Wine Travelogue: My Trip To The Mosel

My wife and I took a trip this past week to the Mosel. As avid fans of riesling, we felt that this little vacation was just what we needed. We lodged in Trier the whole time we were here. Since this past Sunday and Monday were Easter holidays and wineries were closed, we used the opportunity to do some sightseeing, visiting the Porta Nigra, the Roman baths, St. Peter’s Cathedral, and the Stadtmuseum. Unfortunately the Karl Marx house is under renovation and won’t be open to the public until next year.



Tuesday 4/3/18:

Tuesday we began our wine tasting at Weingut Martin Müllen in Traben-Trarbach. Martin has been making spectacular under-the-radar wines since 1992 or 1993 in the Middle Mosel, and is particularly known for wines from the Kröver Letterlay, Kröver Paradies, and Trarbacher Hühnerberg vineyards. Whereas some winemakers who produce the full spectrum of rieslings have particular strengths in making either dry, off-dry, or sweet wines, I found all his wines to be excellent across the board. His wife Suzie and their cat Humboldt greeted us and started the tasting the dry wines before Martin came back from pruning in the vineyards and finished the rest.

2016 Martin Müllen Trabener Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett trocken:* A bright and clean dry Kabinett with slate, ripe lemon and peach, and some spice on the finish. Refreshingly good dry riesling for everyday drinking. Needs a couple more years to integrate but drinkable now. 89/100.

2014 Martin Müllen Unforgettable Tradition Riesling Revival trocken: More body than the dry Kabinett above. I loved the burst of citrus, particularly ripe grapefruit, lemon, and orange peel on the nose. Great acidity on the palate, with lingering lemon peel, white peach, bruised yellow apple, and herbal notes on the finish. Unforgettable indeed. 90/100.

2016 Martin Müllen Kröver Letterlay Riesling Spätlese trocken:** A more fruit-forward wine compared to the prior two, but not sweet. Ripe mango, pineapple, and yellow peach are dominant on the nose with a hint of orange peel and earth. The texture on the palate is creamy and juicy and the finish of exotic fruits is long. 91/100.

2015 Martin Müllen Kröver Letterlay Riesling Spätlese trocken:* Ripe grapefruit and lime predominate with hints of wet stone on the nose. On the palate there is again that exotic fruit as in the 2016 trocken** but the acidity was slightly out of balance and the finish not as long. 88/100.

2016 Martin Müllen Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese trocken: This wine has a certain ethereal character to it. Crushed wet stones, white smoke, and citrus on the nose, with a touch of anise. The citrus persists on the palate and there is a nice herbal note that lingers on the finish. This wine is nicely balanced and has a strong backbone of refreshing acidity. 92/100.

2015 Martin Müllen Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese trocken ‘3te Terrasse’:* The grapes for this bottling come from a special plot in the Trarbacher Hühnerberg vineyard with old ungrafted vines. This wine has muscles yet has finesse. Burst of lemon peel, candied grapefruit, yellow peach, baked yellow apple, and wet stone on the nose that transforms into a palate dominated by wet stone, lemon peel, and lime zest. The acidity is well-integrated and the finish is VERY long (I had to move my car after we tasted this and still had it on my palate when I got back 5 minutes later). This was excellent! 95/100.

2007 Martin Müllen Kröver Paradies Riesling Spätlese 9.3:** The 9.3 represents the 9.3 g/L of residual sugar after fermentation. Very interesting nose of petrol, yellow peach, blueberry, cassis, clove, and herbs. The palate is clean, with a creamy mouthfeel of mostly yellow peach, golden apple, and honey. 91/100.

2016 Martin Müllen Kröver Paradies Riesling Kabinett feinherb: Lemon and ripe pear dominate the nose and palate, with a hint of slate. Some candied lemon peel on the finish. Not a terribly complex wine but pretty nonetheless. 88/100.

2016 Martin Müllen Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Kabinett feinherb: Beautiful nose of yellow peach, golden apple, Bosc pear, and yellow flowers. On the palate there is more peach, dried apricot, and herbaceous undertones of rosemary and sage. Laser sharp acidity that is well-balanced by the residual sugar. A moderately complex wine that finishes strong. 92/100.

2016 Martin Müllen Kröver Paradies Riesling Spätlese:* Mostly tropical fruit on the nose and palate including starfruit, grilled pineapple, mango, and a hint of lime. Smooth texture on the palate with refreshing citrus notes including Meyer lemon and lime zest on a long finish. 91/100.

2014 Martin Müllen Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb:** Has been in an open bottle the past month. Showing some oxidative characters including raisins and honey. Intense nose of yellow peach and apricot with a hint of slate and whipped cream. Fully coats the palate with a mouthwatering acidity and long finish. Very surprised how this was showing after the bottle had been open for that long. 92/100.

2015 Martin Müllen Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb: Creamy white peach, apricot tart, and cassis with a strong acidic backbone. Pleasant to drink. 90/100.

2015 Martin Müllen Kröver Paradies Riesling Spätlese ‘Deare’:** Deare refers to a section of the Kröver Paradies vineyard is more stony compared to the rest. Candied lemon, quince, and baked golden apple on the nose with a touch of slate. On the palate the wine is round yet refined, with good acidity to balance out the sweetness. Very pleasurable spätlese. 92/100.

