Mosel 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. 

Winemaker Description 

This is Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a Saar Riesling should be. If we were in Burgundy this would be the equivalent of a Bourgogne Blanc.

As an appellation-level wine, it is sourced from multiple vineyards in three different villages of the Saar. This is always a thrilling off-dry and a silly value.

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.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling 93 Points | This Mosel Kabinett is very sleek and racy, with striking aromas of lime zest and cassis, Light-bodied with acidity that feels as if sparks are jumping around inside your mouth, pushing the touch of grape sweetness way into the background. I love this originality, but some may find it a bit challenging. From a unique site with quartzitic soil. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description 

Back to the fantastic Vintage 2023, this time from the Mosel, where we find our next top wine from the classic producer Maximum Ferdinand Richter, who have owned their vineyards for more than 300 years. Ownership of the Veldenzer Elisenberg vineyard began in 1813 when Richter ancestor Franz Ludwig Niessen learned of Napoleon Bonaparte's plan to demolish the cherished Veldenz vineyard. Niessen arranged a personal payment to the General to stop the destruction. The whole slope of Veldenzer Elisenberg was given to him by the municipality as a token of appreciation, and has stayed in the family ever since. The quartz soils of the Veldenz produce Rieslings that exhibit flavors of red currant, raspberry, and blueberry… an unusual quality to find in Riesling, but also a trait that makes this wine oh-so-charming, memorable and utterly delicious.

Memo Notes

Naturally Low Alcohol at only 8 Percent!

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.

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.

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Description 

Mülheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Zeppelin has amaizing aromas of apple, citrus and slate stone with clean and pure structure. The wine has a mineral texture with rich mouth-filling flavours of orchard fruits and juicy layers.

Shows as well zesty and spicy refreshing style. Well balanced structure, animating and the elegant fruit acid finishes with great length.

The estate of Max Ferdinand Richter has been owned by the Richter family for more than 300 years. Today this enterprise, owned and run by winemaker Dirk Richter, is one of the leading producers of top Rieslings in the heart of the central Mosel area with total holdings of 43 acres and an annual production of about 10,500 cases. Richter produces fine wines that are well known throughout the world. They produce a wide variety of wines from estate-grown grapes that reflect the individual style of each single vineyard. The terroir of their steep vineyard sites is generally fresh weathering grey slate.

Schloss Lieser SL Feinherb Estate Riesling has herbal and minerally aroma, really flinty on the nose. Has aromas of fruit and slate that lead to a fresh and round palate with a salty finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

James Suckling 94 Points | The intense wild herb character gives this sleek and compact 2021 Mosel GG a very striking personality. Lots of crisp pear and white peach fruit fill this picture out very neatly. The impressive length suggests this has many years ahead of it. Drink or hold.

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points by Aleks Zecevic | Well tuned and flowing with grace, this wine delivers notes of understated passion fruit and kumquat. A stony undertow adds to the charm and complexity. This wine is not a blockbuster, but rather is for those who value nuance and subtlety. 

Winemaker Description 

Variety: Riesling • Region: Mosel • Vineyard: Niederberg Helden • Soil Type: Blue Devonian slate • Fermentation & Élevage: Stainless steel

Lieserer Niederberg Helden: Created by merging the previously separate Niederberg and Helden vineyards, this Grosse Lage vineyard is just east of the village of Lieser. With a steep slope and the typical soil type for this part of the Mosel, blue Devonian slate, Niederberg Helden is known as one of the top vineyards for producing both dry and noble sweet wines. A unique microclimate is formed here by the south facing slopes curving inward which helps to capture warmth.

Memo Summary Notes

The Riesling Niederberg Helden Feinherb 2021 is an off-dry wine from the Mosel region of Germany, produced by the world-renowned Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag).

The "Niederberg Helden" is a legendary steep-slope vineyard known for its blue Devonian slate soil, which imparts a distinct mineral "grip" to the wine. Because 2021 was a cooler, more "classic" vintage in the Mosel, this wine has exceptional tension and energy compared to warmer years.

The Riesling Niederberg Helden Feinherb 2021 (750ml) is a high-end off-dry wine from the Mosel region of Germany, produced by the world-renowned Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag).

In the Mosel, Feinherb is the "winemaker's choice" style. It sits between Trocken (dry) and Kabinett (semi-sweet). It is specifically designed to pair with food—the slight sweetness cuts through the heat of spicy Thai or Indian cuisine, while the acidity stands up to rich dishes like roast pork or creamy cheeses.

