Germany's Miraculous Mosel Duo of 2015 & 2016

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1 Germany's Miraculous Mosel Duo of 2015 & 2016 The Mosel is back on top. After a long week of non-stop tastings with the JamesSuckling.com team in the spectacular valley of the Mosel and its tributaries the Saar and the Ruwer, it s clear to me that the 2015 and 2016 vintages are something special. Back when James Suckling and I worked together in the 19s, the Mosel was the most exciting of Germany s 13 wine-growing regions. That has changed in recent years, thanks to the steady improvement in the quality of the dry wines from the Nahe, the Pfalz and the Rheinhessen, which has ascended faster than any of them. Well, it looks like the tables have turned again. Through a combination of aesthetic perfectionism, rugged determination and sheer hard work (most of the best vineyards in the region are precipitously steep), the Mosel has leapt back into the limelight. Much of that hard work went into the winemaking for dry Rieslings, a category the Mosel did not shine in a generation or two ago (although much longer ago this was one of the region s strong suites). Back in the 19s, it was the off-dry and crisp Kabinett, the sweet and elegant Spätlese and Auslese, plus the rare intensely-botrytized BA and TBA style rieslings that made the Mosel great. Today they are at least as great today as they were back then, but the Mosel is also playing in the first league with its dry wines. In contrast to Burgundy, where problems with premox have casts doubt on the aging potential of virtually all whites right up to the Grand Crus, the stunning new dry rieslings have great and much more reliable aging potential. This makes the Mosel one of the most exciting white wine regions. The wines of 2015 and 2016 taste very different to one another. In contrasting ways, both are miraculous vintages that the producers themselves didn t see coming until the harvest. At the end of August 2015, vineyards were drier than they had been since For four months they barely saw any rain, and temperatures periodically climbed to record highs. Producers feared a rerun of 2003, another very hot dry growing season that resulted in opulent wines with tragically low acidity that were largely rejected by important export markets like the US. However, unlike in 2003, when picking began, it quickly became apparent that although the wines were quite rich, they also had a very lively acidity and often surprisingly delicate aromas too. From the first cask tastings, it was clear that this combination was ideal for dry wines, but was often also great for sweet ones. The first half of the summer of 2016 was exactly the opposite of the 2015 growing season with repeated rain and very few dry days between the downpours. A generation ago, this wouldn t have been so destructive, but climate change has lifted temperatures and the result of that was fungal disease and almost continual downy mildew infection pressure. Downy mildew not only destroys the vine s leaves (its solar panel ), but also the grapes themselves. Few producers came through with no crop loss, but it could have been really disastrous if the weather hadn t suddenly turned. The second half of the summer was dry and fine and this continued in October during the harvest, enabling the grapes to ripen under ideal conditions. The only thing missing as a result of the dry fall in 2016 are the high-end botrytis wines. How good are the wines then? The scores in this report speak volumes about the stunning quality of the 2015 vintage, but certain examples make the situation even clearer. For Dr. Manfred Prüm of J.J. Prüm in Wehlen, the most famous producer on the Middle Mosel, 2015 is a classic great vintage. For us, the concentration and brilliance of the 2015s make it the greatest vintage of the 21st century at J.J. Prüm. To put that into context, J.J. Prüm has already

2 had a string of exceptional vintages thanks to climate change: 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and Of this group 2005 the greatest, but now 2015 tops them all! Less well-known producers also made exceptional wines in 2015, the most notable example being Carl Loewen in Leiwen on the Middle Mosel where the father and son team of Karl- Josef and Christopher Loewen made a string of wines we scored well over s. Father and son team of Karl-Josef and Christopher Loewen. Their crown jewel is their BA, which landed a perfect 100-points. This dessert wine is breathtakingly complex and elegant and stands in the company of the legendary Egon Müller- Scharzhof and Maximin Grünhaus (von Schubert), the only other two estates to make 100- point wines. This says everything about just how dynamic the Mosel is today and why Carl Loewen s 2015 Maximin Herrenberg Riesling BA is the wine of the vintage. The wines of 2016 are certainly less concentrated and highly structured than the 2015, but they are wonderfully aromatic and have a great freshness that makes them charming and delightful. There are some wines of spectacular brilliance from less well-known producers, most importantly from Peter Lauer on the Saar and Julian Haart on the Middle Mosel who both picked up several 95+ ratings. Look out for other unfamiliar names with + ratings, because there are a slew of them. What makes this back-to-back duo of vintages so positive for the Mosel is how they are complimentary. Anyone who finds the 2015s too rich and powerful (we marked a few wines down for that) will probably be excited by the bright and refreshing 2016s. Those find the latter too light (we marked some 2016s down for this) will warm to the more exotic 2015s. Whether you prefer Chablis-type dry whites with lots of mineral character, honey-sweet dessert wines with the power to take on the best Sauternes or something between these extremes, the 2015s and 2016s from the Mosel have an enormous amount to offer. Stuart Pigott, Contributing Editor Tasting Notes MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG BEERENAUSLESE 2015 This is one of those wines that's so amazing at first you're lost for words. Mind-blowing bouquet of the ripest exotic fruits and honey, 100 then a tidal wave of fruit and the brightness of the acidity is no less staggering. Hang on to your hat! A timeless wine. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE 2015 Hold your breath for this wine. In spite of its enormous concentration and its extreme youth, the wine has great clarity and the 100 entire complex personality of this wine is already dazzlingly clear. That isn't always the

