The Mosel Majesty of Markus Molitor

Grüße aus einem ikonischen Mosel-Kraftwerk, getrieben von grenzenloser Leidenschaft,
Well folks, it seems that David Schildknecht chimed in with some of his 2016 Mosel reviews, and surprise surprise, he loves the vintage, particularly the embarrassment of riches that has emerged from Markus Molitor’s painstakingly perfectionistic hands. As my parcel hasn’t quite left yet, I am seizing the opportunity to have those of you who have not yet gotten on the bandwagon to cherry pick to your hearts delight, armed with David’s insights, the team at Mosel Fine Wines, and yours truly. In addition to a head dizzying array of his 2016 collection (including a few wines I DIDN’T OFFER the first two times), I have also included both the new release 2014 reds (THE TRARBACHER SCHLOSSBERG IS REFERENCE POINT GOOD! The 2011 included as well!!), AND the best of the library release 2007s …..happy happy joy joy!!!! :0
Here is the prior “take two” offering: As I had announced a few weeks ago, I have since visited and tasted the range of 2016 Markus Molitor Mosel wines, an infamous four hour marathon feat at that, and indeed, there is much to celebrate. The folks at Mosel Fine Wines hit the nail on the head, almost without exception, so my impressions seem to fall in very similar fashion to their own, with the finer points being more a matter of personal preference; I have included my blow by blow impressions below in the Menu portion. I don’t believe that I have ever tasted a collection of dry Mosel wines, all between 10-10.5% alcohol!, that are at once so precise and playful, chock full of the telltale terroir driven characteristics of many of the Mosel’s greatest grand cru sites. Whilst the consistency and stunning quality of the 2016 dry wines is indeed one of the big headlines here, there are certainly both feinherb (green capsule) and fruity (gold capsule) wines that are resounding beauties in their own right. The Urziger Würzgarten/Erdener Treppchen wines did not disappoint in their red fruited, spicy charms, an evident strength of the house……And again, to reiterate one of the main themes of the estate, the Zeltingen wines here virtually ALL present a self-evident sense of Grand cru class, from the initial whiff to their dazzling palate presence, the Molitor holdings and his care for them continue to yield some of the most profound wines of one of the middle Mosel’s smallest and grandest of Grand cru hillsides. Don’t miss them!!!
In addition to my thoughts on the wines, there are also a few elements in Markus’ lifetime narrative that I feel compelled to share. I have spoken about his fanatical and superhuman devotion to quality above all else, but I didn’t yet understand just how deeply it is rooted. When he was around ten years old, his father lost his right arm in an accident, unable to perform many of the tasks required of him as a wine grower. Markus’ career effectively began at that age, literally (and almost mythically) becoming his father’s “right hand man”. Then, when his father passed away just eight years later, he was fully thrust into the driver’s seat, and has never looked back, spurred on by a sense of passion/ambition that is mythic in its own right. Undoubtedly, having begun a career as a wine maker at such a formative young age is an important part of why he is so deeply connected to coaxing the very best from the Mosel’s many great sites, having grown up so closely connected to Mosel wine farming. I imagine it to be like some kind of first nature to him, his instinct and awareness being ever so attuned, the lines between subject and object dissolving…….
And so, here goes folks! Here is your last shot to get in on the 2016s, with some of my own impressions to accompany the reviews from the folks at Mosel Fine Wines. Here is the original offering below:

