German Wine

Our Professional Review 

Rand Sieger 67Wine.com | This is the lemonade of wine.  A super fresh and juicy summer quaffer to have with all your lighter summer foods. The first aromas that come up from the glass are crushed lilies of the valley and white pepper, followed
by citrus and fresh pineapple.  Dry, lean, fresh and juicy on the palate.

Winemaker Description 

A liter of the raciest, most energetic and appealingly mineralische Riesling imaginable. Alc: 12% Residual sugar: 7,5 g/ltr Acidity: 7,6 g/ltr Must weight: 88° Oechsle Harvest on 26th of September 2019, Temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel. On the fine yeast until bottling in stainless steel tanks (26th of February 2021) Bright yellow colour with green highlights; in the nose aromas of apple, yellow stone fruits and freshness; on the palate very harmonic, totally dry and refreshing.

Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker is a single vineyard site with a size of 121 hectares. 10% of the vineyard site is steep, 20% hilly and 70% are flat. The soil varies between sandy loam and loamy sand, mixed with limestone rocks and red sandstone. The name “Herrgottsacker” is probably derived from the word “Gottesacker” (which is a former word for cementery) andThis interpretation from Kimich, a small, traditional, 8th generation estate, is an absurd value in the liter bottle (33% more wine)! 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

Stuart Pigott writes: ripe stone fruit character emerges more and more with each swirl of the glass. A generous mouthful of extremely harmonious dry riesling. A touch of fine tannin deftly supports the finish. A good two-thirds fermented in stainless steel, the remainder in large neutral oak. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold. Screw cap.  James Suckling 92 Ann Krebiehl MW writes:  The 2022 Riesling is picked mainly in Wachenheim and Ruppertsberg with a little Deidesnheim. About a third was fermented spontaneously in Doppelstück, the rest in stainless steel, partly spontaneous, partly with their own isolated yeast strain. The nose initially is a double take of apple juice: intense, fruity, bright, then a hint of yeast follows, settling on pear and lemon. The palate has real tension and freshness. It's salty, apple-juicy and concentrated, yet bone-dry with proper tension. (Bone-dry)  Drinking 2023 -2035.  Vinous 90

Stephan Reinhardt writes:  Sourced in Wachenheim and Ruppertsberg, the 2022 Riesling Trocken is intensely yellow in color and offers saline notes of yellow and green apples intertwined with finely stony aromas. Very elegant and with lush, refined fruit, this is a substantial dry Riesling with moderate body and a stringent and still young but promising finish with muscles. This should be cellared for another year, if possible, or open the bottle a day or two before you consume it to let it breathe. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in November 2023.  Drinking 2024 -2040.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 90

Kristen Bieler writes:  A rounder version, with a honeyed edge to flavors of spiced apple, juicy lemon and nectarine. Bone dry and focused through the palate, offering pithy acidity that makes for a mouthwatering, chiseled close. Drink now.  - Wine Spectator

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling 93 Points | Brimming with floral, white-peach and Amalfi-lemon aromas, this is an extremely elegant, off-dry riesling with a wonderful lightness and purity. The appley freshness and apple-blossom aromas at the finish pull you back for more. Drink or hold. Screw cap

Vinous 90 Points | The 2023 Riesling is precisely the same wine as the Riesling trocken but with an arrested ferment at a point that Dönnhoff deems to have a certain balance. Stone, flint and lemon play on the nose. The palate dances, veil-like, barely there, with exquisite lightness. A subtle sweetness highlights juicy apples and tender lemons.

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Description 

The grapes for this delicious Riesling come from the prized area of Ürziger Würztgarten, in the middle Mosel above the village of Ürzig. Vinified and aged entirely in stainless steel vats, and intentionally released after a minimum of one year in the bottle, it displays classic Mosel mineral and lime notes throughout with bright, crisp acidity and just enough residual sugar to soften the edges.

Winemaker Description 

Lively fruit and minerality on a zesty palate. Slightly sweet, with a dry finish. Unfined, unfiltered.

Founded in 1891, the Brand winery has been producing wine in the Pfalz for five generations. Their vineyards are located on limestone-rich soils around the village of Bockenheim, in the northern part of the region, along the border of the Rheinhessen. Daniel and Jonas' father, Jürgen, always farmed their vines responsibly, but when his children took over, they immediately transitioned to organic viticulture, gaining certification in 2017. The Brothers Brand also utilize biodynamic treatments, always experimenting to discover which practices work best in their vines. All of their wines are made with little, if any, added sulfites. 