3 case for this category, which can have intense mushroom notes at this age. Enormously rich, but also enormously vibrant and it's that which drives the enormously long finish. You might have to wait another decade or more for this to come onto the market, but it will then still have many decades of life ahead of it. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG BEERENAUSLESE Enveloping creme brulee and vanilla custard character on the nose. Mind-blowing lusciousness and concentration, then a finish that's so fundamental it's like meeting God. Caramel and minerals perfectly intertwined. The wine of the vintage? EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER BEERENAUSLESE 2015 More honeyed than the Auslese Gold Cap from the same site but the same dense dried fruit character and stunning freshness. A brilliant wine both in the literal and metaphorical sense, and that is what makes it 99 so exciting. Be prepared for the enormous intensity at the finish or it might knock you off your chair. Another almost timeless masterpiece! JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR AUSLESE LONG GOLD CAP 2015 Still very closed on the nose, but the wine has mind-blowing concentration, complexity and balance on the palate. The tropical intensity 99 on the finish is off the scale, but it's is matched by energy of the highest level. Best during the half century from JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER HIMMELREICH TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE 2005 Vintage Only the palest gold. An enormously dense and complex dried fruit nose that will open up more. Some mushroomy notes (a sign of youth) that will fade with more aging. This has a gigantic concentration and is only just

4 beginning to show what it's made of. Superlong dried fruits finish. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL HERRENBERG AUSLESE (AUCTION) 2016 This marries the ice wine and botrytis wine categories in a remarkable way. Stunning interplay of passion fruit, pineapple and honey characteristics. Great concentration 98 and diamond brightness. The interplay of sweetness and acidity ought to wake up the dead! This could live for 100 years. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER AUSLESE GOLD CAP (AUCTION) 2015 This is the only Gold Cap Auslese from this vintage so far on the market. Dense and very complex dried fruits bouquet spanning the entire spectrum from peach and mango to 98 some fig, plus a slew of candied citrus notes. Super-concentrated and super-refined, the finish following a graceful curve that extends in the direction of infinity. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST BEERENAUSLESE Dense dried mango and papaya aromas. Great succulence but also the classic Willi Schaefer purity. Enormous concentration and clarity. The finish just keeps pumping out the exotic fruits. Almost timeless. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER HIMMELREICH AUSLESE GOLD CAP (AUCTION) 2015 A gigantic Auslese, but with completely astonishing delicacy for a wine with this enormous scale. A tidal wave of tropical fruit pours over the palate and then as it finally 98 drains away, the minerals are exposed and they don't want to let you go. Another wine with almost limitless aging potential. NIK WEIS (ST. URBANS-HOF) RIESLING MOSEL BOCKSTEIN TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE 2015 Still a bit embryonic, but the density of the dried fruit and raisin aromas are spectacular.

5 97 An enormously rich and concentrated wine that manages to be remarkably delicate. The finish doesn't want to stop. Impeccable winemaking has given this more aging potential than you or I have! MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL HERRENBERG AUSLESE Super-elegant and vibrant, this is delicious now, but has enormous aging potential. There's an explosion of herbs and berries. 97 This is the point where the critic starts struggling to describe the wine adequately. More aging potential than I have! EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER AUSLESE GOLD CAP (11) 2015 This bottling of Gold Cap still hasn't been put on the market. Brimming with all manner of the ripest yellow fruits and some tropical flowers. Great concentration and brilliance, 97 but still tightly wound. A great wine that needs some years to give its best, but it will be really spectacular in the decades to come. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL 1896 (GRAY LABEL) Not analytically dry, but to most wine drinkers, it will appear that way. Deep, dark and mysterious, but also packed with all manner of dried yellow fruits. Stunning concentration and a style that's unique not only to this region, but to the entire world! I doubt you could live long enough to experience this when this wine gets too old! WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST AUSLESE (AUCTION) Very exotic and rich, but still sublimely fresh and delicate. This combination of concentration and brilliance is the raison d'etre of the Mosel. Excellent wine. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ERDENER TREPPCHEN AUSLESE *** (GOLD CAP) 2015

6 97 In spite of the enormous concentration of dried yellow fruit flavors, this has a gracefulness and a great vitality that make it breathtaking. A spectacular Auslese to drink now, but it also has enormous aging potential. This will live longer than I will! MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR AUSLESE *** (GOLD CAP) A massive auslese that is still very young. For all these wonders to reveal themselves fully, you will need to be patient for a few years. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL SAARBURGER RAUSCH BEERENAUSLESE (GOLD CAP) Piquant acidity that could wake the dead. Stunning concentration and enormous citrus freshness at the finish. Very clean and pure in spite of the density and power. Super fresh with decades of aging potential. NIK WEIS (ST. URBANS-HOF) RIESLING MOSEL LAURENTIUSLAY TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE Super-dense, super-luscious and super-bright in a way that bowls you over! Great exotic fruit character, but also a really refreshing finish. Still very young, better from 2025 and with half a century of aging potential beyond that. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR AUSLESE 2015 A whiff of smoke at first, but the nose slowly unfurls. As enormous as it is brilliant, and the interplay of the components is about as sensually ravishing as wine gets. The 97 freshness at the finish is devastatingly beautiful and doesn't want to stop. Better from 2020 and will age for half a century. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER HIMMELREICH AUSLESE GOLD CAP What makes this stand out is the gigantic mineral freshness that's perfectly married to its richness. This gives the finish a whole extra dimension lacking in the majority of