Winemake Description 

Dry, crisp style with great acidity. Sourced from south-western sections of Zeltinger Himelreich, mid-slope and slate grown. Fermented in neutral fuder. Recognizable Pinot Blanc flavors but with the mineral energy of slate.

Importer Memo Notes

Variety: Pinot Blanc • Region: Mosel • Vineyard: Almost entirely from Zeltinger Himmelreich • Soil Type: Blue Devonian slate • Fermentation & Élevage: Natural fermentation in stainless steel.

Thursday August 7, 2025 - Melissa Clark made our dinner perfect with her Grilled Za’atar Chicken With Garlic Yogurt and Cilantro This has to be one of the easiest, yet most delicious, recipes you can make.  We don’t have a grill but used our oven, and, presto, perfect!  Since this was our friend Paulo’s birthday, a great wine was called for.  And WOW, what a perfectly delicious example of Riesling from the steep hills of Graach on the Mosel River.  The bouquet comes out of the glass as flowers and classic petrol.  The mouth is explosive with perfectly balanced acidity and lush fruit.  Your mouth is filled with this delicious and cleansing flavor.  This is "old style” classic Mosel from a tippy top producer.  If you are a gourmand like us, it is worth keeping a bottle for that special occasion.  - Bernie & Dorothy -  Follow The Drinker®

Expert Review

Stephan Reinhardt writes:  The 2022 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is very clear and delicate on the elegant and refined nose that intermingles very fine slate with floral aromas and bright, very elegant and refined Riesling fruit. Savory and saline on the palate, this is a round and lush, filigreed and crystalline Himmelreich with a long, salivating, saline and irresistible finish. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 25 23 in January 2025.  Drinking 2025 to 2065.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 97

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 

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

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018 

95 Points James Suckling | At once delicately spicy, but well-structured with so many subtle nuances, this is a very sophisticated Spatlese with only a hint of sweetness. Very long, spicy and smoky finish, and just beginning to open up. Drink or hold. (2018).

94+ Points Robert Parker | The 2018 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese is precise and remarkably refined on the subtle yet complex, terroir-driven and slightly flinty nose. Rich and piquant on the palate, with a vital acidity exposition and crunchy grip, this is a serious and sustainably structured Spätlese from "the other" Sonnenuhr. The finish is so mineral that it tastes almost dry and if not now in 10 or 20 years. This is a great ZSU to be served in a decade or two. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Winemaker Description 

On the nose, juicy scents and earthy spices fill up the glass. On the palate, a refreshing mineral character. Pair this Riesling with spicy Asian cuisine, poultry, or fish dishes. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Vinous 93 Points | The 2022 Riesling Wiltinger Braune Kupp Spätlese opens with a ripe green-red apple flesh note with overtones of candied angelica and earth after summer rain. The palate almost has an iron-oxide edge framing that juicy ripe red apple fruit soon verging into greengage compote. Ripe lemon pervades all and illuminates a fine smooth texture reminiscent of very fine earth saturated with all that lovely fruit emanating from it. (Sweet) (Drink between 2025-2060)

Expert Reviews | Vintage 2020 

96 Points James Suckling | This Spatlese beams you up to Cloud 9, from where you have a wonderful view over the beautiful Mosel Valley. In spite of the considerable concentration, this is super-delicate and precise on the barely medium-bodied palate. Enormously long finish, where you barely feel the natural grape sweetness. Drink or hold. 

95 Points Wine Advocate | The 2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese is pure, clear and flinty on the concentrated nose that is reminiscent of a fresh fruit salad served on a slate plate on an early summer morning. Light, lush and highly finessed but seriously structured on the palate, this is a savory, very clear and elegant Sonnenuhr Spätlese with great precision and finesse and highly stimulating salinity and mouth-watering grip on the finish. Rating: 95+ 

Expert Reviews 

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger of 67Wine.com | The Scharzhofberg is considered by many to be the most prestigious vineyard in the Mosel region.  Sipping this beautiful Spatlese from Von Hovel reminded me why it has earned that vaunted reputation.

The nose is stately elegant while at the same time, quite powerful. Yellow fruit and bright white berries marry nicely with lemon zest, spice box, and just a touch of reductive sharpness.  A very definite honey sweetness stretches across the palate with just the right amount of lip-smacking tartness to tie it all together.  Finishes smooth and silky with a lingering trail of honey and brown sugar.

This is one to savor by itself as dessert in its own right, but would be a lovely accompaniment to simple shortbread biscuits, or raspberry tart.