Sorry, the Kabi
Definitely on my bucket-list!
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Saar
Peter Lauer
Due to travel and work, I did not set up a tasting in advance at Peter Lauer, but stayed at their hotel - Ayler Kupp. Ironically, I did have time free up and dropped Florian a note to see if we could connect, but never heard back. The only wine I had of his was a bottle of the recent release of Alt Scheidt from the hotel grab and go fridge. No me gusta. Green and clunky.
Overall, it’s a nice property with pretty balconies overlooking Kupp, which I ran around later on. Lara was managing the hotel and was a friendly and attentive hostess. Easy check in. Easy check out. Typical German breakfast. My one call out is that the walls are a little thin and I could hear my neighbors coming in and out. Room #3 so ymmv.
Van Volxem
You can see the estate from all over the valley. Large moon white modernist blocks that sit a touch glaringly on a rise It’s nice: coyfish pond (with largest coy I’ve seen), waterlilies, wifi, views in all directions, and playground for kids, couple sculptures. No appointment needed. It’s a very commercial experience, which echo’ing the incongruence of the structure to the valley, sticks out a bit, given the sense that no expense has been spared with anything.
I had had no experience with the wines prior, tasted three, did not take notes, as I decided to work in the tasting garden, but generally found them pleasant. If I were to return to the Saar, I would visit here again and maybe find it less jarring - forewarned/forearmed.
I ran Kupp and later hiked around Scharzhofberg. There is one huge panel of single pole (the oldest vines). Though this may be the “best” white grape vineyard in the world, it does not have the dramatic effect of a cliff face, river buttress, forest wreath that many others do. It’s a very large, gently curing hill with a little cowlick towards on side. Pretty for sure, but a reminder that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Egon Muller
Egon was traveling so I tasted with Veronica. She’s great. Came as an intern years ago, and shaped this role herself, which can’t have been easy. Handles much of…really everything outside the cellar and vineyard (though she does help): travel, clients, brand, etc. Her husband is the vineyard manager and cellar master. Young kids. Tend their own old family vines. Talk about a busy couple.
We walked the vineyard. You can feel an authentic love for the vines. Asked about a patch I’d seen - they had some phylloxera issues some years before (the old vines are ungrafted), but it seems to be in check after intervention and some dry vintages. They prefer to till often and lay hay down to aid in nitrogen binding. Tilling often is a hot topic these days. But the view here is that if you manage it well and the vineyard is used to it, it’s helpful. Since 88 they have seen climate change.
The vineyard work here is no joke and many winemakers I asked along the way view EM as being the best in the Mosel out in the vines. The cellar is very straightforward and minimal. They are faster to the bottle sometimes and then let things settle out. The harvest team used to be Polish, but now is shifting Romanian (common refrain I’ve heard on this trip). Even at this estate, very few Germans are interested in harvest labor.
Pricing - many people’s first thought when they hear Egon Muller. Enough has been written on the question “are the wines worth it?” and I don’t have anything unique to add. Is this the best current release Kabinett QPR? Nope. I don’t want to touch one for 15-20years. I asked Veronica her window and she said it was the same. However, I’ve never had anything like the 1994 GK Auslese. It’s got another 50 years in front of it and is singing like an angel today. Everyone has their call to make.
Some other notes from our conversation
The message is that they are always thinking about the next generation. There is real pride (the vineyard is named after the house), but no resting on laurels. It’s no secret that in every year where there is supply scarcity, Egon has made aggressive moves on price. He acknowledges it himself. There is a real business sense to the estate. There is also a sense of German frugality here. For example, in the courtyard there are huge metal cages full of pieces of wood (at least a thousand?). When the single poles are replaced, they are gathered and stored and turned into firewood. An estate like this does not need to do that. They are conscious of costs “When it matters, we will spend whatever, but we don’t waste money.” Conscious of markets – no consolidation in 1 specific market and constant exploration in others (like many others more time is being spent in South America) and in general a “We always keep our eyes open and adjust if we think right” ethos across the vineyard, cellar, and business.