7 2015 Auslese. The nose still needs some time to open, and this will be so much more effusive from Hoping to live to experience it at its mature peak in a couple of decades. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR AUSLESE GOLD CAP 2015 The most exotic and succulent of the 2015 Auslese Gold Caps from J.J., but also blessed with dazzling finesse and brilliance that you 97 rarely encounter in sweet wines of any kind. What a finish! Best from 2020 and almost limitless aging potential. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL HERRENBERG EISWEIN A lush and exciting ice wine with a balance of richness and acidity that is staggeringly vibrant. This would be stunning with creme brulee right now! EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER AUSLESE 2015 A creamy-dreamy nose with a lot of tropical flowers that is very enticing. Very lush and concentrated but with great purity and delicacy too. If you have never tasted an Auslese from Egon, then you've missed 96 something in life. This wine is the ideal one to put that right. If you're already familiar with this wine from other vintages, you could wait years or decades for this. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL LE GALLAIS WILTINGER BRAUNE KUPP AUSLESE GOLD CAP 2015 This reminds me of my favorite desserts as a child: creamy puddings made from the best fruits from my grandmother's garden, but with a subtlety to the aromas and flavors that 96 they never had. The longer you study it, the more nuances you find. With a few bottles of this in the cellar, you could extend that process of discovery as long as you want.

8 EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER EISWEIN 2016 A relatively light ice wine for this producer, but very clean and pure (which isn't always the case for this category). Great exotic fruit aromas including a whiff of durian. This also has a rather elegant interplay of sweetness 96 and acidity without the sharp edges ice wine often has in its youth. Delicious now, and it probably will show its best during the next five years, even if it will keep for many more years. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL 1896 (GRAY LABEL) Still very shy and closed. This has great concentration, but it needs until 2018 to display all the subtle shades that make this one of the most remarkable drier Mosel rieslings. What an amazing finish of herbs, spices and minerals. Are you patient enough for this wine? It won't come to its peak before 2020 and then the journey begins! CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL LAURENTIUSLAY SPÄTLESE A mind-blowing wine for this category that has enormous brilliance and succulence, but also a great mineral freshness that literally takes your breath away. How can you resist it now? Who is willing to wait 10, 20, 30 years for this? CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL KLOSTERGARTEN EISWEIN Great passion fruit freshness and ripeness. A luscious and super-vibrant ice wine. Very classic ice wine with a long, very energetic finish. Won't reach the market until 2018, but will be very young then. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL DOMPROBST SPÄTLESE (AUCTION) 2015 This has a great combination of creaminess and hardcore minerality. It barely seems sweet in spite of the relatively high analytical 96 sweetness, and the finish is of crystalline purity. Lead a healthy life and wait as long as you can or just pull the cork now!

9 WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST AUSLESE Very complex herbal, smoky and white fruits on the nose that pull you into this diamondbright wine with only a discreet hint of sweetness. The finish is so enormously fresh 96 and minerally that it seems almost almost weightless. Drink any time during the next 30-plus years. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL DOMPROBST AUSLESE This combines the enormous brilliance of barrel number 11 of this wine and vintage, but married to a beautiful creaminess. This 96 extends right through the very long finish. Delicious now, but could easily age for 30- plus years. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST (AUCTION) 2016 A very delicate exotic fruit and floral honey nose. This is a stunning Auslese for a vintage that wasn't strong on that category. The 96 richness and the minerality are there, but the fruit aromas will need some years to open up fully. JULIAN HAART RIESLING MOSEL SCHUBERTSLAY SPÄTLESE Very cool and very complex with a ton of wild herbs and berries. Starts relatively conventionally, but suddenly you realize that it's got a stunning concentration and dazzling acidity. The pristine, super-mineral finish just doesn't want to stop. Great now, but it will only gain if you have the patience to wait five, 10 or 20 years! MARTIN MÜLLEN RIESLING MOSEL TRARBACHER HUHNERBERG SPÄTLESE TROCKEN * Who would think that the Mosel could produce a dry Riesling that could match the power and concentration of a Grand Cru burgundy? This does exactly that and it has an acidity that gives it enormous drive. Needs

10 at least two or three years to open up, but will live 20-plus years. DR. LOOSEN RIESLING MOSEL ERDENER PRÄLAT AUSLESE GOLD CAP Stunning mango nose, super-concentrated with an electric interplay of richness and mineral acidity. A delicate hint of bitter almond at the very long, powerful finish. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR AUSLESE ***(WHITE CAP) 2015 The most amazing of the 2015 dry rieslings from Markus Molitor, but not only because it has the most amazing exotic fruit, but also because of its stunning spiciness and a 96 devastating mineral quality at the finish. Great potential if you can find a bottle and have the patience for a couple of decades. From 120-year-old vines. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR AUSLESE ***(GREEN CAP) 2015 A truly explosive wine. The gigantic ripeness matched by an almost supernatural energy and a breathtaking freshness. And that's the 96 short version of the tasting note. The full story would run many pages! Many decades of potential. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL BERNKASTELER LAY AUSLESE *** 2015 Very intense dried mango character, super concentrated and succulent with a blast mineral freshness at the very long finish. 96 Delicious, but with half a century of aging potential. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN AUSLESE ***(GOLD CAP) 2015 Colossal concentration of dried fruit character, but also enormous brilliance and it is this combination that makes the wine so 96 very exciting. The finish goes on and on with the volume pushed to 10.