2011 Martin Müllen Kröver Letterlay Riesling Spätlese feinherb:** Baked apple and peaches with a hint of raisin and spices, particularly anise and cinnamon. A little cloying with the sweetness but has decent acidity to hold it up. 86/100.

2012 Martin Müllen Kröver Paradies Riesling Spätlese ‘Deare’:** Some funk on the nose, not sure what it was (wasn’t sulfur or petrol) but blew off pretty quickly to expose a nose of overripe white peach, lemon, starfruit, mango, and guava. On the palate the wine is creamy and showing notes of overripe peach, quince, and a touch of honey. Less acidity than the 2015 vintage, but still enjoyable. 90/100.

2010 Martin Müllen Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese: Boy this is good! Excellent balance of wet stone minerality and fruit on the nose, mostly consisting of guava, Meyer lemon, orange peel and honeycomb. The wine is slightly dense but not cloying, with a strong acidic backbone. In addition to the tropical fruit notes on the palate there’s a lovely floral finish of lilacs and jasmine. A pleasure to drink! 94/100.

2007 Martin Müllen Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Auslese “Traditionell”: This wine remained on the lees for a year after fermentation ended, with no added sulfur during that time, and thus its oxidative character makes it seem older than it really is. This wine has an intensely rich nose of overripe apricots, figs, honeycomb, and brioche. There is also some almond and other nutty undertones. However, on the palate the fruit is fresh with ripe yellow peach, melon, lemon peel, and herbs with a long finish. Sweetness and acidity are balanced, and though the wine is dense it isn’t sappy. 93/100.

2006 Martin Müllen Kröver Letterlay Riesling Auslese: Deep and powerful nose of honeycomb, fig, grilled pineapple, starfruit, and a touch of green herbs. Juicy, slightly syrupy on the palate with rich dried fruit notes of dates and figs and candied orange and lemon peel that linger on the palate. 92/100.

1993 Martin Müllen Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Auslese: Some oxidative notes as the wine has been open for the past week. This auslese is intensely rich with aromas of dried figs, dates, bruised red apple, and candied orange fruits. There is some ripe citrus on the palate and acidity to balance out the sweetness, but the palate is mostly driven by the dried fruit notes at this point with a touch of cinnamon and other baking spices on the finish. Dense and syrupy, the length of this wine goes on and on for minutes. 93/100.

Our second visit of the day was to Weingut Willi Schaefer in Graach. Their Graacher Domprobst spätlese is one of my favorite sweet wines but I haven’t had a chance to try their others due to limited availability where we live. Andrea Schaefer was an excellent host to us and another group of wine tasters as we sat down to tasting their 2016s and 2017s still in barrel, followed by a tour of the cellar.

1968 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich QBA: Christoph randomly opened this bottle to see if it was good still and left it for Andrea, so she figured why not give it a try. Well past prime but still has the qualities of an aged riesling with pineapple, honeycomb, and raisin. NR.

2017 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett: Bright and expressive, with a nose of slate, lemon peel, ripe white peach, apricot, and mango. Good acidic backbone, this wine is slightly less dense than in prior recent vintages. Medium finish with a touch of salinity. 90/100.

2016 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese: Rich, dense, and brilliant. Initially had some funk on the nose that blew off quickly and gave way to ripe golden apples, pears, pineapple, and cassis. At times one can appreciate some underriped raspberries on the nose as well. The finish is very long and is predominantly exotic fruits. 92/100.

2017 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #10: Concentrated nose of lemon peel, pear, dried apricot, and some yellow flowers. Bright acidity on the palate and though the mouthfeel is creamy there is a certain elegance to this wine. Long finish that ends on some exotic fruits including grilled pineapple. 93/100.

2017 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese: Beautiful citrus nose of lemon zest, ripe grapefruit, and orange peel. Mouthwatering acidity that lingers on the finish. Less body and not as complex as the Graacher Domprobst, which I suspect is due to differences between the vineyards. 90/100.

2017 Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese: Grapefruit, ripe yellow peach, and orange peel with a touch of wet stones on the nose. Dense and creamy mouthfeel, with decent acidity balancing out the sweetness. 90/100.

2017 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #5: Gorgeous yellow peach, mango, and apricot on the nose with a hint of smoke and green herbs. On the palate the wine is rich and creamy though not cloying. Moderately complex and ends on a predominantly ripe yellow peach finish. 93/100.

2006 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese: Decent amount of botrytis on this wine, with notes of beeswax and candied ginger in addition to tropical yellow fruits, orange peel, and baked yellow peach. Some minerality still present. The palate is dense but not sappy and the finish ends with raisins, dried figs, and a touch of herbs. Auslese-level sweetness but the acidity is there to balance it out well. 94/100.


We ended the night with a spectacular dinner at Schanz.

Wednesday 4/4/18:

We started off the day tasting with Thomas Haag, whose winemaking over the past 25 years has put Schloss Lieser on the map in the middle Mosel. We tasted his 2016 wines in flights, and though I know people joke that using Mosel grapes to make GGs is a waste I was most impressed by these wines in particular.