In a way, I found the pragmatism comforting. It feels like very responsible hands on the wheel of quite the car. And, in a world where ultimate luxury is often associated with waste, I found the touches of frugality refreshing.
On to the wines - all of which felt very much of things unto themselves. The aged examples - truly wonderful. Wished I liked them less, but spade is a spade 
2022 Scharzhofberg - In a nice place. Good acidity already well balanced. Lemon sweet and yellow fruit. Tart green apple Salt. Long finish. This will be excellent.
2022 Scharzhofberg Alte Reben Kabinet Auction (1 cask) - Very good, but shutting down now. Core is tightening, but potential clear. End is lemon candy and saltwater spritz. Circling back, it’s more apricot and apricot pit.
1989 Scharzhofberg Kabinet - Very herbaceous nose. Was a touch vegetable on open and then went more spear minty. Need air, but was opened a la minute.
2023 Scharzhofberg Spatlese 2023 Auction - 20-30% bot. Complex nose, so delicate, but expressive.
2012 Alte reben Spatlese - Long ripening season. Cooler vintage. Papaya, dragon fruit, opulent. Creamier broader finishes with spice.
2024 Auslese - Nose is wax with some stone. Stone. Very good. So early
1994 Auslese Gold Kapsel - Very special wine for me as I collect '94s. Tough to describe, but in a word - Kaleidoscopic.
After this, my time in the Saar was complete and, almost, my time in Germany. I drove towards Berlin, but there was one stop left for me and it turned out to be a very memorable one.
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Didn’t expect to read that a 1989 Kabinett “needs time.” 
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haha. It needed air to open. Will adjust. Thanks, David.
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From your tasting notes,
to your your character descriptions,
not to mention the pictures, a real pleasure to read. 
As an aside, might I recommend WB back vintage posts for anyone resting at home while mildly indisposed (with the 'flu, for example, as I am)? There’s a whole world here…
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If I remember correctly, Veronika Lintner met Heiner Bollig, who comes from Trittenheim, at Egon Müller. Heiner was first the vineyard manager and later became the cellar master in 2018, when Stefan Fobian retired. Veronika and Heiner have one child, a little boy, and their side project is called Unterlind.
Those “many winemakers” don’t know Erich Weber and his vineyard work. 
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Tess - Thanks so much. I’m glad you’re enjoying it; motivates me to finish up (which I should do later today)! Hope the flu’s been thoroughly vanquished.
@Lars_Carlberg - as ever, I believe you are correct Maybe a second child now? As far as the “winemakers” - lol, I’ll leave the jostling to the players!
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After Egon Muller I began my drive back. The ultimate destination was Berlin, but I had two stops left. Well, I thought I had two.
Donnhoff Round II?
At my earlier visit to Donnhoff, I chatted with the front of house staff and asked after getting some back vintages of Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese. This was the first wine N and I had together and I’ve been building, in secret, a vertical for a surprise one day. They were delighted and told me to reach out on my way back through to arrange pick up. Wunderbar!
After following up at confirmed time (~4 days prior), I was told the export manager would be the one to help me. Oh boy, he did not.
I received no response until I was on the road:
Thank you for your message and your patience.
Unfortunately, we can no longer offer stocks from these years.
We still have a few Spätlese wines available from 2014 onwards.
We hope you will find what you are looking for on the market and remain loyal to us.
To be clear, not getting to buy back vintages of wines from a winery is totally fine. I get that, but given the prior communication making it clear it was pre-2004 I was missing, the confirmation that would be possible, and then the delay in communication it was indeed not possible… this was a bit of a buzz kill and I was bummed for about 20 mins. Then, I saw something pretty and realized that, considering my lack of preparation at the beginning of this trip, one buzzkill is a pretty good batting average.
JB Becker
I arrived 5 minutes early for my, 2:30pm, appointment at J.B. Becker.
It’s an old housing compound that you wouldn’t know was a winery unless you had the address, and a wine garden across a narrow cobblestone street. Directly on the other side of the wine garden is the Rheine River.
