To me, it’s less about a lack of weight in the case above. I can’t comment about other 2022s, but I did read that many wines taste thin, which indicates that the yields were high.
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After tasting a couple of hundreds 2023 (mostly rieslings) wines during the mythos Mosel weekend I still can’t wrap up the vintage charasteric that well as it’s indeed very heterogenous as stated before. However I would say if you are looking for very high (or higher than 2022) acidity this is probably not the vintage you are looking for imo. For many parts I still feel 2022 is just better vintage overall and many wines from 2022 are just better than their peers in 2023. Don’t get me wrong there are stunning wines and collections (I’ll post some of my favourites later) & big percent of wines were just bottled and I surely will buy my share but I still have a feeling that buying without tasting the wines will be a gamble…
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So what would you say if I LOVE 2021 and so far don’t really like 2022. Other recent favorite vintages are 15 and 13. I have not tasted many 23s yet. The good thing is that I just don’t need to buy too much riesling outside of supporting the growers I buy year in and year out. AND I am going to go absolutely crazy on 22 German Pinot.
The problem or the beauty with 2023 is that you really need to taste before buying imo. There are wines you’ll probably love (mostly from Saar & Ruwer but also from ”lesser” sites in Middle Mosel) and wines that you would avoid based on your vintage preferences. This vintage is not another 2021 nor another ’18 as the wines are really not that big at all. At the top they have that crystal clear elegance and crisp acidity but many wines are also oddly flat & one dimensional. I’m very interested to see how MFW will rate the vintage as it’s not an easy task for sure. I’ll try to write some kind of list of wines / wineries I liked as soon as I’m home and have a bit more time.
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Thank you very much.
But I suspect, as always - good producers made good wines in the style they usually make them…
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Yep and from what I tasted (to be honest I try to tsste more from small & unknown producers in Mythos) some of them made spectacular wines 
!
My Mythos standouts were:
Petershof, Oberemmel.
Best 2022 collection I tasted, light, austere, fascinating.
Meurer, Reil.
Very pragmatic winemaking, responding to conditions each year. Each wine presented with a clear rationale. Some interesting sites. Good chardonnays - older chard vines are German strains, but they have just planted a blend of 14 burgundy clones.
Zum Eulenturm Bridel.
I thought this was the best 2023 collection, very light and fresh. 2019 Sekts were fantastic too.
Hoffmann, Minheim.
An interesting collection of wines which are natty but retain Riesling and Mosel characteristics. Not my thing, but interesting.
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You know the wines are good when I did walk away with three bottles of Briedeler Trierer and it was not even last location of the day 
. Collection was very strong and Trierer one of my favourite dry wines of the weekend.
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Pradikats, trockens, or both, Johan?
I don’t know if the winery and distillery Zum Eulenturm in Briedel, whose wines I have not tried before, has an importer in the States.
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I imagine you are pretty busy working with Falkenstein, but has there been any new up-and-coming German producers you’ve liked recently that people in the States have not heard of and may not have national importers yet?
I’ve been pleased with my experiences with Kilburg and Loersch, which both seem kind of under-the-radar and don’t seem to have very wide distribution in the U.S. yet (though I know Robert Dentice and Rob Panzer have been bringing them in).
Not really, because I don’t travel and taste as much as I once did in the past.
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The issue with Kilburg is small production. We bring in the majority of the wine he makes. His Kabinett offers are our best selling offers by a long shot. A small amount goes to retail.
Check out Unterlind a new project from Veronika and Heiner Bollig who both work at Egon Müller.
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Let’s continue with some brief report what I liked in Mythos Mosel. Disclaimer: For those not familiar with Mythos Mosel as a concept around ~500 different wines to taste but it’s basically impossible to taste them all nor even go through all producers (trust me I have tried as this was my 6th year) so pre-selections has to be made before the event. And for me it usually means that I will focus on more unknown producers or ones I do taste every year to see the progress (and also buy from). So if you wonder why some high profile producers are missing from my highlights I probably did not taste them at all. Also formal notes are not my thing I just drink a lot 
.
So anyway here goes part 1 of my list in totally random order.
Weingut Arns (Briedel)
I have already drank the wines some years ago but not recently so was really pleased by the quality of the lineup. All spontan fermented from estate level up.
:
2023 Reiler Falklay,
2023 Briedeler Weißberg
2022 Spätburgunder.
Weingut Lenhardt (Mehring)
Young estate with some very heavy lineup. Probably the best estate level riesling from the event. Top level dry wines have long lees contact time so dry single vineyard wines were all 2022. If I would import stuff this estate would be in my radar.