Flight 1 – Trocken

2016 Schloss Lieser SL Riesling Trocken: Ripe lemon, white peach, and pear. Acidity that can pull the enamel off your teeth. Light bodied and not too complex, good daily drinker at a great value. 88/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser SL Riesling Kabinett Trocken: Ripe white peach, apricot, and mango, with a touch of green herbs. Good acidity though not as lip puckering as the regular SL riesling trocken. 89/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser SL Helden Riesling Spätlese Trocken: My favorite of the three in this flight. Juicy ripe grapefruit, lemon peel, yellow peach, and apricot with a touch of rosemary and sage. Very elegant, with concentration of citrus flavors on the palate yet a light body. Excellent acidity. 92/100.

Flight 2 – GGs

2016 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Grosses Gewächs: Concentrated nose of ripe lemon, peach, quince, and melon with crushed wet stones. Creamy body with dominant notes of citrus and minerality, with a touch of salinity on the nose. Very refreshing, with a long finish. 92/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Grosses Gewächs: More yellow peach and apricot on this wine than the Brauneberger Juffer GG. Additionally has some enjoyable yellow floral notes. A little more tart on the palate, nice and zesty on the finish. 92/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Grosses Gewächs: My favorite of the GGs, also the first vintage of this bottling. Intense nose of lemon zest, ripe melon, and cantaloupe, with subtle hibiscus and lilac notes. Very masculine and punchy on the palate with ripe citrus and some spice on the finish, with a great acidic backbone. Can’t wait to see how this one evolves over time. 94/100.

Flight 3 – Kabinett

2016 Schloss Lieser SL Riesling Kabinett: Nice aromas of ripe melon, golden apple, pear, Meyer lemon, and a touch of earth. Juicy and zesty on the palate, with predominantly apple notes and lemon peel on the finish. 90/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett: Quite reductive nose of hard-boiled eggs, with subtle peach and lemon peel. The palate is more enjoyable, with flavors of ripe melon, grilled peach, pineapple, and a touch of chamomile on a long finish. Curious how this will evolve over time as some of the reduction dies down. 88/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett: Huge nose of passion fruit, ripe peach, mango, honeysuckle, and spice. With time in the glass, more herbal and wet stone notes are picked up. The palate is ripe and juicy, and though the sweetness is reminiscent of a spätlese there is excellent acidity to balance it out. Delicious kabinett with great potential. 93/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett: Like the Graacher Himmelreich kabinett, this wine has a reductive nose. Some lemon, white peach, green melon, and spice. Soft on the palate, more prominent notes of lemon, and green apple. 90/100.

Flight 4 – Spätlese

2016 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese: Slightly reductive nose, aromas of white peach, lemon zest, and orange fruits. Elegant and playful on the palate, there is enjoyable citrus including lemon zest, candied orange peel, tangerine, and a touch of hibiscus on the finish. Medium complexity with a long juicy finish. 91/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese: Nice balance of crushed wet stones with ripe tropical fruits on the nose and palate. Lemon peel, lime, kiwi, and guava. Very smooth on the palate with a delightful finish of slate and a touch of herbs. Great acidity to balance the sweetness. Overall I felt this wine had better structure than the Niederberg Helden spätlese. 92/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese: This is the second vintage of this spätlese produced by Schloss Lieser. Beautiful bouquet of ripe white peach and Bosc pear, quince, cantaloupe, and a touch of honey. Juicy with fresh acidity on the palate, which ends on ripe yellow tropical fruit notes. There is a particular lift and airy quality of this wine that I found in comparison to 2016 spätleses from other producers of this vineyard site. 92/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese: I found this wine to be the most powerful of the spätleses in this flight. Intense nose of ripe grapefruit, lemon peel, melon, and white flowers. The palate is rich and energetic, mostly consisting of citrus notes. A strong acidic backbone balances out the sweetness of this wine, which is almost auslese-like in density. 92/100.

Flight 5 – Auslese

2016 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese: Grapefruit, candied orange peel, clementine, and plums on the nose and palate with hints of ripe yellow peach. Has a tart finish of green apple, citrus, and a touch of slate. Lively acidity to balance out the sweetness. Less dense compared to the other ausleses in the line-up, moderate complexity. 92/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese: This wine has a very interesting nose and palate of ripe mango, guava, grilled pineapple, and herbal tea. Great concentration and structure, with a creamy mouthfeel and long finish. 92/100.

2016 Schloss Lieser Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese: My favorite of the ausleses, there is something very special about the grapes in the Doctor vineyard. Complex nose of pineapple, grapefruit, and mango intertwined with a flowery bouquet of lavender oil, jasmine, and herbal tea notes. Though the palate has a good concentration of flavors it is still elegant and ethereal. Excellent! 95/100.

Our next stop was to Markus Molitor in Wehlen. Having received huge scores from the 2016 line-up I was eager to try his wines to see if they lived up to the hype. Call me a pessimist if you will, but I am slightly concerned for the future quality of wines from this estate due to the many holdings up and down the Mosel that will require attention, including a couple new plots in the Saar that haven’t produced grapes yet. The tasting does not require an appointment, and the room we were in at the estate is gorgeous and opulent. Even though we were advised to choose 8 wines to try from the list of what was available, a lot more got poured than that.

