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Winemaker Description

Delicate, micro-production & precise øø wines from Baden, Germany, rapturously referred to as the hot-bed of classic Burgundy-indebted Pinot Noir. (and, of course, Riesling)

Philipp Reiß is currently in the process of converting his family estate from grape growers to wine producers, and these are the first, errr - fruits of that labor to make it stateside. 

A profound expression of Riesling that, despite having zero additives, sure calls for a decant and some hours for it to truly unfurl its majestic crystalline reach.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2014

Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate writes 94+ Points | The 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is highly complex on the clear, intense and smoky, lemony nose. Clear, fresh, straight and very mineral on the nose, this is a pure but complex, intense, stony Riesling that is pretty austere at the moment. Provided with racy acidity, but concentrated and mineral on the palate, this is exceptional dry Riesling with great tension. To be served in 10, 20 and even in 30 years.  Drinking 2025 to 2040. 

Ian D’Agata of Vinous writes 94+ Points | Vivid straw-green. Delicate nuances of jasmine and lemon verbena complicate aromas of green apple, lime and minerals. Pure and penetrating on the palate, boasting superb definition to the flavors of gin, mint, minerals, violet and lemon zest. The finish is remarkably crystalline and long. This Frédéric Emile is currently dominated by its Osterberg component (the cuvée is a blend of Osterberg and Geisberg grand cru grapes), which brings chiseled acidity, as opposed to the Geisberg’s ripe fruit personality and licorice quality. Despite the difficult year, this is likely to become a memorable Frédéric Emile. So much so, in fact, that it’s currently impossible to choose between it and the more famous Clos Sainte Hune.  Drinking 2022 to 2045.

James Suckling writes 96 Points | So much mineral and sliced apple character with hints of orange and apple peel. Turns to steely character. Full-bodied, racy and bright. So lively. Great finish. Drink or hold on release. 

Jeb Dunnuck writes 92+ Points | Coming close to a decade after the vintage, the 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is still vivid and racy, with a taut, focused, almost austere style in its ripe citrus, crushed stone, hazelnut, and smoky mineral-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated, with high yet integrated acidity, this needs another 4-5 years of bottle age, as it's currently austere, firm, and inward. It will be an incredibly long-lived Riesling, but how much pleasure it will ultimately deliver might be questionable.  Drinking after 2027. 

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 95 Points | A bone-dry, racy white, with a lovely entry point of slate, petrol and brine aromas on the nose, plus a minerally profile that underscores notes of crunchy nectarine, kiwifruit, cherry blossoms, pink grapefruit pith and fresh thyme. Firm and linear, this graceful version exhibits seamless knit and definition. Drink now through 2039.  - Wine Spectator 95

Jancis Robinson writes 17.5+ Points | To be released around 2022 or 2023. Razor-sharp nose and very tight. Lots to chew on. They could release this and no one would object but I can see why they want it to unfurl a bit.  Drinking 2022 to 2035.  - Jancis Robinson 17.5+

Winemaker Description 

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

James Suckling 95 Points | A great riesling Spatlese that makes it clear why this category has not disappeared in spite of the rise of dry German riesling. Concentrated peachy fruit is married to excellent structure and the balance of the touch of natural grape sweetness with wet stone minerality and crisp acidity is dazzling. Very long and vibrant finish. Drink or hold.

Schloss Lieser | Riesling Niederberg Helden Feinherb 2021 | Mosel, Germany

Thomas Haag's Niederberg Helden is one of the Mosel's most storied steep-slope sites — a south-facing amphitheater of blue Devonian slate just east of the village of Lieser. The slate imparts a signature mineral grip and cool-climate tension that defines this wine's character.

Feinherb is the winemaker's own style: poised between dry and semi-sweet, it is built for the table — the gentle residual sweetness cuts through spice, while the electric acidity stands up to rich, savory dishes.

The 2021 vintage was a cooler, more classic year in the Mosel, producing wines of exceptional energy and precision. This bottling delivers intense wild herb, crisp pear, and white peach on a sleek, compact frame, with a stony mineral undertow and impressive length. Drink now or cellar with confidence.