:
2023 estate riesling
2023 Mehringer kabinett (ummm the lovely sponti…)
2023 Mehringer Zellerberg Auslese ***
2022 Mehringer Blattenberg Riesling Trocken (GG-level bottling)
Sorentberg (Reil)
For those not familiar with this project is that Tobias Treis (from Weingut Treis) and van Giovanett took over abandoned and almost completely forested vineyard on side valley called Sorentberg and started to re-cultivate it. They also found ~1000 own rooted very old vines and saved them to produce separete wines from them. Basic Sorentberg riesling is made from young wines planted in 2012. Both wines are really good but I would really like to serve 1000 alte reben along with something like Clos Saint Hune because IMO there are lot of similarities and the price tag is much friendlier (~70€ from the estate). I have drank the wines before a couple of times but did not know they also produce kabinett from Sorentberg which was also really good made in very elegant style.
:
Sorentberg Rotschiefer 2022
Sorentberg Kabinett 2020
Von 1000 Alten Rebel 2020
Von Hövel (Oberemmel, Saar)
I have not tasted wines from Von Hövel in a while as the wines are kinda hit or miss nowadays but Scharzhofberger kabinett was probably best young kabinett from the estateI have tasted since I don’t even know and I would gladly cellar some. Also Hütte Auslese was really good yet way too young at this phase.
:
Scharzhofberg kabinett 2023
Oberemmel Hütte Auslese 2023
K.J. Thul (Thörnich)
I have to say I’m a huge fan of Thul wines and the quality has gone up like damn since I first tasted the wines in 2020(?). Most of 2023 lineup is not released yet BUT(!) Karl-Josef just bottled single vineyard 2022 Weißburgunder and Müller-Thurgau from the very old own rooted vines last week and had some samples with him. I have to say the Müller-Thurgau is probably the best one I have drank… ever. Instant buy. Don’t sleep on wines from Thörnicher Ritsch either (2021 “GG” is very, very good).
:
Eselspfad Weißburgunder 2022
Eselspfad Müller-Thurgau 2022
Maximiner Klosterlay Spätlese 2023
Thörnicher Ritsch Kabinett 2022
Martin Prüm (Brauneberg)
Super good 2023 collection with estate’s trademarks: High acidity and sponti toned wines. If those are your thing check the wines out! Also very good Pinot made with lighter non oaked style. 2023 collection is first year under demeter certificate also.
:
Rielsing trocken 2023
Brauneberger Klostergarten Kabinett 2023
Brauneberger Klostergarten Riesling Feinherb 2023
Julian Scheid ( Zell-Merl)
I have tried the wines almost every time I have been in Mythos Mosel as I really like them and wines are always on point no matter the vintage. Julian is very talented wine maker and make wines in two different style; More conventional and a bit more natural way with very long lees contact times. Wines are separeted with different labels (Richard Scheid / Julian Scheid). Lineup has stunning kabinett and also one of the best feinherbs I tasted called “Flora” which I could buy & drink a truck load.
:
Under Richard Scheid:
Riesling Trocken 2023
Merler Stephansberg kabinett 2023
Riesling Flora Feinherb 2023
Under Julian Scheid:
Merler Rieslings (basically very top end bottling with very long lees contact time).
Dominikaner Weingut C. von Nell-Breuning (Kaseler, Ruwer)
I have been wanting to taste wines from this estate for very long times and whoah they are some other stuff. As old school as it gets with very long maturation times before releasing so the mythos lineup was all older vintages but I have to say I’m a huge fan! As I have stated before I’m not a 2018 vintage drinker at all but then comes 2018 Kaseler Dominikanerberg and I was blown away. What a wine! The whole lineup was very good but I don’t know how much is actually for sale at this point.
:
2021 Kaseler Nies’chen riesling trocken
2018 Kaseler Dominikanerberg Alte Reben feinherb
2016 Kaseler Dominanerberg spätlese
Ulrich Schumann (Lieser)
Probably not on anyone’s radar but I have always liked the wines. Very elegant and pure stuff made from a bit lesser known vineyards around Lieser. Lieserer Schloßberg spätlese trocken is point blank beautiful dry wine!
:
Lieserer Schloßberg Spätlese Trocken 2023
Lieserer Rosenlay Spätlese 2023
Frank Brohl (Pünderich)
I first tasted the wines of Frank some years ago and I really like the wines. Especially in dry - to feinherb range. The estate has been ecologic for 40 years and wine making is all about traditional old Mosel school style.
:
Alte Reben Kabinet trocken 2023
Pünderischer Marienburg Kabinett feinherb 2023
Daniel Fries (Winningen)
Believe the hype! Daniel’s pinots are probably the among the best around in Mosel made in very burgundian style. Don’t miss the superb Weißburgunder either!
