Say Ohligsberg is normally considered more serious, Goldtröpfchen more playful. But there is plenty to like here. Tropical vibes, juicy white fruit, wet slate, spicy ginger, a trace of CO2 on opening, vibrant and invigorating.
The Alte Reben version (white label, meanwhile available only in the assorted case) is nobler, more subdued, but with a similar overall profile. The dry version is darker, denser, smokier.
Fine wines all.
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Roman wine presses were also unearthed in Brauneberg and Erden.
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It’s worth adding that (IMHO) Julian’s wines are at a different level to anyone else in the middle Mosel, and also in a slightly different style. Though one doesn’t often get the full sensation of this from the ‘entry level’ wines.
He certainly had a major role in the resurgence of Kabinett over the last 15 years and the idea that pricing shouldn’t just be by pradikat.
I adore the wines and am glad I have more in the cellar than any other producer (perhaps except Prum), Falkenstein too but I keep drinking those.
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How would you describe the stylistic difference?
Ethereal (often almost colorless), light, green fruited, elegant, with great concentration, always at the less sweet end of the pradikat.
Of course other wines would meet this description - but not as consistently, and some do it by raising alcohol,
Which changes things texturally.
Thanks for that. I didn’t connect with the wines in the early vintages and then never kept up. Obviously I’ve seen all the hype and have tasted them sporadically over the years when other people open bottles, but nothing that gave me a good sense.
Sounds like I would enjoy the style. Although of course it’s more difficult/expensive now!
This afternoon, I had the opportunity to sample the 2025 lineup from the Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier, which cultivates 98 hectares of some of the best sites in the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer, down from 130 hectares in previous years. I liked a number of the wines. Stefan Kraml, formerly of Maximin Grünhaus, has been the cellar master since 2024. But his first full vintage in charge was 2025.
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Can you tell us a bit more about the ones you liked, and how the new winemaker is making bis mark? For Kabinett for example, I see that they made fruchtsuesse from Scharzhofberg, Graacher Himmelreich, Ayler Kupp, Piesporter Goldtröpchen and Kanzemer Altenberg. There is a lot to choose from.
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The lineup was long. It would have been even longer in the past. They streamlined the portfolio and leased out their prime parcels in Erdener Treppchen, Ürziger Würzgarten, and Graacher Domprobst. I didn’t take notes, but I liked wines from different categories and sites. Many of them had a distinct sponti aroma. Among the fruity-sweet Kabinetts, Kanzemer Altenberg and Scharzhofberg stood out.
One of my favorite collections from them was the 2008 vintage, produced under the direction of former cellar master Johannes Becker. At that time, Helmut Plunien managed the Bischöflcihe Weingüter Trier.
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+1 on everything, including the largest holding. I am not really into Mosel, and I stopped buying other producers. Those hit differently. YMMV.
For what it’s worth, Mosel Fine Wines rated the 2025 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle GG higher than the 2025 Emrich-Schönleber Halenberg GG and the 2025 Emrich-Schönleber Frühlingplätzchen GG.
The 2025 Schäfer-Fröhlich Felseneck GG received an even higher rating. It seems that Schäfer-Fröhlich had an impressive collection for those who like GGs. Ditto Peter Jakob Kühn, Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, and Clemens Busch, among others.
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I only had samples of Emrich-Schönleber’s Frühtau and Halgans (both declassified Frühlingsplätzchen and Halenberg), plus the Monzinger Niederberg 2025. Despite that, my scores were broadly reversed compared to the Hermannshöhle 2025.
I also only tried Schäfer-Fröhlich’s Kupfergrube and Felsenberg 2025—the riverside porphyry sites, not the inland slate sites—and they are quite good. I will try his remaining GGs next week.
FYI, the upcoming VDP.Nahe Versteigerung catalogue was recently released.
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2025 Franzen Bremmer Calmont Riesling Kabinett
This wine is young and not fully harmonized, but it is spritzy with orchard fruit, grapefruit, saline, and liquorice. 8.5%
The Bremmer Calmont is claimed to be the steepest actively farmed vineyard in the world. I can’t verify that claim, but it certainly looks like a labor of love to farm:
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I know these as young vine versions from the two GG vineyards. Is the term declassified also used?
I don’t believe “declassified” is actually VDP terminology; just using it descriptively. Both are VDP.Ortsweine, and in some vintages (not 2025) they contain fruit from different Monzingen vineyards.
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I noticed that you deleted a couple of your recent posts. You can edit them without creating new posts.
As you know, many of the VDP village-level wines—presented in copyrighted all-caps form as VDP.ORTSWEINE®—come from VDP.GROSSE LAGEN® or VDP grand crus, even from old vines. For example, Zilliken produces a Saarburger Riesling Alte Reben trocken from Rausch. This used to be their Saarburger Rausch Spätlese trocken. Schloss Saarstein exclusively produces VDP.GROSSE LAGEN wines, and it also makes entry- and village-level wines from the same VDP grand-cru site.
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2023 Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier Zellertal Riesling trocken - Germany, Rheinhessen (6/11/2026)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 2.5 hrs. –
NOSE: unusual: reminds me of a zesty/fruity Saison; green/white fruits; flat sugar – fondant; light petrol.
BODY: Diam10 cork; light to medium-light bodied; green-tinged light yellow color.
TASTE: high acid; bone dry; gooseberry green grapes mix; green rhubarb; 12.5% alc. well-hidden; a touch salty. Different, but good. Would likely buy again.
.
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This.
What a complete sparkling wine! Not just a Riesling with bubbles. Even though it’s an excellent Riesling!
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Does anyone have recommendations for sources to pick up mature German riesling? Auctions seem fairly slim pickings (though perhaps I’m just not doing a good job searching), are there are retailers or brokers who consistently offer back vintages?