Tasting Notes - Vintage 2021

James Suckling — 94 Points: The intense wild herb character gives this sleek and compact 2021 Mosel a very striking personality. Lots of crisp pear and white peach fruit fill this picture out neatly. The impressive length suggests this has many years ahead of it. Drink or hold.

Wine Enthusiast — 90 Points (Aleks Zecevic): Well tuned and flowing with grace, this wine delivers notes of understated passion fruit and kumquat. A stony undertow adds to the charm and complexity. Not a blockbuster — for those who value nuance and subtlety.

Technical Details

Variety: Riesling  |  Vineyard: Niederberg Helden  |  Region: Mosel, Germany  |  Soil: Blue Devonian Slate  |  Fermentation: Stainless Steel  |  Size: 750ml

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 92 Points | Delicate peachy fruit and racy acidity are beautifully balanced on the sleek, medium-bodied palate. Excellent mountain freshness and wet-stone minerality at the super-clean and straight finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 95 Points | All the ripeness of this very warm vintage, married to wonderful freshness that gives this the light-footedness of a great dancer. Mostly white fruit, but just a hint of fresh pineapple. Long, silky finish. Drink or hold. (2018). 

Robert Parker 93+ Points | The 2018 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is discreet yet deep and complex on the elegant and spicy nose that exhibits very fine stone fruit aromas. Round, lush and piquant on the palate, this is a crystalline, piquant, persistently salty and stimulating Himmelreich with fine tannins on the finish that add grip and a very light, food-friendly astringency that moderates away the sweetness. Still young, this is a Spätlese to serve with food in 10-15 years. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | This has all of the elements of a great spätlese, with pronounced acidity supporting the ripe peach, yellow apple, mango and spruce flavors, while hints of vanilla and piecrust add to the complexity. Still a bit intense, but this should develop beautifully with age, allowing the minerality to become more prominent. Best from 2022 through 2038. (2018).

Winemaker Description 

Laser-focused and mineral-loaded with ripe layers of sun-kissed citrus fruits, mango peel, and crunchy yellow/green apple on a bed of crushed white rock and honeysuckle. It’s unabashedly delicious yet complex and bone-dry; a quintessential snapshot of a storied terroir. 

Want an authentic, elite bottling of Kremstal? This is it! Enjoy now and over the next 3-5 years.

Winemaker Description 

Lively fruit and minerality on a zesty palate. Slightly sweet, with a dry finish. Unfined, unfiltered.

Founded in 1891, the Brand winery has been producing wine in the Pfalz for five generations. Their vineyards are located on limestone-rich soils around the village of Bockenheim, in the northern part of the region, along the border of the Rheinhessen. Daniel and Jonas' father, Jürgen, always farmed their vines responsibly, but when his children took over, they immediately transitioned to organic viticulture, gaining certification in 2017. The Brothers Brand also utilize biodynamic treatments, always experimenting to discover which practices work best in their vines. All of their wines are made with little, if any, added sulfites. 

Wonderfully aromatic with lively fruit and minerality and a lovely zest and charge on the palate, perfectly balanced by the residual sugar. The Feinherb Riesling has a slight sweetness on the attack, though the sugar melds perfectly into the body, finishing dry and crisp. No fining or filtration and minimal use of sulfur.

Peter Lauer · Saar, Mosel · Riesling · 2024

Peter Lauer Barrel X is an off-dry Riesling sourced from multiple vineyards in three villages of Germany’s Saar. An introduction to Florian Lauer’s wines, it expresses the Saar ideal of intensity without weight, with balance and a clear regional identity.

At the estate, natural-yeast fermentations allow the wines to find their own balance. The importer describes Lauer’s style as textural and deep, with energy, purity, precision and a mineral character. Barrel X offers an appellation-level expression of that approach rather than a single-vineyard bottling.

Importer Description

vom Boden, : This is Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a Saar Riesling should be. If we were in Burgundy this would be the equivalent of a Bourgogne Blanc.

As an appellation-level wine, it is sourced from multiple vineyards in three different villages of the Saar. This is always a thrilling off-dry and a silly value.

Producer & Vineyards

Florian Lauer’s work centers on the Kupp hillside, preserving historic vineyard names including Unterstenberg, Stir, Kern and Neuenberg. His first vintage was 2005, and a 2014 update to German wine law allowed him to use these older names again. The estate also farms Feils, Schonfels and Lambertskirch, a historic site he cleared and replanted.