Wonderfully aromatic with lively fruit and minerality and a lovely zest and charge on the palate, perfectly balanced by the residual sugar. The Feinherb Riesling has a slight sweetness on the attack, though the sugar melds perfectly into the body, finishing dry and crisp. No fining or filtration and minimal use of sulfur.

Winemaker Description 

Experience the excellence of Peter Lauer's 2023 Riesling. As one of the best value wines from the Saar,Barrel X” is Florian Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a slightly off-dry (feinherb) Saar Riesling should be. Complex notes of citrus rind, tart green apple, saline, and minerals. Refreshing, and approachable this is the perfect bottle to kick-start any day. 

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger 67Wine.com | Only 7.5 percent Alcohol. This is about as good as a mosel riesling under $20 can be. Rarely do you find a Spätlese of this quality for such a low price. Classic mosel with bright white currant fruit, clover honey, and an energetic undercurrent of lime zest and slatey minerality. It really explodes on the palate with juicy, mouth watering fruit and the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

Try this paired with breaded, deep-fried button mushrooms dipped in tartar sauce. The combination will make you smile.

Winemaker Description 

The Rauen family in the Mosel has been growing grapes for many generations but began bottling their own wine only in 1983. When Harald Rauen took the reins from his father more than 30 years ago, the first thing he did with their vineyards in the slate-rich soils of Detzem and Thornich was to reduce the yields in the vineyards to concentrate on quality instead of bulk. The result has been a line of classically clean and elegant Rieslings. His Spatlese is light-bodied and zesty, just a touch sweet, with notes of apricot, lime, and flint.

Winemaker Description

Vinified in stainless steel, with just a hint of residual sugar, this wine vividly represents all that Mosel wine should be—fruity with vibrant acidity, clarity, and precision; all highlighted by intense slate-driven minerality. As an introduction to what one can glean from great Mosel wine, Selbach’s ‘Incline’ is incredible. 

Winemaker Description 

It shows the style of the house and the typicality of the different soils around the winery. A typical dry Palatinate Riesling with fine fruit, elegant acidity and gripping minerality.

The history of the Bassermann-Jordan winery is one that is intertwined with the history of winemaking in Pfalz. In 1718, Pierre Jordan purchased the family's first vineyards in Pfalz, while Johann-Peter Jordan built the winery in Deidesheim 65 years later. Around the turn of the century, Andreas Jordan elevated quality winemaking in Pfalz by becoming one of the first growers in the area to plant single varieties by vineyard and was also one of the first winemakers to vinify each vineyard separately. A marriage between the Bassermann and Jordan families added the name Bassermann to the winery in 1883. Bassermann-Jordan is one of the founding members of the VDP, Germany's top organization to ensure quality wine.

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger from 67Wine.com writes | 'Alte Reben' is German for 'Old Vines.'  This estate grown and bottled Riesling comes from a small family winery in the lower Mosel in the tiny village Thörnich.  Discover the beautiful balance and energy of this dry riesling that drinks way above its price point. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Wine Advocate 94 Points | The 2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett is deep and flinty but bright and clear on the refined and elegant nose with beautiful crushed slate aromas. On the palate, this is a rich, round and generous, incredibly lush and supple but crystalline and even pure Sonnenuhr with a highly stimulating, mouth-watering finish. This 2021 shows the great terroir of the cru, in particular in cool vintages due to its exposition that collects the sun's rays in the morning. 

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This shows very little sweetness, but is harmonious and well integrated despite the firm acidity that fuels it. Stone- and orchard-fruit notes are flecked by chrysanthemum and cardamom to create the full-spectrum. The finish is long and persistent.

Winemaker Description 

Cassis and lime zest aromas with tart, salty and slate notes.