11 MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL OCKFENER BOCKSTEIN BEERENAUSLESE (GOLD CAP) Still has the mushroom type funk of a very young, high-end botrytis wine. Very rich, but also star-bright thanks to the great acidity. Better from 2020, but there's no need to hurry. VOLLENWEIDER RIESLING MOSEL WOLFER GOLDGRUBE AUSLESE GOLD CAP 2015 In the nose, this comes off as just another rich botrytis Auslese, but that's because it's too young. On the palate, this has a stunning 96 concentration of dried fruit aromas and an electric acidity that gives it a whiplash finish. Surely a half century or more of life. NIK WEIS (ST. URBANS-HOF) RIESLING MOSEL GOLDTRÖPFCHEN BEERENAUSLESE Delicacy and freshness as well as richness (pineapple, star fruit and floral honey), depth and length. This is a classic BA that would be great with fruit desserts right now and has the potential to grow and develop for half a century. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER HIMMELREICH AUSLESE 2015 Quite closed on the nose, but this is already gorgeous on the palate. The myriad ripe fruits are so precisely delineated, the acidity so vital and urgent that if you drink it now you'd 96 still be stunned in spite of missing some of the riches it has to offer. Everything is perfectly in place, and the finish is literally breathtaking. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL BERNKASTELER LAY AUSLESE GOLD CAP 2015 A super-concentrated Auslese that has a huge amount to give, and is only a little bit closed. Lots of tropical notes (fruits and flowers). A great interplay of them and uplifting acidity 96 that means the sweetness is anything but dominant in the very long finish. Better from 2020.

12 JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR SPÄTLESE (AUCTION) 2015 More closed than the regular Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese, but also more depth and more drive. A finish of staggering intensity and brilliance in which minerals, fruit and 96 acidity are intertwined. Neither a jot too sweet or powerful for this category. Forty or more years of aging potential. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR AUSLESE (AUCTION) A cornucopia of tropical fruits and flowers. Concentrated, discreetly cream and very filigree at the ravishing finish. Better from 2020 and almost no time limit. DR. LOOSEN RIESLING MOSEL ERENDER PRÄLAT AUSLESE GOLD CAP More exotic than Dr. Loosen's other 2016 auslese and a bit more opulent too, but it also has a very serious structure that drives the powerful finish. Drink from 2020 to PETER LAUER RIESLING MOSEL SAARFEILSER SPÄTLESE Very fine white peach bouquet and a dazzling balance between racy acidity, fruit and minerals. Lights up the sky! This is what the Saar is all about, and you could drink this wine now, in five, 10 or even 20 years! MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG AUSLESE 2015 Great floral honey character, great concentration and enormous vitality make this a stunning Auslese although it really isn't 96 very sweet. Decades of aging potential if you can resist it now. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG AUSLESE In spite of the honey note in the nose, this is still pretty closed. This has quite some power and richness, but it is very underplayed. You need to play a long term waiting game with

13 this wine, and you really cannot have too much patience. PETER LAUER RIESLING MOSEL KERN FAß 9 FEINHERB Still a bit shy on the nose, but almost indecently rich and succulent on the palate. Wave after wave of fruit and minerals at the finish. Better in 2018 or maybe even 2028, but for that you have to keep in shape! PETER LAUER RIESLING MOSEL KUPP FAß 5 KABINETT Beams you into a tropical jungle full of dripping leaves and flowers. Almost indecently succulent and amazingly concentrated for the category with a whiplash finish that doesn't want to stop. Why wait? It will age a decade though. ZILLIKEN RIESLING MOSEL RAUSCH DIABAS Really complex herbal nose which is still very youthful. This has amazing depth and a sensational harmony for a wine that tastes dry and just 11% alcohol. The texture is silky and the finish is of extreme complexity. You could drink it now, but the longer you wait the better it will be. The only problem is to live long enough! ZILLIKEN RIESLING MOSEL RAUSCH AUSLESE The white tea and delicate exotic fruit aromas on the nose could easily make you think this is a lightweight, but on the palate it is extremely powerful and rather lush so there's no doubt that this belongs in the big league. The finish is an exotic fruit supernova. Yes, you can drink it this evening, but this has many decades of aging potential! DR. WAGNER RIESLING MOSEL BOCKSTEIN SPÄTLESE Floral and elegant, this is exactly what this category of riesling is all about. Stunning balance and purity. Very long mineral finish that is brimming with life and energy.

14 MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG KABINETT 2015 This is like a lightning strike, although it's super-light in alcohol. A stunning wine that impresses more with delicacy than power and 95 for that reason is probably best drunk without food. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL HERRENBERG AUSLESE A very refined floral nose with just a hint of floral honey. Stunning balance of delicate berry fruit, herbal and floral character and racy acidity on the palate. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG KABINETT (AUCTION) 2016 Very complex herbal character and enormous freshness make this a very striking wine that has an absurd amount of depth considering 95 how light it is analytically. If you're looking for a last-ever glass of wine, this might be it. Drink somewhere between now and eternity! EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERG KABINETT ALTE REBEN (AUCTION) Cooler, more delicate nose than the regular kabinett with great herbal freshness. Great athletic energy and a diamond-like brightness, then a very complex herbalmineral finish that is totally pristine. Perfect today, but also capable of aging as well as the great 19 kabinett. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER SPÄTLESE 2015 A stunning spätlese that combines great delicacy of aroma with impressive richness and concentration. Very complex interplay of sweetness, fruit, minerals and acidity that 95 continues right to the end of the very long pure finish. You drink this now or wait 10, 20 or more years. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL LE GALLAIS WILTINGER BRAUNE KUPP AUSLESE (AUCTION) 2015