2014 Markus Molitor Brauneberger Mandelgraben Pinot Noir:* This wine is big and rich. Extracted meaty nose with underlying red raspberries, potpourri, and dried sage. On the palate the wine is slightly dense and juicy, with mouthwatering acidity and refined tannins that haven’t started to integrate yet. The finish is long and consists of dried red fruits notes along with forest floor and a touch of cinnamon. David Schildknecht comments that this wine is likely a product of excessive winemaking effort, which I agree with, but it’s hard to put the glass down on this one. 92/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Alte Reben Riesling Mosel (White Capsule): Yellow peach, ripe honeydew melon, jasmine, and white flowers are the dominant aromas and flavors of this wine. Juicy with fresh acidity. Hint of crushed wet rocks on the finish. Moderate complexity. 90/100.

2003 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Spätlese (White Capsule): Some pineapple, raisin, and honey notes. The acidity is preserved but the wine fell flat on the palate and the finish was short. Disappointing, probably past prime. NR.

2016 Markus Molitor Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett (Green Capsule): Playful nose of lemon, lilacs, white flowers, iron, and crushed rocks. The palate is light and lower in acidity due to the vineyard site’s red slate, but has an enjoyable spicy quality on the finish. Easy to drink. 90/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett (Green Capsule): Ripe Meyer lemon and white peach on the nose. Good balance of fruit and minerality on the palate. Elegant with light and refreshing acidity, finishes on a tart note. 90/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (White Capsule):** Graceful and elegant, yet powerful. This wine has a gorgeous nose of candied lemon peel, grapefruit, honey, and white and purple flowers. The body is enticing with its smooth and creamy mouthfeel and flavors of citrus, fresh-cut flowers, and a touch of smoke and spice after a long finish. This wine holds a lot of promise and I will actively seek it out. 95/100.

2009 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese (White Capsule):** Petrol dominant on the nose followed by lemon peel and lime zest. Acidity is bright on the palate, ends with a slightly bitter finish. Might just need some more time to cellar, as this was less expressive than I was expecting for a slightly aged riesling. 91/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg Riesling Spätlese (Green Capsule): Concentrated nose of lavender, wet tea leaves, and savory herbs. Sweet pineapple, yellow peach, quince, and a touch of almond on the palate with an oaky finish. Good acidity to balance out the sweetness. Not our favorite in the line-up but still enjoyable. 88/100.

2007 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese (Green Capsule): Ripe grapefruit, kiwi, mint, dried fig, and honeycomb. Has a very nice round mouthfeel with fresh acidity and a very long finish. Good concentration of citrus flavors on the palate. 91/100.

2015 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese (Green Capsule): Delicious nose of ripe pineapple, mango, honeydew melon, peaches, and cream. On the palate the wine is dense and components are less harmonious than the 2007 (no surprise), with lip-puckering acidity, and long finish that ends with a touch of smoke and salinity. 92/100.

2015 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese (Green Capsule):** This wine is very zesty. Notes of candied lemon peel and lime are prominent, with hibiscus and tea leaves in the background. On the palate there are sweeter fruits including apricot and yellow peach, yellow flowers, and some slate and spice notes on the finish. 92/100.

2015 Markus Molitor Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Kabinett (Golden Capsule): Prominent tea leaf and savory herb notes with some lemon peel and apricot aromas. Great structure with a strong acidic backbone to balance out the sweetness. Long, moderately complex finish that ends on a tart note. 93/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett (Golden Capsule): Huge fruit bomb of ripe mango, pineapple, peach, and orange cream. Mouthwatering acidity with a long saline finish. Could have mistaken this for a spätlese with its concentration of aromas and exotic fruit flavors on the palate. 93/100.

2014 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (Golden Capsule): Not much ripe primary fruit on the nose or palate, mostly raisin, prune, saffron, and tea leaves with a hint of wet stones. Concentrated and dense on the palate, with a medium finish and complexity. 89/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (Golden Capsule): Very different from the 2014 bottling. Fresh and bright with ripe mango, pineapple, grapefruit, and lime zest. Mostly citrus notes on the palate with is less dense than the 2014 bottling, with prominent candied lemon, orange marmalade, and apricot tart. 92/100.

2015 Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese:** Lots of botrytis notes with some smoke and grilled pineapple. Dense and sweet though not cloying, with racy acidity. Very long honeyed finish. 92/100.

2016 Markus Molitor Brauneberger Mandelgraben Eiswein: I’ll admit I haven’t had an eiswein before but wow this was good! Great concentration of candied lemon peel, elderflower, vanilla, mint, and jasmine tea leaves. Smooth and dense on the palate, has a lovely fine acidity and sweetness that isn’t too cloying or sappy. 96/100.

2006 Markus Molitor Haus Klosterberg Beerenauslese: Ripe white peach, marzipan, candied lemon peel, raisin, and honeycomb. Excellent balance of sweetness with acidity. 94/100.

2006 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Schlossberg Trockenbeerenauslese (Golden Capsule):* Extremely dense and sweet with lots of botrytis notes. Some primary fruit notes of white peach and mango still present. Syrupy on the palate. A little too much for my taste though I can see how some people might like it. 92/100.