I parked the car and walked across the street and around the garden. I stood on the bank, beautiful clear sunny day, and looked left at a small dock. At the end of a dock stood a lean, tanned, wiry, older man in bright red swim trunks. He had silver hair and a big silver push broom mustache. We locked eyes for just a moment. Then, Mr. Becker jumped into the river and swam away from me.
Life gives us all a fair share of rejections. But, I must admit, never have I ever had someone flee from me via river.
I went and got a pretzel and checked some emails. Half an hour later. I rang the doorbell of the house. An older women stuck her head out the window above. Some Genglish shouting and she pointed at the garden across the way. I walked over, let myself in, and introduced myself to Mr. Becker (toweled) and a younger colleague.
He asked me what I was doing here. I mentioned our appointment via email and confirmed on the phone the day before. His colleague laughed and apologized for the scheduling mix up. He blew out his moustaches and shook his head. “You want some wine? I need a rest from the swim.”
Happily.
The glass of 2022 Eltviller Rheinberg Spatburgunder blanc de Noir was delicious. Refreshing. I am not a fan of “perfect on a hot day,” but this was that and also a “real” wine, not just some summer sipper. We had some silence between us, so I told him that if he didn’t want to taste with people, he should just tell them as opposed to jumping in the river. I got a harumpf as the ice broke and we went off to the races.
Because he had another appointment, this one he had remembered, ours was a rapid fire affair. We went through 15 wines very quickly and then I had him taste two that I had brought (Kunstler ’16 and Schaefer ’24) which he liked both of. Given the velocity, my notes are lacking.
Dry Whites – Unique amongst Rieslings. Always some, as he says, “Zap” at the end. Never heavy. There is a unique nose - often slightly caramel?
2022 Wallufer Walkenberg - 11 months with full yeasts. “They self clarify. mostly.”
2014 Wallufer Walkenberg - Intense caramel nose. Mouth is apples and “Zap” So unique. Very good
2013 Walkenberg trocken Spätlese - more funk here. more moss on the stone. Still very good.
2018 // - more sugar feeling
2018 Sonnenberg Spätlese - Brown sugar cookies with lemon zest on top. Never had something like this before. I think it’s excellent?
1990 Eltviller Rheinberg Auslese - Something awesome. Something confusing. I don’t understand it and got one to bring back.
The reds – I did not get these wines. I know lots of folks love them. He’s very proud of them and told me they get blinded into Burg people often.
Mr. Becker is not a hyper talkative guy. Olds school. Few words. But he watches your reaction closely.
He speaks about his wine-making more than anything else. The man questions and tinkers and experiments.
He fills his tanks with water and then flushes them with CO2 just prior to filling. Helps him eliminate sulfur.
He uses glass closure b/c of a multi hundred bottle experiment he did which showed negative oak influence (why not screw top? Bc they look cheap).
He fills his red tanks full 2/3s, closes them to start and then opens the lid once they get roiling (it’s better than punching down).
I buy some wine from him and he claps me on the shoulder, “You come back and we’ll have more time.” No apology and question, but there is no rudeness or over-confidence in it either.
Home again Home again jiggity jig
I drove straight through to Berlin. It’s a pretty drive with green hills and gold fields. Got a hotel by the airport and had an easy night. The next day I spent the morning on work, returned the car, and took the train into Berlin. A great indoor market. Some art. A beer and a brat. It was sunny and warm. Berlin feels like what Brooklyn used to be. Some grit. Some edge. Lots of tattoos. Great food and drinks. But with an old European frame (the budlings the parks, etc.). I’d never been before, but can’t wait to go back.
That’s all for this adventure!
I’ll add some ending reflections, but hopefully this non-pro picture of a German wine adventure will be helpful to others and encourage more folks to spend time in this incredible part of the world. I could not more highly recommend it!
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I assume this is a typo, because there was no indication the travels were going in a Sex Tourism direction!
And yes, I feel the same way and often compare Berlin to Brooklyn.
Sounds like some interesting tastings, funny that he fled to the water!
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Oh golly. What a language. Thanks!
Love it. What’s with the reds that you don’t like?