Fasten your seat belts, German wine lovers….I’m at it again. In what has been a few years in the making, I am proud to announce my partnership with one of the most incredible and all-encompassing estates in the Mosel: Markus Molitor. Driven by a very special kind of can’t-be-tought passion and intuition, Markus continues to determinedly put together a mind-bogglingly massive estate that serves as a library for many of the greatest sites in the Mosel and Saar valleys, often with some of the most prized portions of these iconic steep slate sites. As the years rolled by, with critics from every corner of the globe annually singing love-and-awe-struck praises for both the stirring beauty and sheer ambitious scale of his production, I asked myself: why don’t ANY of these wines make it stateside? In what has to be one of the most incongruous marriages in the history of US-German wine relationships, he was quizzically partnered with industrial scale, jug-wine-friend-of-Costco producer/importer Schmitt Söhne. Clearly the wrong tool for the hyper detail oriented job, a scant few bottlings of his 50-90 different wines produced annually would make it Stateside. So when I contacted the estate over a year and a half ago, my timing could not have been better: they told me that they had just notified Schmitt Söhne that they are moving on. The wine passion freaks had found one another, and it was finally time for America to get to know Molitor’s Mosel passion play….
By the time that we had decided to work together, the anticipation and hype of the 2015 campaign found their cupboard relatively bare. I could have sent a limited leftovers offering of his 2015s, but decided to wait until I could include a more comprehensive range with their best sites in Zeltingen, Ürzig, Erden, and Wehlen. In many of these villages, Markus holds some of the absolute cream of the crop, especially in Zeltingen and Ürzig/Erden….take note!! Always a late releaser relative to his peers, I have been anxiously awaiting his 2016 collection, a knockout vintage of filigree detail and finesse that is humming below the consumer radar in the wake of 2015s power and hype. When Mosel Fine Wines released their reviews a few days ago, filled with love struck superlatives once again, I wanted to be quick to the punch to ensure that we can get started on the best possible foot, plucking the best-of cherries from the lineup before the German market (which is voracious for his wines) gobbles them up. I have not yet been able to taste the 2016 range, which I will do in early November. However, I wanted to get out this offer now, before it is too late….!! I will send out a “repeat” offer after having tasted in order to include my impressions, but cannot guarantee that all wines offered now will still be available in a month’s time.!!! Don’t snooze on this one, y’all!!!
To briefly describe the house style here is a needed albeit shorthand injustice. Firstly, it bears clarifying that Markus is the only winemaker here, which for such a massive estate is mind-boggling in and of itself. He uses his own white/green/gold capsule labeling system to connote what style the wine is. The white capsule is for dry wines; the green capsule for off-dry or feinherb style wines; and gold capsule for fruity styled wines, commonly known among other Mosel addresses as Kabinett/Spätlese/Auslese “sweet” wines. There are often multiple bottlings from the same site, with a star * system used to connote different hierarchical levels of quality. The most that he makes of a particular site/style combo is three stars ***. There is a gossamer, silky, almost weightlessness to these wines that leaves the taster with an impression of genuinely special self-evident breed/class; they caress and dance with finesse and harmony. All of the wines are remarkably pure and crystalline, which puts the terroir impression of each site front and center. All of the wines are made with native yeasts, with the Rieslings made in very traditional fashion, aged in used fuder casks. The Pinot blancs, which are simply tremendous, are made in a combination of vessels, large and small; I know that David Schildknecht reveres these Pinot blancs as one of the finest addresses in the world for this under valued, juicy and impossible-not-to-love variety. The Pinot Noirs are also revered among the finest in Germany, with these 2014s being their newest releases; they are of dark fruited and savory nature.
As to my advice on how to shop these: everything BUT the *** examples offer tremendous value and substance. The character of the 2016 vintage is one of filigree finesse and delicacy, with a particularly successful (if not best of the vintage) range of dry wines and Kabinett/Spätlese wines. À la the 2015 vintage, the fruit set was impeccably clean, but from a much cooler season, which is what allows for such crystalline low octane delicacy. There is far less wine, however, yet another reason why I am anxious to get this party started. Trust me when I say that to mix up 2-4 cases of these wines will be one of the best investments in the simply joys of everyday epicurian life that you will ever make, as this kind of Mosel riesling at its best is pure magic in its ability to provide immediate and abundant pleasure allied to fascinating complexity. I heartily trust Mosel Fine Wines’ impressions, as I have found our tastes have lined up remarkably well for other collections that we have both tasted, thus I encourage you to do likewise…..and soooo, I proudly present to you in greater breadth and depth than has ever been offered stateside the singular beauty of Markus Molitor, his team, and the inimitable greatness of many of the Mosel’s noblest sites…….

