Apparently, this is a monopole that Markus Molitor acquired in 2016, but only began releasing wine in 2020.
SR and Colin Hay both gave the Grosse Lage 100 points, with SR’s review:
The 2020 Vogelsang Grosse Lage is pure, deep and intense on the spectacularly fine, mineral and absolutely unique nose that reveals concentrated but elegant and spicy-mineral fruit with a coolish and herbal terroir expression. A show-stopping nose! On the palate, this is a medium to full-bodied, dense, rich and intense but also refined and vibrantly fresh Saar Riesling with a tight structure and a spectacularly long, refined and saline finish that reveals a serious tannin structure. The wine reveals great astringency on the finish that indicates tremendous aging potential, the more so since the balance and classicism of this Serrig Riesling is based on about 12 grams of residual sugar. This is a wine made for decades and a new benchmark for dry-tasting Saar Rieslings. Even though they have been produced since 2017, the 2020 Rieslings from the steep Vogelsang site in Serrig (Saar) are the first that Markus Molitor has brought to market under the name “Ehemalige Domäne Serrig.” The former Prussian state domaine, built in 1904 as a model domaine at the time of Emperor Wilhelm II—i.e., 20 years before the Domäne Assmannshausen in the Rheingau, which specializes in Pinot Noir—had its heyday until World War II (including the 1921 Trockenbeerenauslese) but went to the dogs after the war. The privatization at the end of the 1980s did nothing to change this. Only since Markus Molitor acquired the domaine at the end of 2016 is something happening here that must be taken very seriously
And saying the Kabinett reminds him of the “finest Scharzhofberger Kabinetts from Egon Müller”.
Not cheap for an unknown wine at W-S low $95 kabinett / $175 GL, but if it’s as good as all that, seems like a bit of a bargain.
I was told by the Domain that they are selling it exclusively through Bordeaux Market Place. Not sure how B-21 is getting it, I did notice it is pre arrival. Does anyone know how Bordeaux Market Place works?
Yes, Domäne Serrig is offered exclusively via La Place.
I haven’t tasted either of the two 2020s on offer, but I don’t see how an off-dry Kabinett that had a short skin contact and 10 months on the lees in stainless-steel tanks, not to mention less than 20 grams of residual sugar per liter and 10.5 percent alcohol, tastes like the “finest Scharzhofberger Kabinetts from Egon Müller.” That said, some of Egon Müller’s Scharzhofberger Kabinetts have had about 30 to 40 grams of residual sugar per liter and 9.5 percent alcohol, so a little drier and riper than most Kabinetts.
In Germany, Lobenbergs Gute Weine offers the 2020 Vogelsang Grosse Lage (dry wine) for 199 euros and the 2020 Vogelsang Kabinett for 99 euros.
Yes I was surprised by these prices too. I really like Molitor - he’s clearly a bit of a wizard as a wine maker as well as extremely ambitious. This is clearly an an attempt at creating a new premium brand with a great story at a high price point. Tried and true kind of thing. Will it work (i.e. will the wines sell at this price point)? Who knows . I’m not a buyer though I’m curious.
Well his top dry wine, Doctor GG, sells for over 1000 euro in most years. And his recent Scharzhofberger dry debuted around 550-600 euro so not that out of line.
It will be interesting to see what auction wine(s) is borne from this and what prices those go for.
Nine of the top-ten most expensive wines in the world are Burgundy, with Egon Müller’s Scharzhofberger Riesling TBA at eighth place. Perhaps Marcus aims for a spot on that list as well?!
Markus Moltior’s Doctor Auslese trocken***, which cannot be chaptalized like a GG, is an auction wine from a 0.13-ha parcel. His 2021 Scharzhofberger trocken***—which was chaptalized, hence no Prädikat—is from a 0.3-ha parcel at the foot of the hill on the far eastern edge of today’s expanded Scharzhofberg, in what was formerly the Scharzberg site.
At Domäne Serrig, he holds 25 ha in Vogelsang and made just two different wines from this monopole site in 2020. I don’t know the number of bottles made, but it must be a lot more than from Doctor and Scharzhofberg.
My impression is that the wines don‘t get so much love in the home market, there is more interest internationally (certainly on this board). Maybe the reason for the Place de Bordeaux placement.
Those are the prices that I quoted in an earlier comment.
On the contrary, I feel Markus Molitor has a strong following in the local market. I live in Trier. His wines are not well known in the States for a winery of over 100 ha in the Mosel and Saar.
As you know I have had both the Doctor Auction and the Scharzhofberger and I have to say they are stunning wines. The other 3 star Auslese Trockens are also impressive. They fit alongside G-Max and other high end dry wines. Not what I want to drink everyday but stunning nonetheless.
My point is that the total production of just two wines from Domäne Serrig is much, much higher than from either small parcel in Bernkastler Doctor or Scharzhofberg. One could argue that, among his holdings in the Saar region, Markus Molitor has even better parcels, including old vines, in Bockstein.
. I’m not a buyer though I’m curious.