Overdue feedback on the wines - the top bottlings were very good, especially the 2021 Klosterlay with its terrific acidic structure that danced on the palate! The 2023 Held was very nice, slightly more corse structure. Liked the Köningsberg kabinett as well.
The 2024 Riesling was surprisingly good, thought it stood above the mid range Riesling cuvées (2022/2023).
Thanks for the report. Looks like the winery is very close to Ludes, I will have to stop in one day. So many good wineries in the Mosel.
The width of great vineries is incredible. I hope to be able to make it there myself, from the limited email conversation I have good impression of Michael and that he could be quite interesting to taste with. He had a modest yet confident response related to the 2024 Riesling and his entry wine more than backed that up.
Btw, I’ll write some thoughts/questions about Riesling entry wines in the Riesling thread…
Are we talking about the same Scholtes?
I mean Markus + Denise in Neumagen. It’s not really even a commercial project. Well sort of.
Seems there might be another Scholtes to be tried for both of us, this is the one Johan recommended (I guess me as well now):
Glad you liked the wines! I would also strongly recommend another estate from Detzem: Lorenz (https://www.lorenz-weine.com/) . Especially for higher end dry wines: (Apotheke trocken, Pölicher Held “GGs”, Weissburgunder Tonneau & Chardonnay Tonneau) this is a very good address and I’m quite sure you will like these also! Depending of the vintage the wines can be really sponti on release so be warned :D.
This part of Middle Mosel very underrated these days: Thörnisch, Detzem, Pölich, Mehring, Riol. 99% of producers are more or less unknown outside of locals and with new generation takin’ over the quality is there. Go and explore!
I will keep them on my radar, however you’re bad news, an enabler- I’m supposed to reduce my cellar size 
Mullen, Scholtes, Bolig probably the next to discover and now Lorenz 
I have Uli Stein as a must and waiting for an order to be confirmed 
sweet mother of…
There are two ways to accomplish that goal, one is to buy less wine, the other one is way more fun 
+1 
I have working quite successfully turning both taps, until Johan came along! 
I’m lucky enough to live within Johan’s sphere of influence. I don’t need to buy anything myself - I just need to be where he is and eventually Riesling bottles just start popping out of nowhere!
Lucky you and if he would consider relocating… Amsterdam is closer to Mosel!
“Many winegrowers are giving up” in a headline in the Süddeutsche Zeitung today.
Article behind paywall for SZPlus.
It is focusing on two struggling winemaking families. The first one from Rheinhessen used to sell their product in bulk @1.20 eur/liter, now the price is max .50 at cost 1.00 and rising. Hoping to make it by expanding into hospitality, and by offering alternative products. The other one from the Pfalz, also operating at the lowest end of the market, shut the unprofitable operation down. Will they be missed? Not by the WB community. And certainly not by the German neighbors in the next cottage who, judging by the recycling bin, are killing their cheap Temparnillo and no name Lemberger at a pretty good rate.
Along with Dr. Wagner in Saarburg, Bocksteinhof (formerly called Dr. Fischer) in Ockfen is up for sale.
Do you think it’s likely that Fisher’s Bockstein vineyards will be acquired by a high quality grower, someone with resources who is open to expansion?
Lets not forget all of the new growers are who are doing incredibly well Julian Renaud, Lukas Hammelmann, Carsten Saalwachter, Moritz Kissinger, Wasenhaus, Roterfaden, Makalie…I could name 100! If you make great wine you will be fine. If you don’t well just like in any wine region in the world you will struggle. I think it is important to present a balanced view.
True. But I suspect it’s not a coincidence that only one of the producers that sprang to your mind is a really a riesling estate.
That is a good point. But I could also point to Max Kilburg, Phil Lardot, Jakob Tennstedt, Julian Ludes (I know it is an old estate but Julian is really what it is about now) and many others.
Does not change my point that if you make great wine and have adequate distribution / marketing you will be just fine.
Why doesn’t the German press write about all of the success stories. I was just telling Therea Olkus head of the VDP how popular Trollinger (Rose and Chilled Red) is in NYC and that they pour Lemberger by the glass at The Four Horsemen she was so surprised and very happy especially because she grew up in that region.