15 95 More depth and elegance than the regular bottling of this wine. In spite of all the richness, it's uplifting at the very long, refined finish. Another beauty that is hard to resist now, but has decades ahead of it. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER SPÄTLESE 2016 Lovely, orange blossom and bergamot/earl Grey tea nose that's unique. A super-elegant wine that underplays its power and concentration. That makes the finish very 95 delicate and deceptively light. A masterpiece of subtlety that you could drink now or any time during the next 30 years. VAN VOLXEM RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER "P" How can one riesling's bouquet simultaneously remind you of creme brulee, candied citrus and mountain flowers? This one squares that circle! The way that this glides across the palate feels like stroking the finest silk. Very long and beautifully harmonious finish. Where is the lobster? Drink now or any time until CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG GG Stunning peachy nose that sucks you into this rich and extremely sensual wine. Stunning balance at the very long finish where the mineral freshness is breathtaking. Made from vines planted in 12 and only 12% alcohol. Delicious now but will live for decades. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG ALTE REBEN Welcome to the wild and original Mosel where nothing has been tweaked or put in a spotlight. The texture and balance are even 95 better than the excellent 2015 and the finish is super-long and really polished. Better from 2018 and could easily age for 15 years. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG GG 2016 This is still very young and rather closed. Up front this is still tightly wound like a Breguet

16 95 watch, but there's stunning concentration and minerality which really explodes at the dynamite finish. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL RITSCH GG Another stunning dry riesling from Loewen. This Ritsch is a bit more gentle than the wines from this super-steep sites usually are. Rich and super-complex with everything a great dry white needs. Better from 2019, but it already tastes very impressive and there's absolutely no hurry. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG AUSLESE 2015 This is almost as exotic as Gewürztraminer VT/SGN from Alsace, but it has the Mosel brightness and lightness, plus a freshness at 95 the finish that would makes Alsatians jealous. A bold and luscious wine now, but with decades of aging potential. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG AUSLESE 2016 Exotic fruit paradise! This is so beautiful that I want to go straight to a beach in Thailand right now! Super-seductive, creamy, 95 concentrated and somehow really elegant. Another beauty that isn't a jot too sweet. Better from 2020 and almost no time limit. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL DOMPROBST SPÄTLESE Beautiful white peach and smoke nose, then a beautiful balance of richness and mineral freshness. Very finely nuanced, but also firmly structured with a long complex finish that politely introduces you to what great Mosel is all about. Slowly opening up but the longer you wait, the better! WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL HIMMELREICH AUSLESE Cool and delicate. Dripping leaves and flowers after summer rain. Super-fresh and clean in spite of the obvious sweetness. Long finish with enormous mineral and herbal freshness.

17 WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST SPÄTLESE (AUCTION) 2016 A little bit more opulent than the two "regular" Domprobst Spätleses. Complex exotic fruit aromas, and a passion fruit and 95 star fruit freshness that really makes this stand out in the 2016 field. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL DOMPROBST AUSLESE White tropical flower aromas and a hint of Thai basil in the nose. Concentrated and filigree, succulent and pristine, everything fitting together beautifully. Super-clean finish in which the sweetness is barely perceptible, even at the early stage in the game of decades. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST AUSLESE Lemon curd and mint on the nose. Stunning combination of concentration and brilliant acidity with wave after wave of spice and minerals at the long, super-clean finish. 95 Better from 2019, but this is a long term wine that needs a lot longer than that to reach its peak. A.J. ADAM RIESLING MOSEL DHRONER HAS'CHEN KABINETT This very young wine still has some fermentation funk, but behind that there's so much charm and mystery. Somehow this wine combines an impression of lightness, serious concentration and a profound mineral freshness that make the finish as deep and complex as a Grand Cru Chablis. A.J. ADAM RIESLING MOSEL DHRONER HOFBERG SPÄTLESE Complex peach, passion fruit, tarragon and smoke nose. Stunning brilliance and power, although it's really sleek and delicate. Who says that spätlese is a sweet wine? Already delicious but with decades of life ahead of it. HAART RIESLING MOSEL GOLDTRÖPFCHEN SPÄTLESE 2016

18 95 Great lemon balm on the nose, and this packs a serious punch of fruit and acidity. You could easily miss the fact that this is quite a sweet wine as a result. Enormously uplifting herbal and lemon-mineral freshness at the very long finish. A.J. ADAM RIESLING MOSEL DHRONER HOFBERG AUSLESE A wild cocktail of smoke, nectarine and wild herbs on the nose. However, even that doesn't prepare you for the intensity and ripeness on the palate, nor the tidal wave of acidity that surges through on the finish. A great auslese that is only slightly sweet. MARTIN MÜLLEN RIESLING MOSEL TRABENER HUHNERBERG SPÄTLESE FEINHERB 2015 A breathtaking beauty with a beautiful grapefruit, pineapple, herbal and mineral character. Power and subtlety. This very 95 concentrated and perfectly balanced dry wine is just beginning to show what it's made of! MARTIN MÜLLEN RIESLING MOSEL HUHNERBERG SPÄTLESE Packed with white and yellow peach but also a lot of wild flower aromas. Succulent and concentrated, but the best thing about this is the balance and finesse. The high acidity is almost perfectly integrated, and the finish is very clean and pure. VOLLENWEIDER RIESLING MOSEL WOLFER GOLDGRUBE SPÄTLESE 2015 A very refined and delicate wine in spite of all the power. You barely taste the considerable sweetness. The most perfect 95 white peach and passion fruit married with a stony character! Decades of aging potential! DR. LOOSEN RIESLING MOSEL ERDENER TREPPCHEN AUSLESE 2015 A beautiful wine that wants to sweep you away and make you forget all your responsibilities. Serious concentration, spoton balance and a very long finish. Decades of 95 potential!