Details

• Producer: Peter Lauer
• Winemaker: Florian Lauer
• Cuvée: Barrel X
• Vintage: 2024
• Country: Germany
• Region: Mosel
• Growing Area: Saar
• Grape: Riesling
• Type: White wine
• Style: Off-dry
• Closure: Screwcap
• Bottle Size: 750ml

The Wachau is one of the world’s great Riesling addresses — a narrow, dramatic corridor of the Danube where terraced granite and gneiss slopes catch the sun, cool rapidly at night, and coax extraordinary precision from the vine. Leo Alzinger’s estate in Unterloiben is among its quietest giants. Farming 11.5 hectares across celebrated sites including Loibenberg and Steinertal, Leo Jr. — who took the reins in 2002 after formative time with the legendary Hans Günter Schwarz at Müller-Catoir — makes wines that are never forceful or assertive. They are, in his own words, “amazingly sanguine and calmly transparent.”

The Ried Loibenberg is one of the warmest, most south-facing sites in the entire Wachau, with stony, shallow, primary rock soils on the upper terraces that push Riesling to physiological ripeness without excess sugar. Harvested later than most neighbors, whole-cluster crushed with a short maceration and 24-hour settling to drop green tannins, the 2021 Smaragd — the Wachau’s designation for its fullest, most age-worthy wines — is a wine of concentrated elegance: white stone fruit, citrus peel, crushed mineral, and a cool, saline thread that carries through to a long, refined finish. Drink now or cellar with confidence through 2035+.

95 points — James Suckling | “Dangerous freshness and enormous depth… very long and refined finish that feels almost weightless. Delightfully refined finish that makes you want to stay here for a long time. Drink or hold.”

• Producer: Alzinger, Unterloiben, Wachau, Austria
• Vintage: 2021
• Appellation: Wachau DAC — Smaragd
• Vineyard: Ried Loibenberg
• Varietal: Riesling
• Soils: Stony, shallow primary rock (upper terraces); deep loess (lower terraces)
• Vinification: Whole cluster, short maceration, 24-hour settling, natural fermentation
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White stone fruit, citrus peel, crushed mineral, saline thread, long refined finish
• Cellar: Drink now through 2035+
• Food Pairings: Lobster, freshwater fish, Wiener Schnitzel, aged Gruyère, scallops

One of the Wachau’s most elegant voices — Alzinger Loibenberg Smaragd is Riesling made with the confidence of silence.

Expert Ratings

James Suckling 97 Points | This very concentrated and super-elegant riesling Auslese is still tightly-wound. However, it already has a very wide spectrum of subtle yellow fruit and wild flower aromas. Terrific structure behind the rich, but still medium-bodied palate. Incredibly long, slatey finish with staggering freshness that pulls you back for more of this Mosel masterpiece. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Decanter 95 Points | Tangs of cut stone and lime zest are peppered with gunpowder and smoke, but there's a powerful core of ripe lemon, lime and yellow cherry flavours too. While light on its feet, it's an unctuous, supple wine with a pert tangerine sweetness. Quite a bit more expressive in youth than the 2022 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese, it's already hedonistic with a brief decant but certainly ageworthy as well. 

Wine Spectator 94 Points | Delivering power and concentration, this is densely packed in a compact frame. Opens up to reveal impressively fresh flavors of dried thyme and apricot. This white's acidity shows a crunchy texture, and a wet slate note brings a cooling feel to the finish. This is one for the cellar. Best from 2026 through 2046.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is rather shy. The palate tingles with tangerine, ripe, rounded, aromatic, and full of tangy, zesty, sweet, ripe citrus. Wonderfully expressive on the mid-palate and with a subtle finish, full of those vivid aromatics. (Sweet).

Expert Reviews — Vintage 2023

The Wine Advocate 93+ Points | The 2023 Bin 51 Riesling leads with an austere, searing nose of grilled lime, bath salts, lemon zest, crushed quartz, preserved citrus and pear skin. In the mouth, the wine is fleshy in its way and light on its feet — poised without being heavy or concentrated, with a cleansing, rounded finish.

