I’ve gotten emails from a couple of different retailers. Seems like everybody is getting in on the action this year. Doesn’t bode well for pricing…
Fenchelberg? I’ve been drinking Gunderloch since the mid-1990s, and I don’t recall ever seeing that name.
As for Mosel GGs - I wish there were fewer made. Much prefer Nahe, Rheinhessen and Rheingau for GG. Give me Mosel Kabinett all day long.
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Flatiron and Thatcher Wine Consulting have both already sent out e-mails about participating. Vom Boden will as well and I’m told they’ll send their email the end of this month. Keep in mind though that not all domestic brokers will bid on all the auction wines.
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I’m probably not going to change my buying patterns too much from '19; might go more heavy on trocken/GG and less heavy on auslese as I don’t think there is going to be as much acid generally. I know I will be sitting out much of the '21 vintage, so there is that.
Agree - hard for me to get excited about the GGs, other than the Haag. I believe that the Lauer Schonfels is just the regular offering in magnum bottles, although if it turns out to be a special selection or something other than the regular, that would be worth considering for me.
That being said, the pradikat offerings are so exciting this year that I’m sure most of money will end up there. Between the first-time auction kabis from Willi and Zilliken, and the TBA from Grunhaus and Clemens Busch, I don’t think I will have any trouble bidding. The Schloss Lieser selection looks as good as ever and the Prum LGK is from Wehlener this year. If there is anything that feels mildly disappointing for me I suppose its that there is nothing sweeter from Lauer than spatlese as Florian’s auction sweet wines are typically underpriced and for what they provide. But this looks like a pretty good one to me and I’m looking forward to it.
Alex
I agree completely. This was going to be the year I started dialing back purchases, but with all the new and uncommon offerings I am actually looking at bidding just as heavily for the 2020s and I did for the 2019s.
It will be interesting to see where the pricing goes. The number of new/unusual offerings, growing access to the auctions and the current market in general make it very hard to predict. Certainly I think everything will go up- how much is the question.
I agree it’s hard to predict. While access to the auctions has certainly increased, physical participation is still limited as a result of the pandemic. So fewer people than usual will be tasting the wines beforehand. And typically there is a tasting on Thursday where a lot of the auction wines are poured. That won’t be the case this year. So I’m hopeful there will be a gem or two that shows particularly well but doesn’t draw high prices. I’m sure the Keller pettenthal in magnum on Saturday will go for a hefty sum, and the Grunhaus TBA with only 28 halves and 14 bottles is sure to go for big dollars. The vintage isn’t as hyped as 19, so maybe some of the usual suspects won’t skyrocket. We shall see!
It looks like the VDP and some of its members have stepped up their marketing efforts around the auction as well. Schloss Lieser did a really nice video for example. As I typically really love (and buy) their auction bottlings, I’m fearing the worst…
The estates with a consistent auction offering consisting of wines that are truly unique to the auction will get my money. I personally never understood why some producers just bring irregular sizes of wines that they also sell in normal retail. Although actually: I don’t understand why anyone would pay the hefty premium for those…
I’ll join the Bernkasteler Ring auction for the first time this year and am keen. Some excellent producers (Erben von Beulwitz, Loewen etc) and much gentler pricing than at the VDP.
^ To be be fair, Schloss Lieser’s auction wines could double in price this year and one could still purchase around 10 different non-auction wines that they produce that are world class and sell for shockingly low prices.
Very true!
I asked Thomas last year why he isn’t raising his prices and he is worried he’d lose his domestic customers (which were very important for them during lockdown).
At €28 for their Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese ex-winery, they are among the best QPR I know. And that is one of the most “expensive” wines in their collection.
I’ve never bought Schloss Lieser but this makes me want to.
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Schloss Lieser is my favorite producer, but isn’t this pretty far from their most expensive? Aren’t all of the GKAs, LGKAs, BAs, TBAs, and auction wines more expensive?
I’ve never seen a Schloss Lieser TBA (but sure would like to). You are right that the higher pradikat wines cost more. Doctor is the most expensive wine he makes regardless of designation, although I haven’t seen an auslese since 2016.
I have a Schloss Lieser 2016 Doctor GG that I’ve been waiting to open (no idea when the right time would be). Was non-auction, brought it back from Germany.
It wasn’t an auction wine that year - regular release. I opened one last year. I’d hold off. It’s a remarkable wine but it’s only going to get better and still shows a bit of the sponti that Schloss Lieser wines frequently show. But it is really something. I love his ‘16 GGs and the doctor is on another level.
I have some SL TBAs, but have yet to try them. Judging from his BAs, I imagine they’re incredible. I think the LGKAs are a great value for fans of the stickies. I haven’t had any 2020 Schloss Liesers yet though 
Nice. What vineyard and vintages are they? Would love to get my hands on some.
Thanks Tom, very helpful and informative as usual.
My understanding is that the vineyard was the source for their TBAs.
Did you perhaps mean Rothenberg? I’ve had numerous Nackenneim Rothenberg TBAs from Gunderloch.