“What Markus Molitor achieved in 2016 is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The wines have the typical depth and aromatic intensity, which, this year, are paired with absolutely beautiful elegance and finesse. The Estate hit the bull’s eye in the dry category. Almost all wines are outstanding and the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese **, Graacher Himmelreich *** and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr *** are among the finest dry Riesling of the vintage. Also in the off-dry category, Markus delivered superb wines, including the Badstube Spätlese and the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ***. The fruity Kabinett and Spätlese wines have depth and elegant lightness and the noble sweet wines are simply cruising at their usual high levels. True stars among the noble-sweet wines have to be the Brauneberger Mandelgraben Eiswein *, which is simply Eiswein perfection, and the Eiswein “no star” (regular would be truly the wrong word …), which is not far behind but at a fraction of the cost. Lastly, amateurs of mature Mosel should keep Markus Molitor on their radar. He re-released a series of superb mature Riesling from the under-rated 2007 vintage. What a collection!” – Mosel Fine Wines

Here is David Schildknecht’s intro to the 2016 collection:

“Given the vastness of Markus Molitor’s domaine with its increasingly large holdings on the Saar and its sites spread along the Middle Mosel from Brauneberg to Trarbach, it’s not surprising that certain locations were hit by peronospora during the interminably wet spring and early summer of 2016, and in addition several of his sites were hailed on. “Even so,” noted Molitor, “the most serious influence on yields this year was the drought conditions in mid- and late summer, and we still ended up with a decent albeit not large crop.” He concurs in the view widely shared among the most successful growers whom I visit that aggressive de-leafing as a means of insuring against fungal infections backfires even if the weather doesn’t turn hot and dry as it did in 2016. “Or at least,” averred Molitor, “you end up with a very different aromatic profile from Riesling exposed to that much sun,” and not a profile that he (or I) deems desirable or conducive to elegance and finesse. “Moreover,” he added, “wines with that sort of exposure don’t develop as slowly or as well in bottle. We only de-leaf in August,” he explained, “and then by carefully removing foliage from the inside so that there is still some shade from outer leaves. But there’s no recipe.” Harvesting of Riesling did not begin here in earnest until the end of the first week of October and continued steadily for just over a month, although sporadic picking for nobly sweet wines continued into December. “You really noticed the difference between sites that have natural sources of water and those that don’t,” observed Molitor. “The former were up to 10 or 15 degrees Oechsle higher, while vines in the latter had obviously experienced shutdown in the course of the summer. And although it meant further sacrificing yields, you had to wait before harvesting from those stressed vines, otherwise the stress would show up in the flavors.” Fortunately, the clear, cool October and early November 2016 weather played along, and acid levels remained efficaciously high even as malic gave way to tartaric. Even so, final must weights remained enormously varied.

“We had to cull botrytis early from those sites that had ripened rapidly,” reported Molitor, “but that wasn’t a problem because the botrytis was largely lovely” – and there wasn’t all that much of it, as witness the modest number of nobly sweet wines in this year’s collection. “We actually debated omitting most Kabinett bottlings and putting those musts that registered in the low 80s [Oechsle] into our generic [lightly chaptalized] bottlings,” observed Molitor. “But the wines we ended up bottling as Kabinett turned out to have an inner density and opulence, despite their alcoholic levity, that I could scarcely believe and would never have predicted. In retrospect, I wish I had elected to vinify a few more fuders as Kabinett.” (I do too!) These observations also help explain the exceptional quality of this year’s generic bottlings even when judged by this estate’s consistently high standard. Incidentally, those generics are this year not labeled as estate-bottled, because Molitor purchased fruit from some parcels in Ockfener Bockstein whose acreage he was planning to – and subsequently did – add to his estate.

This represents the first vintage for Molitor’s parcel in Bernkasteler Doctor (one of two – the other assigned to Schloss Lieser – whose leasing arrangements had come up for renewal in late 2015). The enormous former State winery in Serrig on the Saar that Molitor acquired in 2016 has been 80% replanted with an array of massal selections, as has his share of the Schodener Geisberg, reclaimed from scrub the previous year – both undertakings whose scope and scrupulousness are mind-boggling. “It’s unparalleled. Where else in Germany are 25 hectares on offer, all in one piece, of grand cru terroir, encompassing two monopoles?” asked Molitor rhetorically of his Serrig acquisition. But it will be 2018 at the earliest before any fruit is harvested from the Geisberg, and Molitor plans to utilize any fruit from Serrig in his generic bottlings for at least the next three years, during which this future estate-within-an-estate will be converting to an organic regimen. “Then, in the fourth year at the earliest, I’ll come on the market with wines under my own label: ‘Domäne Serrig – Markus Molitor’,” of which there will eventually be up to 150,000 liters.

