine making, a rarity in the Mosel. Situated on the dividing line between the middle and lower Mosel, they've single handedly regained recognition for their home vineyard, Marienberg.

 

The Marienberg was collateral damage of German bureaucracy in 1971. Its 23 hectares were expanded to include 91 hectares, including flat land across the river, and its reputation quickly faded. Clemens and Rita have spent a lifetime teasing out the once recognized parcels and applying their lost names.

 

Red, gray and blue slate snake through the vineyard. Each bottle, besides being a single vineyard, is further divided by slate type with a corresponding capsule to indicate which color it was grown on.

 

These are wines for people who believe in connecting with nature, a sense of place, tradition, striving for excellence, acid and minerality.

 

What do the wines taste like?

These are powerful wines, destined for long lives and almost all are vinified totally dry. Each show shows a huge variety of flavors and textures, with the only difference in the wines being the site they come from.

 

They can be pungent and exotic with, with pronounced ripeness and great staying power. Intense enough for white wine for red meat. Or Firm, vivid, gingery, with saline with acidity that elevates to a quiveringly “alive” state of being. The luster, florality, sizzling acids center minerality above all else.

 

Wines on Offer |

Clemens Busch, Riesling (alter-) Native, 2020 $35.99 $31.67

Skin contact style Riesling from fruit grown in gray slate, the wine spends 15 months sur lie in large old German oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered and with very little sulfur (20ppm). There is some natural CO2 in this wine, coupled with fabulous acidity, modest alcohol, and piercing minerality.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Fahrlay Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $69.99 $61.59

Blue slate, very old (80+) yr old vines.

"Deep and cool nose of crisp pear, bergamot and a touch of floral honey. Bold and firmly structured, this has impressive depth, but needs some time to open up. Plenty of crushed rock minerality at the long, weighty finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2024. 93 pts" -- James Suckling



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Fahrlay-Terrasen Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $98.99 $87.11

From 110-year-old vines and biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Fermented spontaneously in traditional oak casks from fruit harvested in a prime terraced part of the blue-slate Fahrlay sector. Full-bodied and high-toned with citrus fruit dominant at this early stage; but the slate comes down in the finish like a hammer. Very dry, very young, an impressive achievement by any measure.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Falkenlay Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $69.99 $61.59

Grey slate, high up on the hill "where the falcons fly..."

"Full peachy nose, impressive ripeness and generosity for the vintage, this is an immediately appealing 2021 Mosel riesling GG that also has the structure to age well. Still firm at the minty and earthy finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold. 94 pts" -- James Suckling



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Felsterrasse Grosse Lage, 2020 $113.99 $100.31

"99 POINTS -- The 2020 Marienburg Felsterrasse offers perfectly ripe and concentrated yet refined, finely slatey and perfectly ripe fruit aromas with delicate lemon juice and herbal aromas. A stunning beauty! Silky, crystalline, lush and intense yet highly finessed and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich and very intense yet playful, saline and finessed Riesling with power and concentration and a very long, hedonistic yet always elegant and balanced finish. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022." -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

From 40+ year-old, mainly ungrafted vines on gray slate in the main part of the VDP. Grosse Lage, Pündericher Marienburg, the flagship vineyard of the estate. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt and Demeter certification.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Kabinett, 2022 $37.99 $33.43

“2021 Marienburg Kabinett is clear, pure and intense on the reductive and slatey/saline nose. On the palate, this is a lush and round, salty, piquant and salivating Kabinett with ripe and lush fruit but a fruity rather than sweet finish. Bottled with more than 10.5 grams per liter of acidity and nearly 60 grams per liter of residual sugar. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022. 93 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Raffes Grosse Lage, 2021 $170.00 $149.60

From ancient, predominantly ungrafted vines on gray slate from the best part of the Falkenlay terroir of the Pündericher Marienburg. What intensity and finesse! The best of the best from Clemens. Not offered every year.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Rothenpfad Grosses Gewächs, 2022 $61.99 $54.55

The Big Red One. The Rothenpfad (red path) is the terminus of an iron- and copper-rich red-colored geological slate formation that runs throughout the Middle Mosel and ends at Pünderich. Clemens’ GG from here, like all wines made from such soil, is pungent and exotic with pronounced ripeness and great staying power. White wine for red meat.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Marienburg Spatlese, 2022 $43.99 $38.71

A fully sweet Spatlese from Clemens (RS north of 70g/l) balanced by juicy acids and a lattice of crystalline minerality. Teeming with orange blossoms and capped by a dollop of rainbow sherbet, this is a joyous wine.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Nonnengarten, 2019 $39.99 $35.19

The "nun's garden." From a lovely southeast facing vineyard on the right side of the Marienburg, close to the castle. Clemens considers this a 1er Cru for his estate, although the VDP recognizes the site as a grand cru. The vines are 35-40 years old. The soil here is red slate which lends its usual minty, herbal, spice garden character. In hot vintages, a smoky element emerges. The structure is always firm but more ""open"" with its fruit than most of his GGs. Dubbed the "Rheingau from the Mosel" by Clemens for its dark minerality. 300-400cs made in a normal vintage.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Trocken, 2022 $24.99 $21.99

Sourced from a blend of fruit from the slope and the flatlands around the Marienburg). Clear, clean, pale, with talc notes, apple fruit, and modest alcohol for such a dry wine. Biodynamic, spontaneously fermented, no chaptalization.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Vom Blauen Schiefer, 2022 $43.99 $38.71

The blue slate entry in Clemens' ""slate series,"" identified by its steel blue capsule. Usually released later than the gray and red slate wines, vinified in steel. A dry Riesling of length and strength. The blue slate (blauen schiefer) consistently lends firmness, incredible mineral tension, and a particularly haunting florality that drops strong men to their knees.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Vom Grauen Schiefer, 2022 $31.99 $28.15

The name means “from gray slate”. More linear, stony, and drier-tasting than the Roten Schiefer. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt and Demeter certification.



Clemens Busch, Riesling Vom Roten Schiefer, 2022 $31.99 $28.15

From iron-rich red slate soils on the Marienburg. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt and Demeter certification. More exotic, yellow-fruited and riper-tasting than the Grauenschiefer.