Not a fan of trockens? That tends to be my pleasure.
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To be sure, when you are drinking off dry, medium dry, halbtrocken, feinherb, trocken bis feinherb, etc, from Lauer or Donnhoff, you are drinking world class wines
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A. J… Adam has some beautiful examples. Doctor Uli Stein, basically has this genre cornered… but don’t disappointed when you pay even less per bottle!!
Yup. Donnhoff trocken is world class and only $25.
Donnhoff also makes a delicious trocken Chardonnay that is only around $40! B21 has two bottles left.
Lots of my favorites have already been mentioned. I will add that I think this is one of the greatest values in the wine world and they can be the perfect wine for the right dish or situation. I prefer the Feinherbs that are in the 10 - 20 range or at least taste that way. The Keller RR is a fantastic wine. KP thinks this section of the vineyard is better suited to a Feinherb wine and choses to make it that way; however, because it is not a GG he can’t put the vineyard on the label. The GG sells for 2-3x the RR yet they are both great wines of equal quality.
I love Stein, Lauer, Weiser-Kunstler and one that is not mentioned Markus Molitor.
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If you like the style of Stirn / Kern I would recommend Sorentberg’s „Von 1000 Alte Reben“. It has usually 15 - 20g rs depending on the vintage and is very unique & serious Mosel riesling in that category but I have no idea if Treis / Sorentberg has importer in the USA.
Weingut Zach. Bergweiler-Prüm Erben (Ernie Loosen’s side project) would probably fit the bill too. Recently released Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Vielles Vignes has 22g/l rs and should be very good stuff. Ernie also has some other stuff under Dr. Loosen that has very long lees contact time and some rs.
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Two more superb choices!
Also, it was a pleasure to talk to you, albeit only for a secon, it seems, at the Feier. Glad Stephen introduced us!!
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For background info, here is my summary of the term “feinherb”: A legally undefined term for off-dry—best translated as “finely bitter.” In 1998, the term “feinherb” was first used by Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt for their Rieslings from 9 to 15 grams of residual sugar per liter, but the regulatory authority in Trier would eventually take them to court. They contested, “any information that is not required on the label is prohibited from appearing there.” In 2002, the authorities permitted the use of the term “feinherb.” Since then, a number of producers have preferred to substitute feinherb for halbtrocken, although most still use feinherb to also designate Rieslings which have somewhat higher residual sugar than what is legally stipulated for halbtrocken. A few producers still use feinherb to designate a wine between halbtrocken and fruity. Others have done away with all dry and off-dry designations on labels.
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Great post. For all of my drinking life, German wines have been among the greatest value wines in the world. For the life of me, I cannot understand why the OP would want to pay $80-100 when there are great, great wines that seem to be exactly what he looking for that cost less.
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Does the VDP allow the designations?
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Feinherb: Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Ur Alte Reben
That is all. Have a nice day.
p.s. for @Otto_Forsberg - Selbach also makes the Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett Halbtrocken, which is a fantastic value and also ages very well.
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The VDP keeps changing its rules, but, as far as I know, halbtrocken (semi-dry) and feinherb (off-dry) are allowed but with no additional details on the label. Some VDP Mosel producers simply leave off these designations but include the vineyard site, even from a VDP-designated Grosse Lage.
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One not mentioned so far is the Carl Loewen 1896 Riesling. An outstanding wine, made in small quantities but worth hunting down. Around 11g r/s and squarely in feinherb territory.
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Here’s one of my favorites, unfortunately we’re down to our last bottle. We had one not too long ago and it was in an incredible spot. I want to say it was something like 15’sh Euros purchased at the winery so an incredible deal.
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For example, von Hövel produces an off-dry Scharzhofberg Riesling, to go along with a Scharzhofberg GG. I don’t know why this wouldn’t be allowed for a VDP member in Rheinhessen. The rules might be more restrictive in this regional association.
Now that Dr. Hermann is a VDP member, the estate isn’t allowed to designate an off-dry wine as “Spätlese feinherb” from Ürziger Würzgarten.
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I don’t think they’ve made this one since 2011, or if they did I missed it.
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Ha! I thought that might be the case.
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I’ve enjoyed many bottles of Max Ferd. Richter in this category.