19 DR. LOOSEN RIESLING MOSEL ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN AUSLESE Packed full of fruit. Very powerful but also a ton of delicate spice aromas and minerals. Better from 2020 and will live for decades. SELBACH-OSTER RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR FEINHERB "UR" 2015 This is one of the best medium-dry rieslings produced in the Mosel in recent years. Very subtle and complex spice and golden fruit 95 aromas. Really succulent and really elegant. The finish is really complex with a great lemony freshness. Drink any time until SELBACH-OSTER RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR SPÄTLESE * 2015 This is a great spatlese, but in line with the house style, it is only moderately sweet. The enormous mineral freshness makes it 95 extremely bright and uplifting. The finish sails out there headed in the direction of infinity. Has decades of aging potential. SELBACH-OSTER RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR AUSLESE A lot of white peach and a lot of energy, but also a big juicy sweetness and a blast of acidity at the finish. Drink any time between now and SELBACH-OSTER RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SCHLOSSBERG AUSLESE * 2015 Floral honey, dried fruits and spice. Concentrated and powerful. A bold auslese with obvious dried fruits and botrytis 95 character. Very fresh acidity. A great Auslese that has at least 40 years ahead of it. LUBENTIUSHOF RIESLING MOSEL GONDORFER GANS S TROCKEN Still very young, but this is a brooding monster. Intensely herbal nose. Creamy and stony all at once and that makes it a wine of striking originality. Great depth and

20 complexity at the huge, but still crisp finish. Should age for decades. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR AUSLESE **(WHITE CAP) 2015 Deep, complex, powerful. How can a wine with all this and mystery too have such a crystalline clarity? Only 100 year old vines on the Mosel and traditional winemaking can 95 do this! Breathtaking at the finish! Better from 2018 and will age for decades beyond that. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL BERNKASTELER LAY AUSLESE *** (WHITE CAP) 2015 Rich and creamy, but no hint of heaviness because of all the herbal freshness. In the Molitor context, a big dry wine that needs a 95 couple of years more to open up. Huge aging potential that needs to be measured in a handful of decades. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN AUSLESE ***(WHITE CAP) 2015 Stunning golden fruits and delicate spice. "Multidimensional" both expansive and finely nuanced. Near-perfect balance and a 95 very long, complete finish. Better from 2019 and will age at least a quarter century after that. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL GRACHER HIMMELREICH AUSLESE **(GOLD CAP) 2015 Wonderful floral honey and dried mango nose. Rich and succulent with a lot of power and acidity. This is a very serious wine that's 95 just beginning to show what its got. 50 years potential as long as the cork holds. MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR AUSLESE ** (GOLD CAP) Very fine and delicate. A big concentrated wine that's still very tightly wound with laserbeam freshness.

21 MARKUS MOLITOR RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SCHLOSSBERG AUSLESE ***(GOLD CAP) This has a stunning candied pineapple character, but also great herbal freshness and a very long, pure finish in spite of the intensity. Better from 2020, then good for a couple of decades. WWE. DR. H. THANISCH, ERBEN THANISCH RIESLING MOSEL BERNKASTELER DOCTOR SPÄTLESE (AUCTION) Ravishing peach and mango nose. A powerful and concentrated Spätlese that has a ripeness and polish rare in Up there with the finest 2015s! Better from 2018 or in five, 10, 20 and more years. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR KABINETT 2015 A great kabinett wine, but it needs a couple of years to display all its treasures. There's still some yeastiness in the nose, but also a wonderful floral quality that is going to 95 expand in the future. Concentrated, juicy and very filigree at the long finish. Decades of aging potential. JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER HIMMELREICH SPÄTLESE 2015 A great spätlese that is really ripe, but still vibrant, elegant and subtle. Sensational interplay of all the components that make this a very classic example of this category. This 95 has a personality all of its own (something floral that's unusual for this site). No need to hurry before 2050! JOH. JOS. PRUM RIESLING MOSEL WEHLENER SONNENUHR SPÄTLESE 2015 Probably the finest 2015 spätlese from J.J. Prum, but the nose is still a bit closed. Sensational clarity and vibrancy on the 95 palate, the mineral finish super-long and refined. Better from 2018 and a long future ahead of it. PETER LAUER RIESLING MOSEL SCHONFELS AYL GG 2015

22 95 Still waters run deep. Still rather closed. This is a very concentrated wine with such sensational balance that you barely feel its enormous power. A year s patience is needed if you want to experience this in its best youthful form. IMMICH-BATTERIEBERG RIESLING MOSEL BATTERIEBERG Although the wine from this producer's monopole site has the tart peaches and herbs in common with most of the other wines, this has a different level of concentration and finesse. It starts out quite juicy and playful, but this is as dark and complex as one of Hitchcock's leading ladies. The intensity of the salty mineral character on the finish is something else; a great wine with great ageing potential! DR. LOOSEN RIESLING MOSEL ERDENER TREPPCHEN AUSLESE Another great wine with enormous herbal depth and a very long finish that is complex and compelling. Drink from 2020 to DR. LOOSEN RIESLING MOSEL ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN AUSLESE 2016 Another astonishing 2016 auslese from Dr. Loosen with a great interplay of concentrated fruit and spice. A very fresh, lemony acidity that gives the finish a big kick. Drink from 2020 to SELBACH-OSTER RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER SONNENUHR ROTLAY AUSLESE 2015 Smells and tastes like a puree of bananas and passion fruit. A remarkable wine in any context, but certainly in the 2016 context Keeps pumping out the flavors at the finish. Another wine that will go to 2060 or beyond. SELBACH-OSTER RIESLING MOSEL ZELTINGER HIMMELREICH EISWEIN Super-exotic and super-sexy. This has a hidefinition brilliance and a virtual reality texture that marks it out as one of the ice wine stars of the vintage. Very clean, long