As usual, the lineup of Molitor’s latest Riesling collection was accompanied by his red wines from two vintages prior, and Molitor’s are among 2014 vintage Pinot Noirs that have set me wondering. Perhaps a grower’s having overcome serious vintage challenges is a theme that can be overdone, because it’s also possible to perceive in 2014 a vintage that, if allowed to (via a light winemaking touch), offered unique advantages and opportunity for rendering nuanced, elegant Pinots in which mineral, carnal and floral elements get to strut their stuff against a background of fresh red berry fruits. Over and above the vintage 2016 Rieslings on which I have reported below, a Saar Riesling Alte Reben had not yet been assembled and the two Auslesen from the Bernkasteler Doctor along with a quartet of potential TBAs (pending final decisions) were not ready to show at the time of my most recent, September 2017, visit. In addition, Molitor mentioned that “at least four or five very tiny” Auslese-grade lots would end up being sold as exclusives to individual merchants, restaurants or corporations and were therefore not presented to journalists or in his annual public portfolio tasting.

For a great deal of background on this remarkable grower and his estate, I refer you to the introductions that accompanied my coverage of the 2014s and 2015s. In introducing the 2014s, I also explained Molitor’s unusual labeling conventions. To reiterate briefly, Molitor groups his Rieslings into three categories – dry-tasting; barely off-dry; perceptibly sweet – and I refer to the corresponding white capsules, green capsules or gold labels in order to make identification of any given wine easier and its style immediately evident. Nonetheless, whenever two wines are labeled with identical names while differing in their stylistic category and consequent color-coding, I also follow my usual convention of disambiguating via A.P. #. (Ordinarily, Molitor is able to arrange things so that any given combination of site and style receives the same A.P. # as it reappears from year to year.) Molitor’s stars reflect levels of ripeness within a given Prädikat or, in the case of non-Rieslings – which he labels without Prädikat – reflect concentration, extent of élevage and ostensible quality.” -David Schildknecht

DAS MENÜ

PINOT BLANC:

Haus Klosterberg Pinot Blanc – I didn’t taste either of these Pinot Blancs…..
This could be an “exhibit A” type example of the virtues of juicy and refreshing Pinot blanc….David’s new ’16 review here below.
“Fresh apple is piquantly and pungently accented on the nose as well as the palate by lime zest and corn shoots, for a typical expression of Pinot Blanc. Typical, too, are flattering hints of almond and hazelnut as well as a lovely marriage of subtle textural creaminess with juicy, animating freshness that lasts into a lingering and appropriately wet-stone-kissed finish. The only respect in which this year’s offering fails to quite reach the exceptional price/complexity rapport of its finest predecessors is in the absence of the sweet-saline, scallop-like saliva-inducement of which Pinot Blanc – especially that of Molitor – is memorably capable. But perhaps some of that particular savor will emerge with some time in bottle. And make no mistake: even this least expensive of Molitor Pinot Blanc bottlings illustrates that misunderstood grape’s potential for extended cellaring. (For more about what distinguishes this Molitor bottling, consult my review of the 2015.)” 91 David Schildknecht

Pinot Blanc * – Again, I didn’t taste either of these Pinot Blancs…..In 2016, Markus made only two bottlings of Pinot blanc, which I suspect will raise the quality level of this “generic” one star example to even greater heights. It includes his best parcels of Pinot blanc that usually make it into vineyard designate *, **, and *** examples….so…….David’s new ’16 review is below.
“This year’s cask-raised “one-star” represents the sole bottling of Pinot Blanc that Molitor essayed over and beyond the intro-level “Haus Klosterberg.” As a result, the cuvée incorporates fruit of his choicest parcels in the Wehlener Klosterberg. But it also incorporates fruit from other sites – hence the lack of vineyard designation. (The amusing inscription on the label is “Einstern*” – the first time I have ever seen the word for “one-star” as well as the attendant star on a Molitor label.) The striking combination of textural creaminess with the juicy brightness of which Pinot Blanc is capable is well-illustrated, though the lime zest and corn shoot flavors already familiar from this year’s Haus Klosterberg are in this instance edging a bit closer to outright bitterness, reinforced by apple seed, and the creamy texture comes along with a hint of lactic flavor. The finish is impressively persistent and appropriately stone-lined. This will definitely merit following, not to mention employing at table as an illustration of Pinot Blanc’s versatile, too-little-recognized culinary talents.” 90 David Schildknecht

RIESLING: In the order I tasted them…..