Our last stop of the day was at Weingut Reinhold Haart in Piesport. Theo Haart, the son of Reinhold, had been the winemaker and owner of the estate since 1971 and after a long career retired a couple years ago. His son Johannes has taken over and is keeping with tradition with the winemaking, though has his eyes set on a wider global market for the family’s wines. I hope this will mean seeing more of their wines locally, especially their ausleses, which are truly fantastic.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Riesling “Haart to Heart”: Despite its 20 g/L of residual sugar this wine tastes more like a trocken to me. Prominent notes of peach, quince, melon, and minerality. Refreshing acidity, not too complex with a slightly tart, medium finish. 89/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Riesling trocken: Bone dry. Notes of lemon pith, fresh cut grass, and yellow and white flowers. Bright and mouthwatering acidity with a slightly bitter finish. 89/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Wintricher Riesling trocken: This wine is made with all young vines from the Wintricher Ohligsberg vineyard. Fragrant nose of lemon peel, cassis, white flowers, and underripe white peach. Nice balance of minerality and citrus notes on the palate, with a bright acidic backbone. Has more finesse than the Piesporter trocken. 91/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Gräfenberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs: Nose of lemon peel, underripe white peach, and savory herbs. Has some green qualities to it. Bone dry and elegant on the palate with a touch of spice and smoke on the finish. 91/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpchen Riesling Grosses Gewächs: Intense nose of lemon peel, lemon oil, lime zest, lavender, and tea leaves. Smooth with good density on the palate and more prominent ripe fruits including yellow peach and mango. The wine intensifies with a zesty long finish. Can’t wait to see how this wine evolves. 94/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Kabinett: Made from a blend of 2/3 Gräfenberg and 1/3 Goldtröpchen vineyard grapes. Pungent nose of lemon, grapefruit, underripe peach, and slate. Juicy on the palate with a mouthwatering acidic backbone and a good balance of minerality and fruit. 91/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Gräfenberg Riesling Kabinett: My favorite of the three kabinetts we tried. Gorgeous nose of lemon peel, grapefruit, cassis, blueberries, and lavender. Juicy with predominantly citrus notes on the palate, though the acidity is not as bracing as in the regular Piesporter kabinett. Fabulous! 93/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Wintricher Öhligsberg Riesling Kabinett: Similar nose and palate as the Gräfenberg kabinett but with a touch of added smoke and slate. The palate is more creamy and round as well. 92/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese: Intense citrus and tropical fruits, including lemon and orange peel, lemon oil, clementine, pineapple, and quince. Zesty and mouth-coating on the palate with some nice spice on the finish. Still needs some time to mature. 92/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Wintricher Öhligsberg Riesling Spätlese: Nice mix of ripe yellow and orange fruits. Yellow peach, apricot, orange marmalade, and tangerine. Bright acidity and great concentration on the palate, that ends on a long citrus finish that is pure and powerful. 93/100.

2008 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese: Not sure why we didn’t taste this side-by-side with the 2016, but oh well. Apricot, prunes, candied lemon, golden and red baked apple, and a touch of minerality. The palate is rich and concentrated predominantly with lemon oil and baked apple notes. A touch of salinity on the finish. 92/100.

2016 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese: Rich and brooding nose of lemon peel, lime zest, starfruit, pineapple, raisin, and shaved almonds. The palate is dense, sweet, and creamy, though not cloying or sappy, and is held up well by the acidity. Long lingering finish that ends on a note of honey. Stunning! 95/100.

2003 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese: Less pronounced ripe fruit notes than the 2016 and more prominent botrytis, with raisin, honeycomb, and vanilla. Some bruised pear, elderflower, and salinity on the palate. Rich but not too sweet. 93/100.

2006 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese: Candied lemon peel, caramelized pineapple, honey, lavender, and dried herbs on the nose and palate. The body is rich and opulent, could be mistaken for a beerenauslese by its sweetness but it is not sappy or cloying. This is fabulous now! 95/100.

1998 Weingut Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese (Goldkapsel): Enticing nose of wet stone, honey, figs, dates, and stewed lemons. The palate is creamy and smooth with a prominence of sweet honey and anise, with a touch of chamomile and mint tea leaves. Dense and sappy, the finish lingers for minutes. Likely at peak and not going to evolve much further. 94/100.

Thursday 4/5/18:

On Thursday we traveled to the Saar for tastings at Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) and Peter Lauer. We first stopped at Zilliken and were guided through the tasting and cellar by Nanett, who had been working at the winery for a few years though has had a long career in multiple areas of the wine industry and formally trained at Geisenheim. Her enthusiasm and great personality made the tasting all that more enjoyable.

2016 Zilliken Riesling trocken: Nose of slate, lemon peel and fresh cut lime. Good acidic backbone with some zest on the finish but the wine is quite linear. Good wine for daily drinking and not one to ponder over. 88/100.

2016 Zilliken Saarburger “Alte Reben” Riesling trocken: The grapes used to make this wine come from 100+ year old vines in Saarburger Rausch. Intense minerality on the nose with soft undertones of lemon, grapefruit, peppermint, and white flowers. On the palate there is predominantly citrus notes with a creamy mouthfeel. Nice amount of spice on the finish and lingering mouthwatering acidity that leaves you begging for more. 92/100.