:
Pinot Noir Vom Schiefer 2022
Dom Pinot Noir 2022
Weißburgunder 2022
Uhlen Riesling Trocken Uhlen
Philip Lardot (Ediger-Eller)
Probably not so new name anymore as I think Robert is importing the wine(?). I have nothing but respect to man who has something like 23 (?) different vineyard holdings at the moment and can’t stop getting more because they are otherwise getting abandoned. Superb lineup of wines made in a bit different natural but very clean style.
:
2023 Kontakt Weiss (50% Riesling, 35% Müller Thurgau, 15% Auxerrois)
2022 Schiefer Riesling
2023 Kontakt Rot (Pinot Noir).
2022 Pinot Noir
Zum Eulenturm (Briedel)
As stated by @SOvery the whole collection was really good made in elegant & light style. The Briedeler Herzchen kabinett was really good but my fav wine was easily dry Briedeler Trieren which is very small and dramatic steep terraced vineyard in the opposite bank of Briedel. Also sekts especially Dosage Zéro - are superb!
:
2023 Briedeler Herzchen kabinett
2023 Briedeler Trieren
2019 Riesling Winzersekt Dosage Zéro
Nikolaus Köwerich (Leiwen)
Don’t let the labels / strange names of wines fool you the whole lineup is superb sponti driven elegant stuff! I have tasted the kabinett from this estate before but this was first time tasting the wider lineup and I was very pleased. 2023s are not released yet so most wines were 2022 vintage. Also when older bottles started to appears from under the table I was sold. 2007 Leiwener Spätlese was phenomenal with no signs of age at all!
:
2022 „Herr Mosel“ Köwericher Laurentiuslay Riesling trocken
2022 „Fräulein Mosel“ Köwericher Laurentiuslay Riesling Kabinett
2022 Von den Bergen an der Mosel“ Köwericher Laurentiuslay Riesling
2012 Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese
2007 Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese
2001 Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Auslese
Weingut Walter (Briedel)
Very solid lineup from estate-level up. The quality of this estate has taken a huge steps in recent years. Besides of great riesling lineup Walter also produces superb pinots & Weißburgunders!
:
2023 Riesling trocken
2023 Briedeler Riesling trocken
2022 Weisserberg GG Riesling trocken
2023 Marienburg Riesling Kabinett
Weingut Stefan Müller (Konz, Saar)
One of the estates I try to taste from every year as I really like the wines. The style is all spontan / pure with high acidity. I would describe it as a baby Falkenstein 
. I have yet to taste bad prädikat wine from this address and collection is also very solid in 2023.
:
2023 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling feinherb
2023 Niedermenniger Sonnenberg Riesling feinherb Alte Reben
2022 Krettnacher Altenberg Riesling Kabinett
2023 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Spätlese Alte Reben
Weingut Würtzberg (Serrig, Saar)
Huge fan of wines of Würtzberg and I’m really glad to see that the estate has finally gained some momentum with it’s Bernkasteler Ring auction wines and MFW ratings as it has been under the radar for a long time. The 2023 collection was one the best in entire weekend and you can buy any 2023 wine from this address. Even the lower level wines were really, really good. Potentially also the best lineup I have tasted from them. I did not have time to taste Pinots but apparently they are very good also. Don’t sleep!
:
2023 Riesling SCIVARO
2023 Serriger Riesling ROTSCHIEFER
2023 Riesling Kabinett GOLDSTÜCK
2023 Riesling Kabinett ALTE REBEN
2023 Serriger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese
Petershof (Konz, Saar)
Like Stefan Müller the wines of this couple of years old estate are all about the purity and the great art of sponti. 2023 wines are still in the cellar so lineup was mainly from 2022. The only problem about this estate is that the wines are so damn hard to get outside of Germany but if you see one buy one!
:
2022 Saar Riesling feinherb
2021 Oberemmel Riesling feinherb
2022 Oberemmel Altenberg Riesling Kabinett
2022 Krettnach Euchariusberg Riesling Spätlese
That’s it for the part1 I’ll post the part2 in a couple of days. Phfew.
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Thank you for the write up! source | material just did an offer of the Daniel Fries Spätburgunders and Vom Boden is the importer for Lardot, @collinwagner from Vom Boden is good friends with Phil.
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Astounding write-up, Johan, so appreciated! Thank you.
Skal
Mike
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Thank you Robert! The Unterlind project does look exciting.
Great write-up! Thank you so much for taking the time to post your thoughts.
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