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Tangy and bright lemon-lime flavors on a sleek frame, with green apple, white pepper and sea salt minerality, plus lingering grapefruit zest. 660 cases imported.

About Bin 51

Penfolds Bin 51 captures the essence of Eden Valley, South Australia — a high-altitude, cool-climate region with worldwide recognition for producing definitive, world-class Riesling. The region's elevation gives the wines great finesse, elegance, and a capacity for long-term cellaring.

The 2023 vintage shows lifted orange blossom and pink lady apple aromatics. The palate brims with blood orange, passionfruit, and lime, balanced by natural zesty lemon acidity. In youth, these wines possess scented floral and citrus aromas with a mineral edge and marked natural acidity that drives the palate texture.

Tasting & Pairings

Grilled lime, lemon zest, crushed quartz, green apple, white pepper, sea salt minerality, and grapefruit zest. Fleshy yet light on its feet with a cleansing, rounded finish. Serve well chilled.

• Seared scallops with citrus beurre blanc — mirrors the wine's lime and mineral notes.
• Thai green papaya salad — the acidity and fruit stand up to chili and lime dressing.
• Fresh oysters or ceviche — classic pairing for high-acid, mineral-driven Riesling.

Expert Review

The wines are deep, rich, powerful and dramatic...pinnacles in the history of dry German Riesling. -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Winemaker Description 

Light yellow-green in color. Nose of peach and lemon. Mouth-filling, taste of apricot and lemon, great acid level.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Vinous 94 Points | The 2022 Riesling Terrassen Smaragd is from 20- to 60-year-old vines planted on higher parcels at 250-350 meters. The nose has something of an eau de Cologne sense, with its conifer and citrus spice. The palate is super slender, very linear and uncompromisingly fresh, without a suspicion of fat or any opulence. This treads a thin line on perfect tiptoe. There is a weightless quality here. This is brimming with lemon and utterly fresh.

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | With fullness to the lychee, green plum and quince flavors, this delicious, mouthcoating and salty white is laced with baking spice notes. Stays elegant and well-defined despite its plump profile, offering zesty clementine acidity, with dried sage and fresh-cut grass notes bringing a savory dimension. Drink now through 2032.

Winemaker Description 

Wachau Riesling is dry and often defined by high levels of dry extract (due to a lengthy ripening period) and a pleasing freshness (due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night). Soils of primary rock from various terraced sites give this dry Riesling subtle minerality accompanied by aromas and flavors of citrus and stone fruit.

Riesling’s high acidity makes it one of the most versatile wines at the table. Riesling can be used to cut the fattiness of foods such as pork or sausages and can tame a certain amount of saltiness. Conversely, it can highlight foods such as fish or vegetables in the same way a squeeze of lemon or a vinaigrette can.

Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner. Rudi Pichler belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex.

Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with botrytis carefully removed by hand.  Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided.

Weingut Rudi Pichler consists of 37 acres spread between Wösendorf, Joching, and Weißenkirchen where south-facing terraces look down at the Danube River. Terrassen indicates it is a cuvée from multiple terraced sites. Smaragd is a term used by Vinea Wachau members indicating a dry wine with a minimum alcohol of 12.5%.

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

Decatner 93 Points | Taut and precise, mouthwatering and dry. Lime shot through with light peach and a dab of salt. From the same Red Bank Farm vineyard as the Picnic Riesling, but aged a little longer on the lees. Could take on spicy seafood or raw oysters. Will age well.

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | Dusty slate and earth tones mingle into luscious guava and pink-grapefruit flavors in this decadently fruity kabinett. A sumptuous semi-dry Riesling, it's profoundly ripe and deeply concentrated but zippy and spry, finishing on a long, honeyed streak of lime and lemon acidity. Delicious young but should hold well through 2035.

Winemaker Description 

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

James Suckling 90 Points | Fresh and floral with candied lemons, quince, fine herbs and spices on the nose. Medium-bodied, polished and sleek, with mouthwatering acidity. Flavorful and refreshing aftertaste. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2016

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | Hints of crushed mineral and fresh herb persist from nose to finish in this intriguingly earthy yet elegant dry wine. The palate is vibrantly citrusy, offering shards of lemon and lime accented by dried-orange peel and spice. Medium bodied but silky in texture, it's freshened by pert lime acidity.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Discover the Heribert Boch Riesling Spätlese Trittenheimer Apotheke 2021

Winemaker Description 

Concentrated yellow berry fruit and apple skin backed by complex earthy aromas of spontaneous fermentation.  The palate has an excellent balance of delicate sweetness and juiciness, featuring clover honey and citrus. 