2014 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Grosses Gewächs: Potency of lemon zest, white and yellow flowers, wet stone, and a touch of smoke. Great acidic backbone. Quite a bit of spice on the finish compared to the alte reben bottling. 91/100.

2017 Zilliken Saarburger Riesling feinherb: Intriguing nose of yellow peach, candied grapefruit, lemon peel, and some sweet blueberries and underripe raspberries. This wine is elegant and tame, with less enamel-eroding acidity on the palate than the dry wines we had tasted, though lacking in complexity. 91/100.

2016 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling “Diabas”: My favorite amongst the dry and off-dry Zilliken rieslings we tried. Diabas is the part of Saarburger Rausch that has the highest mineral content. Intense nose of wet stone, yellow peach, pear, whipped cream, and smoke. There is a nice balance of mineral and fruit notes on the palate. The body is round and creamy with mouthwatering acidity and a nice touch of salinity on the finish. 93/100.

2017 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett: Peaches and cream, apricot, and mango are the dominant notes both on the nose and palate. Some lemon and smoke on the finish. There is some levity to this wine compared to some of the other kabinetts we had. 91/100.

2017 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese: Seductive nose of stone fruits, white flowers, and chamomile. Very floral characteristics on the palate including lavender, lilacs, and sweet citrus like clementine and tangerine. Good concentration with well-balanced acidity and sweetness. Moderate complexity and medium finish. 92/100.

2003 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese: Raisin, caramel, butter, and a hint of honey. The wine still has some primary fruit, namely yellow peach and orange peel, on the palate. Juicy and mouthwatering acidity. Smells like an auslese but has the structure and sweetness of a spätlese. 93/100.

2005 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese: Robust aromas of honey, clove, fresh clementine, pineapple, and guava. Rich and dense on the palate though not sappy or overbearingly sweet given its fresh acidity. The finish is long, smooth, and ethereal. 94/100.

1988 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Eiswein: One of the most interesting and complex noses I’ve ever gotten from a wine. A gorgeous interplay of citrus including lemon zest, candied orange peel, and nectarines with Rainier cherries, raisins, and shaved almonds. There are undertones of baking spices, including anise, and an herbal tea note. The palate is vivacious with great sweetness balanced by racy acidity. Dense and slightly sappy, the wine is creamy and round with a finish that lasts minutes. Such an amazing wine! 98/100.


We next stopped at Peter Lauer in Ayl. We were guided through the tasting by Katharina, who was a gracious host, and threw in a couple 2017 barrel samples for us to try amongst their line-up.

2017 Peter Lauer Riesling Fass 16 (dry): Easy drinking and refreshing. Some notes of slate, lemon zest, kiwi, and a touch of spearmint. Good acidity, not terribly complex. 87/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Riesling Fass 25 (dry): Grapefruit, lemon zest, wet slate, and a hint of petrol. Good mouth-puckering tart fruit on the palate, ends with a slightly smoky note. Simple like the Fa 16, though I find its primary fruit to be more expressive. 88/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Kupp Riesling Fass 18 Grosses Gewächs: Served in a Burgundy glass. Very enticing bouquet of white flowers, white smoke, underripe white peach, vanilla cream, and dried herbs. Concentrated peach and lemon dominate on the palate, the wine ends on a long saline and smoky finish. 94/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Schonfels Riesling Fass 11 Grosses Gewächs: Served in a Burgundy glass. Intense concentration of lemon peel, vanilla, jasmine, and delicate white flowers. On the palate there is an interesting blend of Rainier cherry and lime flavors with undertones of vanilla cream and mint. Nice spicy finish. 93/100.

2017 Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling Senior Fass 6 (dry to off-dry): Youthful, lean, and crisp. Lovely nose of grapefruit, lemon, and yellow flowers. The palate is silky smooth with well-balanced acidity and a slightly smoky finish. 90/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Neuenberg Riesling Fass 17 (dry to off-dry): Pleasant nose of grapefruit, candied lime, and a touch of smoke. Zesty on the palate with a strong acidic backbone and tart finish. Not terribly complex, but still enjoyable. 89/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Riesling Alt Scheidt (off-dry): Nice and pleasant to drink. Notes of grapefruit, honeydew, melon, apricot, and other dried fruits on the nose. Mostly grapefruit and peach on the palate with a touch of herbs and a smoky finish. 89/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Kern Riesling Fass 9 (off-dry): Gorgeous nose of crushed stone intertwined with white peach, melon, apricot, and a touch of mint. More concentrated on the palate than the Alt Scheidt, with a rich creamy body and bright acidity. 91/100.

2015 Peter Lauer Kern Riesling Fass 9 (off-dry): Very different from the 2016. Golden apple, Bosc pear, and caramel notes on the nose while mostly citrus, including lemon peel and tangerine, is found on the palate. This wine is rich and vivacious with bright acidity and ends with a caramel finish. 92/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Kupp Riesling Fass 8 Kabinett (sweet): An elegant wine with a nose of apricot, white peach, and clementine. Well-balanced sweetness and acidity on the palate, with flavors of peach, anise, ginger, and other baking spices. Has a long pleasurable spicy finish. 92/100.