White Capsule wines (dry): Now having tasted for myself, there is zero doubt that Molitor has, as Mosel Fine Wines puts it, “hit the bull’s eye in the dry category”. The Mosel is much more renowned for its fruity and wines, but the gorgeous purity and playfulness, as well as site typicity, of these dry 2016s are plain stunning. This reads like a crazy all-star team with many of the Mosel’s greatest sites…..go big, y’all!!! ALL ARE BETWEEN 10-10%% ALC, REMARKABLE THAT SUCH FLAVOR INTENSITY CAN BE ACHIEVED AT SUCH LOW ALCOHOL FOR DRY WINES.

Mosel Riesling Alte Reben – From an amalgam of sites from Ürzig to Wehlen, this sounds damn good….curiously enough, I didn’t taste this….
“Slightly reductive at first, this only gradually opens up to reveal ripe notes of fruits including yellow peach, apricot and strawberry. A touch of smoke and spices comes through with airing and adds depth to the nose. The wine is very delicate and superbly focused on the palate, where white flowers and herbs come through. It leaves a very long and zest infused feeling in the finish. This beautifully light and complex expression of dry Riesling only needs a few years of bottle aging to blend its elements and show its full potential. 2021-2031” 92 MFW

“Honeysuckle and lily-of-the-valley on the nose persist as alluring inner-mouth perfume, accompanied by fresh apple and an undertone of wet stone. The impression suggests a dominance of Zeltingen and Wehlen material over that from Ürzig. The feel is polished and the fruit rich, tinged with cardamom and nutmeg as well as saliva-liberating salinity, leading to a luscious, mouthwatering finish.” 91 David Schildknecht

Erdener Treppchen Kabinett – My note: “Gorgeous, classic aromas of super pure red slate spice and red fruits leads to a lovely sense of filigrée detail, all about finesse and delicacy rather than power. On the finish, there is fine, light minerality and the pure sustained echo of red fruits and spice. This is plain delicious….” A little * awarded here.
“This offers a gorgeously delicate and refined nose showing flowers, whipped cream, vineyard peach, some green herbs and aniseed spices. The wine is feather light, airy and remarkable complex on the palate. The finish is beautifully balanced, oth, and long. This great piece of dry Riesling is all about refinement. 2019-2031” 91 MFW

“Tangerine and coriander on the nose continue on a polished, delicate palate that’s a bit loose, but charmingly so in its easy enjoyment and consummate refreshment. Smoky, stony notes add delightful site-typical nuance to a finish that surprises with an animation and penetrating brightness that the midpalate impression had not led me to expect.” 90 David Schildknecht

Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett – My note: “Cooler, almost blue slated aromas of smoky yellow fruits (peach) lead to a more typical spicy red fruited palate, again all dancing in filigree detail. From upper slope vines with poorer soils, so you can sense the more slate driven qualities here. Again, pure class, and classic.” A little * awarded here.
“This is initially rather discreet and only slowly reveals notes of yellow peach, candied grapefruit, raspberry, white flowers and spices. The wine proves as light as a feather with however great aromatic intensity and a most attractive touch of passion fruit driven acidity on the palate. The delicious finish is intense, smoky and beautifully long. This elegant and light dry Riesling will gain in complexity with age and should prove a little beauty at maturity. 2021-2031” 92 MFW

“Here is a gorgeous example of delicacy allied to flavor intensity and luscious fruit allied to savory mineral notes. Scents of fresh strawberry and lime anticipate the brightly juicy impression on a polished, buoyant palate. Lily-of-the-valley and rowan waft throughout, casting a memorable floral spell. The sweet-saline savor of raw scallop tugs at the salivary glands on a superbly sustained finish. Bear in mind that we’re talking here about a dry Riesling (okay, perhaps legally halbtrocken – I neither checked nor cared) with only 10.5% alcohol!” 93 David Schildknecht

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Kabinett Fuder 6 – My note: “Broader, more complex multifaceted aromatics, white flowers, and yellow fruits. You can smell the dry extract/minerality to come. In the mouth, this presents an even more powerful impact, all built around an impressive core of dry extract. This is a tremendous, tremendous wine, almost the liquid definition of power meets grace. The Grand cru caliber of the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr is undeniable.” A little * awarded here.
“This delivers a gorgeous nose of apricot blossom, vineyard peach, candied grapefruit, mint, green herbs and whipped almond cream. The wine is finely creamy and smooth on the palate, where ample fruits including yellow peach drive the aromatic profile. This finish of this beautifully creamy yet dry Riesling shines through lightness and complexity. What a beauty! 2021-2031” 93 MFW