Try with yellow curry or spring rolls.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | The grapes for Reinisch's 2020 St. Laurent ripen in the vineyards in Tattendorf, whose warm, dry gravel soils are predestined for this heat-resistant grape variety. Aged in large oak casks, this dark-colored red wine opens with an intense and aromatic bouquet of ripe, dark fruits and raw, dark and bloody flesh. It's attractively reductive. Textured and juicy on the round and generous, almost creamy palate, this is a mouth-filling and charming red with fine tannins and an aromatic fruit-intense finish. Perfect fruit ripeness. Not as delicate and filigreed as the corresponding Pinot Noir, but it's a supple and charming red that will make many friends. Very good finish. 12.5% stated alcohol. Screw-cap. Tasted in January 2023.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Aleks Zecevic of the Wine Enthusiast writes 89 Points | Very leesy but vibrant, this wine has apple candy accents and a prominent melon note that extends from start to finish. Sweet spice and white pepper linger on the moderately finish. 

Winemaker Description 

Juffer Sonnenuhr, a Grand Cru Site, comprised of blue Devonian slate with iron inclusions, and nearly due south exposition.  There are still some un-grafted vines with 70+ years of age. This vineyard is extremely steep (80%). Lieser’s holding are from the best parcels in the middle section or “fiilet piece” of the vineyard.

Our Professional Review 

Rand of 67Wine.com writes | A dry-styled Riesling that is at once rustic and approachable. Rockstar wine maker Christopher Loewen raises this wine in large fuder casks, using spontaneous fermentation.  This gives the wine a beautiful complexity and mouth filling texture.  A mix of yellow stone fruit, pear, and spiced citrus is underscored by a pleasingly savory salinity.

Winemaker Description 

Von Winning Riesling Brut light-bodied with notes of lemon zest, yellow pears, soft bubbles, and integrated minerality on the finish.

White fruit flavors, crisp, crunchy fleshy fruit aromas, fully ripe. With air the wine gains complexity, leaning towards nectarine and crisp cox-orange apple with a nice dose of salinity in the long finish.

Winemaker Description 

Breathtaking steep are the slate terraces of the Ahr, on which only a few vines can be found at all times. In this respect, the yields are also dwindling and the number of bottles is limited accordingly.

Juicy on the palate with delicate, round tannins and wonderfully balanced with beautiful fruit extract. Burgundy fans can really rejoice.

The name Meyer-Näkel stands for the finest Pinot Noir from the spectacular steep slate slopes of the Ahr - this has been no secret for decades. Today, sisters Maike and Dörte Näkel are the third generation to successfully continue what their father and grandfather - both legends and pioneers of dry German Pinot Noir - had already established.

Winemaker Description 

This Silvaner is a true all-round talent. It is subtly fruity and finely aromatic. Its clear, elegant bouquet with aromas of hay, apple and melon is unobtrusive and slightly acidic. The terroir-emphasized note is typical of Hans Wirsching's Silvaner. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | This bursts with a vibrant mix of citrus zest, green apple and sliced-pear flavors, but only after the leesy, brioche note airs out. It is supported by powerful acidity, which suggests that you should wait several years. Mineral-infused finish. Best after 2025.

Winemaker Description 

In the glass a straw yellow color with aromas of a very metal nose, pebbly with some flowers.  Taste dry, clean and delicately juicy, thoroughly cool, stony and earthy notes, fruit pome, green, slightly acidic herbs, salt is added to the end, body firm with very precise and direct, deep, thin stature one touch sweetness extract, good finish.

A good companion for pasta, pork, spicy food, poultry, cured meat, seafood.

Winemaker Description 

The scent has tangerine and peppery slate notes, still very young. In the mouth the wine has tension, crisp acidity, juiciness, a slim concentration, a dense, substantial core makes the finish compact and taut. Middle Rhine minerals with Rheingau finesse. 

Producer Descrption

Satin Finished. Made in Germany. A very solid original Monopol cutting thread ,and a smooth, free flowing top spiral. Excellent finished mechanism. For natural or synthetic corks. 6” tall. Zinc die cast and steel construction. 

Our Notes | Oscar Garcia Moncada

For several months, I have been searching for a German sparkling wine that could truly captivate my palate. Yet, every time a sales rep presented an option, I found myself disappointed. Then came the Weingut Stephan Steinmetz Liaison Crémant Brut, Mosel, Germany.

I swirled the wine in the glass, carefully observing its color and analyzing its nose. Finally, I took a sip. As the wine unfolded on my palate and my brain processed the experience, three words came to mind: Electric, Enticing, and Enigmatic.

Yes, this was it—the German sparkling wine I had been longing for!

Sight: A delicate stream of fine bubbles rises steadily, forming a small rosary of effervescence. The wine presents a pale silver hue on the glass.