2017 Peter Lauer Lambertskirch Riesling Kabinett (sweet): Intense nose of honeydew melon, clementine, and other sweet citrus aromas with underlying minerality. On the palate there is mostly orchard fruits and great acidity to balance the sweetness, though the components are not surprisingly disjointed. Has potential. 89/100.

2016 Peter Lauer Kupp Riesling Fass 7 Spätlese (sweet): This was just bottled 3 weeks ago. Lovely burst of grilled pineapple, guava, honeydew, and apricot on the nose balanced by mineral tones of wet rocks. The palate is fruity and rich with prominent tropical fruits and racy acidity, with a touch of honey and yellow flowers on the finish. 93/100.

1987 Peter Lauer Saar Riesling Brut Reserve: Disgorged February 2017. Very interesting sparkler with pungent smoke, tobacco, overripe apricot and baked peach on the nose. Nice and crisp with good acidity. The finish is overpowered by tobacco and leather notes. NR.

Our final stop of the day was at Von Schubert Maximin Grünhaus in the Ruwer. Though they said they didn’t require an appointment for tasting, we got there and had to walk through the warehouse to find someone who was in the middle of work to show us some wines. We decided to just limit it to the 2016 Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett and 2016 Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese so he could get back to work, both which were great, but I didn’t take formal tasting notes.

Friday 4/6/18:

Our last day in the Mosel we started by going back to the Ruwer, across the street from Von Schubert Maximin Grünhaus, to Karthäuserhof. It is a gorgeous estate where wines have been produced since 1335, originally by monks. Since 1811 it has been owned by the same family and its current owner, Albert Behler, is the 7th generation. We tasted with one of the employees (name escapes me) of the estate in their gorgeous tasting room, and were given a tour of the cellar. Unlike the other wineries we visited where we saw the cellars, they use 100% stainless steel tanks and have done so for the past 25-30 years.

2016 Karthäuserhof Weissburgunder trocken: Lovely terroir-driven minerality with accents of lemon peel, yellow peach, and yellow flowers. Soft and smooth on the palate with just a touch of heat from the alcohol on the finish. 88/100.

2016 Karthäuserhof Riesling Kabinett trocken: Elegant nose of lemon peel, orange marmalade, yellow flowers, currant, and slate. Though there is decent acidity, this wine was lacking tension and it fell apart on the palate with a short finish. 86/100.

2012 Karthäuserhof Riesling Spätlese trocken: Notes of lemon, grapefruit, and kiwi with a hint of honey. Juicy on the palate with an herbal finish. Though this was more dense than the Kabinett trocken, it was still light-bodied and refreshing to drink. 89/100.

2011 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Riesling feinherb: Light concentration of honeydew melon, cantaloupe, ripe yellow peach, and honeycomb, later showing white and yellow floral aromas. Juicy and tart with a touch of minerality and salinity on the finish. 89/100.

2016 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Riesling Kabinett: Elegant and light. Primary aromas of white peach, apricot, and grapefruit give way to wet slate, white flowers, and green tea leaves. Buoyant yet creamy on the palate with moderate complexity and a long finish. 90/100.

2008 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Riesling Spätlese: Beautiful nose of yellow peach, apricot, starfruit, honey, and clove. Ripe tropical fruits dominate the palate, which is soft and creamy, and finishes with a nice candied lemon/lime note. 92/100.

2010 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Riesling Auslese: Rich layers of ripe yellow peach, apricot, raisins, dried figs, and honey, well-balanced by a strong acidic backbone. This wine is dense and silky, leaving no part of the palate unexposed, producing a very long finish. 93/100.


Our final stop on our trip, and the one most anticipated by my wife, was at Joh. Jos. Prüm. It is currently run by Manfred and Katharina Prüm, the grandson and great-granddaughter of the Johann Josef Prüm who founded the winery in 1911 after the S.A. Prüm estate was split up. What surprised me most about this visit was how small the operation was given how much wine from J.J. Prüm we see in the U.S., though I have a sense they export most of what they produce.

We had a group tasting led by Amei Prüm, the matriarch of the family, who presented a great showing of the estate’s wines. All the wines were intentionally served ice-cold. Though I feared this may mask some of the aromas, it did not, and made drinking these even more refreshing and added a sense of purity to these wines.

2016 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett: Small amount of yeast on the nose hidden under a bouquet of lemon peel, underripe peach, candied grapefruit, and fresh-cut grass. Good structure and finish, though compared to the 2015 vintage I found there to be less complexity and not as much vibrant acidity. 90/100.

2016 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese: Slightly cheesy and reductive on the nose. More ripe and exotic fruits than the Kabinett, including golden apple, pineapple, candied lemon peel, and apricot on the nose and palate. More body and concentration of flavors than the Kabinett but still elegant, ends on a slightly tart note. 91/100.

2012 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese: A slightly warmer vintage than 2016 for the estate. This wine is more developed and serene. Notes of grapefruit and candied lemon peel dominate with a hint of petrol, honey, and clove. Delicious creamy texture with good acidity to balance the sweetness. Perfectly ready for drinking now though has a long life ahead of it. 92/100.

2012 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese: Pungent nose of petrol dominates the nose but then blows off after a few minutes, giving way to notes of baked apple, peach tart, clementine, honey, and a touch of wet slate. Round and concentrated on the palate, with mostly sweet citrus fruits, but not cloying and with minimal if any botrytis. 93/100.

