Thanks @Robert_Dentice for putting this producer on my radar. Great stuff.
Agreed. I just reloaded on these after drinking my first couple.
Opened two 2021 Spätburgunders from Thörle: Probstey and Hölle. Last tasted these in fall 2023, when the Probstey was rocking and rolling and the Hölle was more difficult to read. One year later, the read was slightly different.
Probstey was still delicious with succulent fruit, but the crisp structure is becoming more apparent, not as sexy and gushing as last year. Will see if it evolves further, or if I end up drinking them all before it gets to yet another stage!
And now, the Hölle opens dark and brambly but then settles down pretty nicely with a bit of air: silkier, more elegant, and very easy to like. More exciting and harmonious than the Probstey, but will track future evolution!
The Moselburgunderstudy at Die Mosel was a big success. The following day we did a Pinot Noir study to compare German Pinots to a variety of wines from around the world. Germany faired extremely well! By my unofficial count Germany won 8 of the 10 flights! And by official group count garnered first (Frank John Kallstadter) and second (Max Kilburg Ohligsberg). Max also a brought a 2015 to the Moselburgunderstudy and it was the wine of the night! I should also add Max’s wine was the cheapest in the tasting at 25 euros! (We unfortunately sell these through source | material, unfortunately because I want to keep them all!).
Notes from the Moselburgunderstudy at Die Mosel December 2015:
2013 Immich-Batterieberg Monteneubel - From a magnum brought by winemaker Gernot Kollmann. I absolutely loved this wine. 10.4% abv It definitely had a green, herbal, or mint type streak to it that I am sure some might find underripe. I thought it was nervy, light, had lots of energy and was just a joy to drink. Pure Mosel Pinot.
2020 Von Schubert Village level - This had nice red, vibrant fruit. I like the basic better than their higher end bottles with more polish. Tastes like an honest pinot and is a good value for around 20 euros.
2020 Lehnert Veit Falkenberg - I first discovered these wines at last years Spätburgunderstudy at Die Mosel. I really like them. I would describe them as a tad rustic with smoked meat and hebrs. They use a high percentage of stems. They the fruit is ripe and present. Overall really enjoy these as they remind me of Steinmetz or Ulli Stein. 12.5% abv
2022 Madame Flock T.F.A. Pinot Noir Reserve - I really like the Madame Flock wines and the people behind them. They are definitely in the natural camp but are also very serious. This was an extremely light, energetic, ethereal Pinot. 11% abv. I purchased 3 bottles. Only 300 were produced.
Over the course of a few days we had a number of older Mosel Pinots and this is where it gets really exciting for me. These wines can age incredibly well even though they have been made with young vines.
2014 Daniel Twardowski - This had that Pinot silkiness. It had great structure and was extremely complex. It had 13% abv which showed in the ripeness. I think this can still age. It was definitely one of the wines of the tasting.
This is a very good and information note from @Otto_Forsberg here:
More info on Twardowski:
Max Kilburg brought a 1991 Weingut Geierslay Wintricher Gross Herrgott Spatburgund Trocken - This is the first Pinot made by his father. The vines were approximately four rears old. Remember Pinot Noir was illegal to plant in the Mosel up until 1986. The wine was stunningly young with fantastic bright red fruit. It did not have the complexity and/or tertiary flavors you want from a 34 year old Pinot most likely due to the youngness of the vines. It was still an amazing wine that was an honor to drink and really shows the potential of the Mosel!
At a friend’s New Year’s Eve dinner in Trier, I offered a bottle of Hofgut Falkenstein’s 2023 Spätburgunder Rosé Sekt, which we bottled ourselves in August. It showed very well but still needs aging under crown cap to develop more complexity and texture before disgorging in a year or so. The 35-year-old vines are planted high up in the Zuckerberg sector of Niedermenniger Herrenberg.
Among the other wines at the party was a bottle of Jonas Dostert’s 2022 Chardonnay—the third time I had this wine. It was very good and could be placed in the natural-wine camp in terms of style.
I had my last bottle of Fürst’s 2022 Spätburgunder Tradition (17.50 euros) a couple of weeks ago. It’s such a good wine at that price.
Had the 2023 Dostert Chard at the event and it was fantastic.
I also tried the basic Von Schubert Pinot and liked it. It was a straight on nice Pinot without much oak and around the same price as the Fürst Tradition.
In mid-December, a friend invited me to dinner at Herrlich Ehrlich in Trier. We shared a delicious bottle of A.J. Adam’s 2023 Spätburgunder Rosé with various dishes of Lebanese food. The restaurant is located at the Europäische Kunstakademie on the banks of the Mosel River. The building complex is a former stockyard from the 19th century.
I absolutely love that wine! And it is so fairly priced and easy to get in the U.S.
Not Mosel but have you tried the Schafer-Frohlich Rose another great wine and crazy value.
This is exciting! We went to a Japanese Ramen (Emu) and an Indian Restaurant (Namiste) in Traben-Trarbach. Great to see the food scene expanding.
In Trier, Yong Yong always buys the rosé and other wines from A.J. Adam each vintage. Jonas Dostert is on the wine list, too.
As for Schäfer-Fröhlich, I have yet to taste the rosé.
I am so overdue for a visit to Yong Yong! The last time was when we had lunch.
On my last visit to Traben-Trarbach, Ému and Die Mosel were closed. A friend and I attended Martin Müllen’s 2023 vintage presentation in early September.
My plan is to visit Traben-Trarbach sometime this month.
2022 Klosterg R - This is exactly what I mean when I refer to Mosel Pinot as Red Riesling. Tastes like Pinot but also has a great mineral backbone. 11% abv! The winemakers Dominique and Benjamin were not sure they were on the right path with this wine and whether an 11% abv red wine would be appreciated. I was delighted to hear that after tasting many other similar Mosel Pinots at the event and discussions with colleagues they feel very confident they are on the right path. This is why I do these events!
I wrote about this here:
Per Linder and I were planning to go to Die Mosel right before Christmas, but it didn’t work out in the end.
I love Indian food and didn’t know about Namaste Shiva in Traben-Trarbach.
You would like Herrlich Ehrlich. It has a good vibe. The wine list includes Mosel Rieslings from A.J. Adam, Nik Weis, and Loersch, among others.
Should have come to my event! We had at least 15 winemakers and well over 100 great wines to try plus fantastic food and music. I think Die Mosel charged $70. I brought cases of wine.
Thanks. I’m a homebody who tends to avoid such events. I could have gone to La Paulée Moselle 2024 at Spay 25 in October, but I chose not to. That said, I did go to La Paulée Moselle 2023 and 2022.
Wish more (red) winemakers would follow this path. Can’t wait to try some! 
(As an aside, I had the '23 Falk Gisela last night and was thrilled to find it full-bodied and powerfully delicious at only 7.0%! 
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