Nose: Aromas of orchard fruits dominate, with notes of crisp green pears and apples, complemented by stone fruits like white peaches.

Palate: On the palate, vibrant flavors of green apples, lime peel, and orange zest shine through, enhanced by subtle hints of toast. The wine’s electric acidity and mouth-coating minerality create a dynamic and invigorating experience.

Finish: The finish is long, refreshingly dry, and leaves you eager for the next sip.

Pairing: This wine pairs beautifully with a variety of cuisines. I recommend seafood ramen, as its umami-rich broth and delicate textures harmonize perfectly with the wine’s brightness and minerality.

Oscar Garcia Moncada

Winemaker Description 

We reduce the use of machines to the bare minimum and rely on traditional handwork from spring to the harvest in autumn. Only this intensive care of each individual vine, such as constant foliage work or cutting out grapes, enables the desired quality to be achieved.

Respectful treatment of nature is very important to us. Once you have seen our beautiful Moselle landscape, you will know what we are talking about. We live and work in the rhythm of nature. Every vintage is different. Every year has surprises in store for us. And not always just positive ones. We have decided to intervene as little as possible in both the vineyard and the cellar and to work as sustainably as possible.

Only natural cork guarantees harmonious maturation and storage for years. For us, the technical closure is not an alternative! The advantages and rituals of natural cork predominate.

Expert Ratings

James Suckling 97 Points | This very concentrated and super-elegant riesling Auslese is still tightly-wound. However, it already has a very wide spectrum of subtle yellow fruit and wild flower aromas. Terrific structure behind the rich, but still medium-bodied palate. Incredibly long, slatey finish with staggering freshness that pulls you back for more of this Mosel masterpiece. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Decanter 95 Points | Tangs of cut stone and lime zest are peppered with gunpowder and smoke, but there's a powerful core of ripe lemon, lime and yellow cherry flavours too. While light on its feet, it's an unctuous, supple wine with a pert tangerine sweetness. Quite a bit more expressive in youth than the 2022 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese, it's already hedonistic with a brief decant but certainly ageworthy as well. 

Wine Spectator 94 Points | Delivering power and concentration, this is densely packed in a compact frame. Opens up to reveal impressively fresh flavors of dried thyme and apricot. This white's acidity shows a crunchy texture, and a wet slate note brings a cooling feel to the finish. This is one for the cellar. Best from 2026 through 2046.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is rather shy. The palate tingles with tangerine, ripe, rounded, aromatic, and full of tangy, zesty, sweet, ripe citrus. Wonderfully expressive on the mid-palate and with a subtle finish, full of those vivid aromatics. (Sweet).

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2022 

James Suckling 97 Points | This very concentrated and super-elegant riesling Auslese is still tightly-wound. However, it already has a very wide spectrum of subtle yellow fruit and wild flower aromas. Terrific structure behind the rich, but still medium-bodied palate. Incredibly long, slatey finish with staggering freshness that pulls you back for more of this Mosel masterpiece. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. (2022). 

Decanter 95 Points | Tangs of cut stone and lime zest are peppered with gunpowder and smoke, but there's a powerful core of ripe lemon, lime and yellow cherry flavours too. While light on its feet, it's an unctuous, supple wine with a pert tangerine sweetness. Quite a bit more expressive in youth than the 2022 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese, it's already hedonistic with a brief decant but certainly ageworthy as well. (2022). 

Wine Spectator 94 Points | Delivering power and concentration, this is densely packed in a compact frame. Opens up to reveal impressively fresh flavors of dried thyme and apricot. This white's acidity shows a crunchy texture, and a wet slate note brings a cooling feel to the finish. This is one for the cellar. Best from 2026 through 2046. (2022). 

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is rather shy. The palate tingles with tangerine, ripe, rounded, aromatic, and full of tangy, zesty, sweet, ripe citrus. Wonderfully expressive on the mid-palate and with a subtle finish, full of those vivid aromatics. (Sweet).(2022). 

Winemaker Description

This Riesling is rich in taste with a fresh, fruity delicate flavor.

Serve slightly chilled.

