2023 German Vintage Report (Updated for Vom Boden report)

I tasted tbe freshly disgorged 2015 Sekt Brut Nature (yup, some 8 years on the lees) from Thorsten Melsheimer when I visited in early August, and it is ridiculously good sparkling wine by any measure, of a vinosity and complexity that doesnt have many/any rival that I have been exposed to for the money; 50/50 Pinot Noir/Riesling this year (i think on pure recall).
His wines, especially the sparkling, continue to fly below the radar for no good reason other than general broader market availability/communications.
The 2020 Sekt Brut is also the new release there, as is the new iteration of Rurale Pet Nat; both are Riesling and are again without familiar peer in quality/price terms.
Mosel lovers, that’s my “heads up”, do with it what you will.

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A follow-up to my earlier post, we bottled a second rosé from a different cask, part of which was used for the new rosé sparkling wine.

We plan to produce a couple of pet-nats, along with sparkling wines, this year.

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I see that Mosel FIne Wines has rated the trochen’s pretty highly. I don’t follow it much but good to know when I see it on a wine list. Is 2021 also great for trochen wines?

I love 2021 and 2023 trockens. Both higher acid but 21s are for the hard core acid freaks and 23s more for everyone.

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Most of the 2021 trockens, including the high-end GGs, have been chaptalized, unless the producer still indicates an unchaptalized wine by using the PrĂ€dikate (Kabinett, SpĂ€tlese, and Auslese) for his or her dry wines. If you see a 2021 Saar or Mosel GG with 13 percent alcohol, it’s been sugared.

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Even a 2021 GG with 12 or 12.5 percent alcohol has most likely been chaptalized in the Mosel, Nahe, and other regions.

Hi Lars,

I added a six-pack of the pet-nat to my EP order this year, with delivery expected in early 2025. How long do you think it can keep for/when should it ideally be drunk?

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Fyi
Steinmetz 2023 offer is out.
He once again made a truly remarkable collection, with something along the lines of a more harmonized 2021 vintage.
A special talent and human being.

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Thanks, Nick! What does “EP” mean? And why would you expect the delivery to be in early 2025? Hofgut Falkenstein’s 2023 Pet Nat should be drunk within a year or so, but it can be kept a few years.

En Primeur! You know its for Bordeaux and Saar Pet Net :smile:

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Thanks for clarifying! Hah! :laughing:

Indeed - Howard Ripley show the vintage ‘EP’ in London in June, take orders just afterwards, and then deliver early the following year. Not ideal for early-drinking wines - guess I’ll drink them through the course of 2025.

Thanks,

Nick

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No worries. I was wrong. Erich Weber said that the pét-nat will last at least ten years. I asked him while we were cleaning the casks today.

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Wow! That is wild.

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Great news! thanks

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2023 is the first vintage I have seen / drank two different Paradies kabinett trocken bottlings (normal & one star). And you can notice differences quite clearly. Normal version is as minimal & pure as rieslings from middle Mosel can get while star-version has more depth & elegance. Still not sure which one I prefer now as both are beautiful wines in very small traditional oldschool style dry kabinett category :kissing_heart:.

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Love, love, love Kabinett Trocken.

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A couple of weekends ago, a friend and I drove to Traben-Trarbach for Martin MĂŒllen‘s 2023 vintage presentation. It was at the old town hall. We favored the one-star Kabinett trocken from Trarbacher HĂŒhnerberg. I bought three bottles and gave Martin a copy of Mosel Wine.

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I really like wines from HĂŒhnerberg and it’s without the questions the best location for the estate but for some odd reason I always tend to like kabinett trockens from Kröver Paradies most as they are always very pure & minimal with the lowest amount of alcohol and HĂŒhnerberg tends to be a little more muscular (which in MĂŒllen’s case is not really a body builder either :sweat_smile:)
 But for the cellaring yeah I agree HĂŒhnerberg is probably the best bet.

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I really like this label. I had a few glasses of Mullen at Die Mosel earlier this year.