2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese: Again, some petrol that blows off quickly. Ripe peach, apricot, star fruit, and herbs on the palate. Super smooth on the palate and light on its feet, not sappy at all. Strong acidic backbone to hold up the sweetness. This wine is starting to enter its peak window. 93/100.

2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese: I tend to prefer the wines produced from Wehlener Sonnenuhr over Graacher Himmelreich for their fullness and density, and this was no exception. Complex nose of petrol, wet stones, cantaloupe, honeydew, and lemon peel mixed with floral components including chamomile and jasmine. Deep, rich body with good level of sweetness, though holds up well with strong acidity. This wine is fabulous and showing very well. 94/100.

2007 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese: Compared to the 2009 vintage, this is more concentrated in aromas and flavors and has more tropical notes of ripe mango and passion fruit, in addition to petrol, stone fruits, and candied lemon peel. Creamy mouthfeel, not cloying, and finishes with refreshing acidity. This one is worth hoarding for long-term cellaring. 95/100.

2003 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese: Lemon meringue, peach tart, and vanilla cream on the nose and palate. Ends with an interesting caramel note on the finish. Ripe but elegant. Might be a tad too sweet for some due to the lower acidity than in the 2007 vintage. 93/100.

2003 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel: Some funk on the nose as well as ripe white peach, pineapple, guava, and starfruit with a touch of candied lemon peel and honeycomb. Less ripeness and acidity than the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (non-GK) tasted side-by-side. 92/100.

We brought back several wines from our trip, which I have posted in the “latest purchase/haul” thread, but the list is here:

1 x 2016 Schloss Lieser Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Grosses Gewachs
1 x 2016 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spatlese
1 x 2007 Martin Mullen Krover Paradies Riesling Spatlese ** ‘3te Terrasse’
2 x 2016 Martin Mullen Trarbacher Huhnerberg Riesling Spatlese* trocken
1 x 2016 Martin Mullen Krover Paradies Riesling Spatlese feinherb
1 x 2016 Von Schubert Maximin Grunhaus Abtsberg Riesling Spatlese
2 x 2016 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese #10
1 x 2010 Zilliken 2010 Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel
1 x 2007 J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
1 x 2016 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese
1 x 2015 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Beerenauslese
1 x 2006 Markus Molitor Haus Klosterberg Riesling Beerenauslese
1 x 2016 Markus Molitor Brauneberger Mandelgraben Riesling Eiswein
1 x 2016 Von Schubert Maximin Grunhaus Herrenberg Riesling Eiswein

Great report! Why were the Prum’s served so cold?

Super! I will read more thoroughly later!

The Prums always serve their wines cold. It’s how they prefer them.

Yea that’s just what they do at the Prum estate and I kind of liked it. The wines seemed more clean on the palate and pure when served so cold.

I did not realize that Schloss Lieser owned any Bernkasteler Doctor. Must have been a real treat.

Great post! It looks like that was quite a trip. You definitely hit my favorite producers, and a couple of others that I’d also love to visit.

Great posting, thank you for all the detail. Happily I’m planning a trip to the Mosel and hugely appreciate your notes for ideas of where to visit.

A question: what was the etiquette of buying wines at your visits? Did you feel it was expected? In what quantity? I will be in the middle of a long trip so cannot come away with more than a few bottles across many tastings.

2016 was the first vintage I think.

Absolutely, and if you have any other questions about our trip feel free to PM.

As for etiquette, I think there is an expectation to buy. All of the estates presented a price list up front but were not pushy. As for quantity, I’m not sure. I saw someone at Molitor who bought 4 cases but I’m sure he was a local. Usually I got one or two bottles and explained my limits due to luggage and that was fine. For the two wineries I didn’t buy from I offered to pay a tasting fee.



As for the Bernkasteler Doctor wines from Schloss Lieser, yes 2016 is the inaugural vintage.

Liesers Doctor Spatlese was one of the wines of the auction last year. I forgot where the land came from. I’m glad to have a six pack of the Spatlese and Auslese. It’s exciting to have a top tier producer making wines from the vineyard. I found Thanisch somewhat unreliable though the specially labelled auction wine a few years back was very good. The Thanisch wines from the 50s are superb though. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a 53 Auslese and 49 BA in the last year.

I should add that this thread has triggered an incredible thirst in me for Mosel Riesling! I was unable to quench it last night but will try harder today.

Question. Is it the norm for a visit to have such an obscene number of wines served/tasted?

That is amazing!

Thanks and great report!

Great report!

Looking forward to my trip to Mosel next month.

Thanks for the report and all the great pics!! Also for the Willi Schaefer notes! Good to know how those were. Any reason none of their Auslese were tasted?

Thanks. Really nice to read.

It’s definitely not like American tasting rooms where you pay to only try 5 or 6 wines. I’m not complaining

The focus of the tasting was mostly the 2017 barrel samples, and if I recall Andrea said they didn’t produce Auslese this past year. The weather conditions were very erratic, with frost in April around bud break and then a long hot summer, that they needed to start harvest early and began the last week of September. To her memory, they haven’t had to start picking grapes that early before.