23 finish. Maybe it will give the most pleasure during the next decade, but it could age much longer. CLEMENS BUSCH RIESLING MOSEL MARIENBURG ROTHENPFAD GG 2015 Enormous herbal and spicy nose. At once rich and delicate, the considerable power of this wine is underplayed, all the herbs and 94 spices surging back in the complex and intense finish. Only just beginning to open up. HEYMANN-LÖWEINSTEIN RIESLING MOSEL STOLZENBERG HATZENPORT GG 2015 So spicy and complex, but it also has a lemon curd note that adds a cool element to the nose. This is at once creamy and powerful on 94 the one hand, yet so elegant and polished. Stunning drive and vitality at the spicy finish suggests this has many years ahead of it. HEYMANN-LÖWEINSTEIN RIESLING MOSEL UHLEN BLAUFÜSSER LAY GG 2015 Many consider this the least of H-L s three single parcel wines from the great Uhlen site, and (as usual) it s quite funky and closed at this point. In spite of the considerable 94 concentration this is quite a sleek, cool wine. Opens up slowly, and as the funk blows off it grows and grows in complexity. ZILLIKEN RIESLING MOSEL RAUSCH SPÄTLESE (AUCTION) This is a very cool customer with a deceptive lightness, but behind that lies enormous depth and a tightly wound power that's waiting to be unleashed. The exotic fruits of the regular bottling charge through at the very crisp finish. A great Rausch that needs at least until 2019 to open up, but has the potential to age into the mid-century. PETER LAUER RIESLING MOSEL KUPP FAß 23 SPÄTLESE 2015 This really creeps up on you. In the nose and on the front palate, it's rather shy, but

24 94 suddenly it's like you enter another dimension. Super racy and super mineral finish that is very pure and star-bright. Delicious now, but with a couple of decades of aging potential. VON HÖVEL RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER AUSLESE This isn't just youthful and a bit closed as a result. There's a noble restraint to the wine. Super-elegant with delicate floral and earthy character, then a long very graceful finish. A Saar classic that will be best from 2020 and could age decades. KARLSMÜHLE RIESLING MOSEL KASELER NIES'CHEN BEERENAUSLESE Great floral honey nose. A big and very lush honeyed wine with great clarity and a very attractive lemon curd freshness at the long finish. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG SUPERIOR 2015 What a beautiful balance of fine peachy fruit, mineral freshness and depth, but it still only has 11% alcohol! It's a great food wine now, 94 but it will be an even greater one with a few more years in the bottle and the aging potential is greater than yours! MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG (AUCTION) Richer and more complex than the regular bottling of this wine, but also way younger. This needs at least a couple of years to give its best. A brooding little monster. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG SPÄTLESE 2015 Very peachy and elegant. A really cosmopolitan wine that knows it likes lobster and isn't ashamed to ask for it. The finish is 94 the best part of the wine, and it tells you that you should be very patient if you want to experience the best!

25 PETER LAUER RIESLING MOSEL SAARFEILSER SCHODEN GG This has a spectacular bouquet of white fruits, herbs, and freshly-baked white bread. Enormous energy and drive, but also polished and elegant with an uplifting mineral freshness at then finish. MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS (VON SCHUBERT) RIESLING MOSEL ABTSBERG SPÄTLESE 2016 Another stunning wine that combines power and elegance in a stunning way. The sweetness is there, but the more important 94 thing is the mineral freshness that is really complex. Now or whenever you feel like until mid-century. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL LE GALLAIS WILTINGER BRAUNE KUPP AUSLESE 2015 Lots of tangerine, nectarine and papaya flavors make this a lush wine that would be hard not to enjoy. Power is its strong suit, but 94 the finish is very straight and clean. Delicious right now, but could age for 20 years and more. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL SCHARZHOFBERGER KABINETT ALTE REBEN 2016 More fruit and more herbal-mineral depth than the regular kabinett. A stunning wine because it marries the lightness of the 94 category with serious complexity. A superclean and bright finish that is really uplifting. EGON MÜLLER-SCHARZHOF RIESLING MOSEL LE GALLAIS WILTINGER BRAUNE KUPP AUSLESE (AUCTION) 2016 By far not the biggest or most concentrated Auslese made by this producer in recent years. However, this is a very subtle wine 94 with floral honey, dried apple and pear character. Needs some time for this to harmonize with the acidity. Long-term stuff. VON OTHEGRAVEN (GÜNTHER JAUCH) RIESLING MOSEL ALTENBERG KANZEM GG 2015

