2011 Stein Alfer Holle **** - I don’t know much about this wine and cant seem to find information on this Alfer Holle bottling anywhere. If anyone has some it would be greatly appreciated!
TN: We had this alongside a fantastic 2017 Keller Burgel that I have lost my notes on. Golden in complexion, a great bouquet of tropical fruit, lemon and some stone fruit. On the palate the fruit shined with this beautiful wet stone minerality. This wine felt very ripe but not overdone in any way. Fantastic balance and I wish I was able to find more!
Not sure, I thought that at first but then I found this Cellar Tracker link that seems to have bottlings alongside the 1900 ones. Haven’t been able to find much more past that.
At least in later vintages it’s not the same bottling as the 1900. The labeling is consistent with what you can order directly from Stein on their site I would guess something not imported to the US (?). I have at least four different rieslings wines from Hölle, a trocken and the Grenzgänger in addition to the previously mentioned two bottlings in the thread.
I have had a few vintages of this wine and it seams David S. has reviewed various vintages for vinous - in case anyone has access (I am not a subscriber) then there might be more information there to be found. Otherwise is seems to be Feinherb from a monopol site.
Alfer Hölle, from the “Hell” vineyard of Alf, is a site that is on the steep slope below Haus Waldfrieden, where Ulli Stein lives. The 1900 bottling is a separate parcel of old vines, planted in 1900, farther downriver. The Steins acquired the 1900 parcel later on.
Mosel Wine Merchant imported both bottlings to the States; vom Boden imports Stein the last 10 years.
Yes, there are more than two bottlings from Alfer Hölle. At Mosel Wine Merchant, we also offered the basic dry Riesling from this site. The label has an image of the house and vineyard. Over the years, this changed from a white label to the current one.
For several years, the Kabinett/Spätlese trocken and feinherb bottlings from Himmelreich and Palmberg have a different label for the US market; the vineyard name has the same font as vom Boden. The lettering is in gold, and the designation “Trocken” or “Feinherb” is oddly capitalized with the additional words “Alte Reben” below it.
So cool to see a note on this wine. I think Lars covered most of it. I would just add that Alfer Holle and 1900 are not always Feinherb. In 2021 the 1900 is a stunning Kabinett Trocken.
And if you want some background on Ulli you can read about him on the Vom Boden site. One thing I will add which Lars will appreciate is that Ulli is a rockstar in the U.S. and his wines especially 1900 sell out immediately. From what I have heard even to this day he is relatively unknown in Germany.
You can also find lots of info on Ulli on Lars’ site:
Ulli is one of the most special people I have ever met in the wine world.
Just curious where did you drink the wine? I am guessing in Scandinavia
That is interesting and surprising. The 1900 is particularly impressive (the 3 vintages I’ve had), but the other wines I’ve tried have also been noteworthy.
Thanks, Robert. I appreciate that. It’s just too bad that my contributions have largely gone unrecognized, whereas others receive praise for their discoveries, insights, and tips. There is a certain amount of historical revisionism.
Yes, there are more than two bottlings from Alfer Hölle. At Mosel Wine Merchant, we also offered the basic dry Riesling from this site
Appreciate all the information Robert and Lars, wish I had more of this wine to share.
One thing I will add which Lars will appreciate is that Ulli is a rockstar in the U.S. and his wines especially 1900 sell out immediately
Yes a rockstar indeed. I have seen more of his wine pop up in shops around NYC and quite a few places offer BTG of the Blauschiefer or Palmberg.
Just curious where did you drink the wine? I am guessing in Scandinavia
You are spot on we had this at a dinner at Geranium in Copenhagen alongside a 2017 Schafer-Frohlich Felseneck GG, and a 2017 Keller Burgel. This was easily my favorite wine of the night!
For what it’s worth, I think the legacy of the wines you had in the portfolio, and the marks these winemakers have made in terms of perception and raising it speaks for itself.
Even if your comments about specific wines mostly aren’t very detailed, seeing you comment about, liking a wine or having interest in it is enough for me to be ready give it a go.
A long time ago I asked Henrik Möbitz about wines he was excited about in Germany. One of them was Weiser-Kunstler, I wouldn’t be surprised if you turned him on to it? I am glad I asked him and as the wines were not in high demand then, and a Dutch importer held quite a variety of vintages I was able to get my hands on vintages back to something like 2010. My only regret was not buying more
Thanks so much. Just to be clear, my comment wasn’t directed at Robert. I need to keep it vague, but I just find it sad when certain wine importers, past and present, don’t want to recognize a former colleague’s contributions.
Thanks, I’m not one to write detailed tasting notes on a wine.
When I visited Henrik Möbitz’s cellar for the first time, it was chock-full of Mosel wine. He was already a fan, but I might have turned him on to Weiser-Künstler. The funny thing is I later ran into him at Weiser-Künstler dollying cases of wine to his car. This was years ago.
To our surprise and delight, Konstantin Weiser decided to taste at Hofgut Falkenstein for the first time last week. Johannes Weber poured him samples of the newly bottled 2023s, plus a couple of 2023 cask samples that were bottled a few days after his visit.
I am visualizing a rear heavy car with headlight towards the clouds.