94+ Mosel Fine Wines

"This immediately captivates the senses through a shy but ravishingly complex nose of dried herbs, some spices and a hint of green herbs. As the wine gains with some airing, some subtle scents of grapefruit and lime come through, packed into a sea of minerals on the palate. The finish returns to the herbs and spices theme, which woe for presence in the gorgeously long and elegant after-taste. This is a stunning wine in the making and one with even huge upside! 2017-2029."

93 Stephan Reinhardt - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2014 Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling is clear and aromatic on the nose, a very fine and fascinating mix of delicate slate and ripe stone fruit flavors, very well focused. This is a lovely color, light, round, elegant and finesse-full Ohligsberg, and one of the finest, most delicate Rieslings I have tasted from this vintage. The acidity is ripe and very fine, and the slate comes along beautifully piquant and delicate. The finish is salty and extremely stimulating. This downgraded grand cru (which Stefan Steinmetz considered as too lean for a grand cru) weights 11.5% alcohol plus 20 grams of perfect sweetness.

Stefan Steinmetz, hunter of formerly well reputed but long forgotten vineyards, has a pretty heterogeneous collection of 2013s. He's made his name with dry and off-dry wines, but proudly presented me a range of sweet predicates that I find pretty unbalanced due to their racy acidity and often too much sulfur. These wines might develop well, but I have no experience with the aging potential, so I remain rather skeptical before I have learned I am wrong. Tendentially, I prefer the 'regular' single vineyard wines to the "Grand Crus," such as GP ("Grosser Piesporter") or GD ("Grosser Dhroner")--which I find too big and powerful. Check the Wintricher Ohligsberg and the Kestener Paulinshofberger, the Kestener Herrenberg and the Piesporter Treppchen Terrassen Riesling, which are among the finest dry or dry-styled Rieslings of the 2014 vintage.

The vineyards in Kesten and Piesport were excellent in 2014," says Steinmetz. "The grapes remained healthy and we picked our Kestener Paulinsberg at the beginning of November. I don't know of anybody else who picked so late here in the Middle Mosel.

The harvest started in the Dhroner Hofberg with a selection for the basic Riesling feinherb before the Juffer Kabinett and the Hasenläufer were picked. The Herrenberg Riesling, however,was not produced due to too small quantities.

Steinmetz had some problems with drosophila suzukii in his Pinot Noir holdings, but sorted all the damaged berries out. I did not taste from any of the 2014 Pinot Noir barrels, but I will recommend tasting the 2013 Kestener Herrenberg, which was, for the first time, fermented over three weeks with 70% whole clusters--this gave an extra dimension of structure, freshness and tension."