Stepping out of the car, I could tell instantly that Julian of Hermann Ludes was eager and excited for his 2024s. A cooler vintage and given the house style from this imposing cliff mosaic of terraces - is this what Moselle wine tasted like a century before? Void of fruit; pure mineral distillations, often a whiff of smoke, graphite. A jaw dropping collection of 9 single vineyard Kabinetts ranging from 3! Kabinett Trockens (including the first since 2016 from Monster), 2 Kabinett Feinherb and 4 Kabinetts with perceivable residual sugar, they are firmly staking their position that this is the wine of the place, vineyard and vintage. It takes guts to come to the market with 9 wines of nearly the same aesthetic, differentiating only by place and minutiae of residual sugar. I was struck by the cohesion of the wines, sure they are lean, but the balance, harmony of the vintage and place was like no other I had experienced at this address.
Reporting live from the Mosel. So far I have tasted at Vollenweider, Weiser-Kunstler, Willi Schaefer and a new producer to me discovered through Mosel Fine Wines, Josef Bernard-Kieren.
The 2024s are very light, ethereal, extremely delicious and just a joy to drink. I noticed I kept smiling while tasting! As of now I donât like the vintage as much as 21 or 23 but I do like it a lot and the flavor profiles are unique so I will be loading up! The quantities are minuscule. I have a hard time finding a comparable vintage.
For the Europeans on the Board I would highly recommend trying the 24s from Josef Bernard-Kieren. I particularly liked the Kabinett and Spatlese Feinherbs. Martin the son and current winemaker is very talented, he opened a drinking Beerenauslese which was fascinating and this first time I ever heard that. I bought a couple of Feinherbs and BA to bring back home. I am going to try to do a full write up on the winery. Very good wines at ridiculously low prices.
Nothing like 21 or 23. It is there but I would not say this vintage is about acid. They are just delightful easy drinking wines that are very harmonious.
In over thirty years of visiting Germany, I have never tasted a vintage with such poise
and charm as 2024. The wines impress with lightness and precision rather than
richness and weight, but they have considerable density, courtesy of high extract
levels, and will keep fresh for many years. 2024 is a return to a cooler, âclassicâ year
like 2021, 2016 or 2008, and if thatâs your thing, it is a vintage made for you.
I guess if you call it classic and lower abv then it is similar to 21. To me 21 has a much different acidity profile. As I think about it, I would not say it is similar to 21. Also keep in mind I have only tasted in the Mosel.
If it is cooler natured, like 2021, 2016, and 2008, I will be a fan.
Sounds up my alley, based on input from a decent swath of trusted folks.
Hopefully, ill dive in in August for a whirlwind tour.
Any idea how GĂŒnther Steinmetz Neumagener RosengĂ€rtchen âVon den Terrasenâ and âam Felsâ faired in 2024?
Was Neumagener RosengÀrtchen damaged by the frost, or was it spared by fog?
Thank you all for the info. I am thinking of tackling the German Wine Scholar certification beginning in September. Jury is still out on whether I am ready for such a challenge, but this is super helpful! My only wish was that German wine was more readily available here in the USA, or at least on the West Coast!