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling 96 Points | Here is a great Mosel Kabinett that needs a bit more time to show what it is really made of. Still very young with a pronounced yeasty character that slowly recedes with aeration, but the white peach and honeysuckle aromas that emerge are stunning. Extremely vibrant and precise, the slatey acidity making this fabulously graceful. As pure as an Alpine stream running with glacier water.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | This elegant version starts off closed before opening to reveal flavors of jasmine, sweet green apple and Asian pear. Shows impressive purity and inner density, with accents of fresh-cut chive and wet slate. Bitter, pithy acidity moves through, making for the shimmering, razor-edge finish, which lingers. Drink now through 2040. 300 cases imported.

Winemaker Description

J.J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese is a very pale yellow with pristine expression of fruit. Immediately showing great balance of sweetness and acidity, a bit creamier than the Kabinett, lovely stone fruit, very elegant with that kick from the well known Graacher acidity. Good length with a bright and mouthwatering finish.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 96 Points Striking nose of garden herbs with just a hint wet earth underlining the delicate white tree fruit aromas. Stunning concentration and energy on the super-straight medium-bodied palate. Very long, almost perfectly balanced finish that is surprising for this category at this early stage in the wine’s development. Great slate expression. Drink or hold. (2022). 

Decanter 96 Points | This powerfully concentrated yet fresh-fruited sip is a touch more inviting young than the more nervous Wehlener Sonnenuhr this vintage. Flavours of white grapefruit and green apples are intensely ripe but pure and pristine, etched by strikes of lime and salt. A delightfully fruity, off-dry wine with a kiss of tangerine sweetness on the finish. Ready now but will improve further. (2022). 

Wine Spectator 93 Points | A plush, alluring style, with apricot, guava and creamed pear flavors backed by a layer of finely crushed mineral notes. The texture is creamy and chalky, offering a stream of fruit punctuated by dried herb accents and a dusting of fleur de sel. Radiant, pure and long, with energy in reserve. Drink now through 2040. 250 cases imported. (2022). 

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 95 Points | All the ripeness of this very warm vintage, married to wonderful freshness that gives this the light-footedness of a great dancer. Mostly white fruit, but just a hint of fresh pineapple. Long, silky finish. Drink or hold. (2018). 

Robert Parker 93+ Points | The 2018 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is discreet yet deep and complex on the elegant and spicy nose that exhibits very fine stone fruit aromas. Round, lush and piquant on the palate, this is a crystalline, piquant, persistently salty and stimulating Himmelreich with fine tannins on the finish that add grip and a very light, food-friendly astringency that moderates away the sweetness. Still young, this is a Spätlese to serve with food in 10-15 years. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | This has all of the elements of a great spätlese, with pronounced acidity supporting the ripe peach, yellow apple, mango and spruce flavors, while hints of vanilla and piecrust add to the complexity. Still a bit intense, but this should develop beautifully with age, allowing the minerality to become more prominent. Best from 2022 through 2038. (2018).

Winemaker Description 

The famous traditional Karthäuserhof-wijnen are located in the famous Blotebuikfles. It's in the origin of the druiven. They come in the right avenue from the Karthäuserhofberg monopoly, also from the surrounding Wijngaarden in the Ruwer.

The quality of the iron is never less strict: the druiven is planned on steep slipways with strips on the ground and has been hand-geoed and selected. The opbrengst wordt is consciously stored for extra smaakconcentratie.
Proefnotity

Vol en aromatic from smaak. Tonen van rijp yellow fruit with a fraaie long afdronk. The wine is round and sappy, but it has a long, dry surface. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

James Suckling 94 Points | A prototypical riesling Kabinett for the Ruwer tributary of the Mosel with the sleek, almost dry and racy personality we associate with this special terroir. The effusive aromas of yellow apple, white peach, rhubarb and garden herbs are married to a firm core of wet stone minerality on the light-bodied yet compact palate. 

Winemaker Description 

The spicy spontaneous nose still dominates, but then the first fruity notes (juicy peach, grapefruit, white currant) and the slate literally pushes itself out of the glass. Very juicy and densely woven on the palate, a lot of melting, sweetness well integrated and countered by the invigorating acidity. A cabinet that will continue to reveal new facets over the next two decades. Winemaker Description.

Winemaker Description 

Initial powerful aromas of freshly cut grass and lime, followed by spicy aromas. Very nice the vanilla-bean. Elegant with vivid acidity, which gives the wine an enormous freshness. In the finish grated grapefruit peel. A really expressive Scheurebe! 

Winemaker Description 

Dessert wine made from particularly sweet and aromatic grapes. Notes of peach, citrus and honey.