This makes you want to go back for another sip, and another, and another. 

Memo Summary Notes

Hailing from the world-famous "Apotheke" (Pharmacy) vineyard in Trittenheim, this 2021 Spätlese is a classic Mosel Riesling. The steep, slate-rich slopes of this site produce wines known for their intense minerality and longevity.

Food Pairings

• Spicy Cuisine: The residual sugar makes it a perfect foil for Thai green curry, spicy Sichuan dishes, or buffalo wings.

• Savory & Sweet: Excellent with glazed pork belly, honey-roasted ham, or aged blue cheeses.

• Seafood: Pairs well with rich seafood dishes like scallops in cream sauce or lobster.

What Makes This Riesling Unique?

This exceptional Riesling, labeled as Spätlese, showcases the unique terroir of the Trittenheimer Apotheke vineyard. It is characterized by its late harvest, which allows the grapes to ripen longer on the vine. This results in a rich and aromatic wine that captivates the senses. With a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, this Riesling is truly a delight that stands out among others.

Tasting Notes and Food Pairing

The Heribert Boch Riesling Spätlese offers an array of vibrant flavors, including peach, apricot, and honey. These flavors are complemented by lively acidity, creating a refreshing finish. This wine pairs wonderfully with a variety of dishes, such as spicy Asian cuisine or creamy cheeses. The combination of flavors makes it easy to see why many people appreciate Riesling as a versatile wine choice.

Why Choose Heribert Boch Wines?

Heribert Boch is renowned for crafting high-quality wines that reflect the distinct character of their region. The meticulous attention to detail in the vineyard and winery ensures that only the best grapes are used. Therefore, choosing Heribert Boch means you are investing in a wine that is not only delicious but also represents the essence of German winemaking tradition. This Riesling is no exception, making it a worthwhile addition to your collection.

Carl Loewen · Estate Riesling · Liewener Klostergarten · Mosel · Germany · 2022

Christopher Loewen is one of the Mosel’s most quietly celebrated winemakers — a craftsman who farms organically, ferments with native yeasts in large Fuder casks without temperature control, and lets each wine find its own expression. The Estate Riesling comes entirely from the Liewener Klostergarten, a site with richer soils than Loewen’s steep single-vineyard parcels, formerly bottled as a Kabinett and now declassified to “Estate” to preserve the single-vineyard designation for the estate’s highest-quality expressions. Whole-cluster pressed, fermented spontaneously, and stopped by taste — this is Riesling made with the patience and instinct of a true artisan.

The 2022 is dry-styled, rustic, and deeply approachable — a wine of beautiful complexity and mouth-filling texture born from Fuder aging and spontaneous fermentation. Yellow stone fruit, pear, and spiced citrus are underscored by a pleasingly savory salinity. At once mineral and generous, it is the kind of Riesling that rewards attention and rewards the table equally.

“A dry-styled Riesling that is at once rustic and approachable. Rockstar winemaker Christopher Loewen raises this wine in large Fuder casks, using spontaneous fermentation. This gives the wine a beautiful complexity and mouth-filling texture. A mix of yellow stone fruit, pear, and spiced citrus is underscored by a pleasingly savory salinity.”
— Rand, 67wino.shop

• Producer: Carl Loewen (Christopher Loewen), Mosel, Germany
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Mosel, Germany
• Vineyard: Liewener Klostergarten
• Varietal: 100% Riesling
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Style: Dry — rustic, mineral, textured
• Vinification: Whole-cluster press; native yeast fermentation in Fuder casks and stainless steel; no temperature control; stopped by taste
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Yellow stone fruit, pear, spiced citrus, savory salinity, mineral texture
• Pairings: Grilled trout, roast pork, sushi, Thai cuisine, aged Gouda, charcuterie

Mosel — certified organic, Fuder-aged, spontaneously fermented Riesling from one of the valley’s most instinctive winemakers. Rustic, mineral, and built for the table.