26 94 Lemon, grapefruit, and white peach nose that leaps out of the glass. Great energy and elegance married to stunning mineral intensity at the very long finish. Another long-term wine. VAN VOLXEM RIESLING MOSEL ALTENBERG ALTE REBEN Very fine peachy nose that makes you believe the spirit of the late 19th century Saar wines is still alive. Very ripe and rich, but also great vitality and almost silky finish in spite of the high acidity. Very long and some serious complexity. VAN VOLXEM RIESLING MOSEL BOCKSTEIN SPÄTLESE Slight funk from the fermentation, but it's only just been bottled. Lots of mandarin and nectarine, flowers and herbs. This will be better in 2018 and could age for 20 years. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL LAURENTIUSLAY ALTE REBEN 2015 This is the most refined, delicate and floral of all the dry 2015 Rieslings from Loewen. This has a dreamy softness and delicacy in spite of the old vine concentration and salty 94 minerality that drives the extremely long finish. Dry Mosel doesn't get more graceful than this. From 100+ year old vines. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL MAXIMIN HERRENBERG 1896 ALTE REBEN (WHITE LABEL) 2015 Dense and very expressive peach-apricot character. Unusual power for dry Mosel. This would have no trouble standing next to highend white Burgundy of the same age. The 94 difference is that this will age for decades! From vines planted in CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL RITSCH GG A very cool and reserved wine. Maybe even the most closed dry wine of this vintage I encountered. If you're patient enough, this is going to blossom into a great dry riesling. The finish will be too mineral for some though. A couple of decades of aging potential.

27 CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL ALTE REBEN What an amazing peach-apricot bouquet that leaps out at you. Great concentration and a mineral depth. Although it's medium-bodied, the finish is off the scale. With just a touch more finesse, this would rate even higher. Delicious now, but this will also live for another 15 years if you cellar it properly. CARL LOEWEN RIESLING MOSEL RITSCH AUSLESE This has an electric tension as well as stunning ripeness. The dazzling finish is uplifting. Not that sweet at all and the wine is just beginning a really long life. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL DOMPROBST KABINETT Radical smoky character and mineral structure married to great drive and a racy acidity that could wake the dead. A very serious wine for this category that's mostly about charm and easy-drinking. Only just beginning to develop and capable of decades of aging. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL DOMPROBST SPÄTLESE Another stunning Domprobst with a very firm core, but a bit more obvious ripeness (even a hint of something tropical) and 94 juiciness than is usually the case. The intensely mineral finish is the most serious thing about this very authentic wine. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST KABINETT 2016 Still a bit closed and steely, the acidity very racy and minerally. The fruit is very cool and delicate. This may be less rich than the 2015, 94 but the freshness is dazzling and the finish is very long and pure. Better from 2018, but there's no hurry until we reach the 2030s! WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST SPÄTLESE

28 94 A moment of total clarity that will stay with you as long as you live (assuming you like it). Sleek as a marathon runner with a breathtaking herbal-mineral freshness at the finish. Has decades of potential ahead of it. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL GRAACHER DOMPROBST SPÄTLESE Great interplay of creaminess and raciness, and there's the classic cassis note of this site with a great mineral freshness. Very long and 94 pure. Try to live clean, take regular exercise and hope you'll be around when it's fully mature. WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING MOSEL HIMMELREICH AUSLESE A delicate Auslese with a lovely delicacy and freshness. Very filigree for a wine of this richness and rather dry for a wine of this sweetness. The result of this fascinating combination is a beautiful wine for spicy foods or conversation. The cool and clean finish is of considerable length. VOLLENWEIDER RIESLING MOSEL WOLFER GOLDGRUBE SPÄTLESE 2016 You only sense the ripeness on the nose because this is still tightly reined-in. On the palate, peachy fruit and the textural richness are very impressive. The wine keeps pumping 94 out the ripe fruit right to the mineral fireworks display at the finish. Better from 2018 or any time during the next decade is good. HAART RIESLING MOSEL OHLIGSBERGER SPÄTLESE Almost baroque in its lushness (everything from ripe banana, apricot and cassis), but there's also a firm acidity behind all the extravagance that makes the finish breathtakingly fresh. A powerful wine that is begging for you to pair it with shrimp and chili. The acidity finish is like whiplash. WEISER-KÜNSTLER RIESLING MOSEL ENKIRCHER ELLERGRUB SPÄTLESE 2016

29 94 Super youthful with a hint of fermentation funk, but this only accentuates the freshness. Almost dangerous acidity that really lightens up this big wine. Either you're strong enough or you should move over to something less demanding! Decades of aging potential. FRITZ HAAG RIESLING MOSEL BRAUNEBERGER JUFFER SONNENUHR AUSLESE This is very sophisticated with a lot of finesse, so don't expect raw power. But there's still a lot of depth at the elegant finish. Drink any time during the next 15 years. O. (OLAF SCHNEIDER) RIESLING MOSEL UNGSBERG SPÄTLESE 2015 A stunning spätlese for a winemaker with just 0.6 hectares of vines. Brimming with white peach, wild herbs and an intense slate 94 character. Great vibrancy and dynamism, the finish almost dangerously fresh. Drink any time until MARTIN MÜLLEN RIESLING MOSEL KROVER KIRCHLAY AUSLESE TROCKEN Is it too concentrated, too rich, and is the vibrant acidity at the gigantic finish too much? It certainly needs a couple of years for all of this stuff to harmonize fully. This powerhouse wine is far removed from the Mosel's image as a producer of feather-light wines! Needs at least until 2020 to give its best. VOLLENWEIDER RIESLING MOSEL KROVER STEFFENSBERG SPÄTLESE 2015 Both very succulent and very elegant. Rich and concentrated with a wonderful freshness and purity, the sweetness beautifully 94 integrated. Drink any time during the next 15 years. A.J. ADAM RIESLING MOSEL DHRONER HOFBERG TROCKEN What a complex dry wine! Lots of ripe tropical fruit (with a hint of durian) but also a great herbal freshness. Still taking a walk on the youthful, wild side, but the concentration