“Headily perfumed lily wreathes apple and nut oils on the nose as well as on a palate that is almost custardy in its combination of creaminess and sense of stuffing, yet alcoholically light. This finishes with clarity, buoyancy, infectious juiciness, and a mouthwatering hint of raw scallop. (“Fuder #6” is merely a nickname for Molitor’s annual wine from these old vines in this low-alcohol, dry-tasting style.)” 92 David Schildkecht

Ockfener Bockstein Spätlese – This one is a pet favorite of export manager Katharina Okfen, and it isn’t because of her last name….this was stunning…My note: “Cool, imploded mineral gray slate aromatics that are simply gorgeous. This has pinpoint precision and a stunning level of purity that is simply class in a glass. Apparently, this wine was sorted literally berry by berry, and this meticulous detail is not missed on this taster. Bravo!” A little * awarded here.
“Still quite restrained at first, this develops a most beautiful and complex nose of herbs, mint, vineyard peach, passion fruit sorbet, flowers and almond cream. The wine has great presence on the palate, and shines through precision and focus. Notes of grapefruit, lime and minty herbs add to the multidimensional side of this beautiful dry Riesling. The finish is ethereally light and refined. 2021-2031” 93 MFW

“Site-typical mint-laced lime and orange on the nose carry over to a brightly juicy, coolingly herb-inflected palate and correspondingly luscious finish. Here is another instance in the present collection where a flattering sense of substantiality and midpalate richness is allied to alcoholic levity.” 91 David Schildknecht

Graacher Domprobst Spätlese – Apparently, this was chosen as the “Wine of the Week” last week in Mosel Fine Wines, and has got the German market stirred up a bit….My note: “Broad, deep, bottom up animal, as is the Domprobst’s nature. A smoldering wine of bottom up power and precision, pure, lacy, and effortless. This has very good complexity, but is on this day, I prefer the Ock Bock and Erdener Treppchen Spats for their more universally appealing charms. I would reccommend this more so for intellectual tasters and perhaps for evolutionary potential.”
“This immediately catches one’s attention with an absolutely gorgeous and refined nose made of dried flowers, smoke, vineyard peach, pear, cassis, mint and almond. The wine is beautifully complex but delivers this with purity, finesse and lightness on the palate. There is enough dry extract to give the wine great structure and yet, at the same time, the finish is all about freshness and lightness as one is just left with flowers, smoke and almond in the after-taste. This beautiful dry Riesling is simply breathtakingly good. 2021-2036” 94 MFW

“Here is another of those gorgeously heady, florally perfumed noses that seem to abound among Molitor 2016s. Lily, rowan and heliotrope garland ripe apple and pecan, themes perfectly suited to this wine’s subtly creamy, expansive yet alcoholically buoyant palate impression. And for all of that creamy, nutty richness, the billowingly sustained finish is a model of sheer refreshment as well as of transparency to crystalline and stony nuances.” 94 David Schildknecht

Erdener Treppchen Spätlese – My note: “At once aromatically smokier and finer than the ET Kabi trocken. Not quite as fruity either, more fine and subtly complex. Then in the mouth, certainly the red fruited/spicy qualities of the Treppchen make themselves known, with stunning charm and delicacy. This is even more seamless than the Kabi trocken, and is just plain stunning, to my taste. Classic!! With continued aeration, the wine only continued to open….this is going to be a beaut!!” A little * awarded here.
“Quite fruity and spicy at first, this develops more complexity as it grows in the glass and notes of yellow peach, quince, smoke, green herbs, white mint and tar kick in. The wine proves ample, packed with fruits and shows quite some presence on the palate. Yet the finish is superbly fresh and long. This only needs a few years of cellaring in order to fully shine. 2021-2031” 92 MFW

“Lime and green apple make for less site-specific aromas and flavors than revealed by the corresponding Kabinett. But suggestions of crushed stone suffusion and mineral salts add interest and saliva-inducement to a lingering finish. Perhaps greater clarity and complexity will come with a couple of years in bottle. (Or perhaps the wine was having a relatively inexpressive day on the sole occasion when I tasted it. Molitor’s is one of the few addresses where one worries if a wine seems to merit “only 90 points”!)” 90 David Schildknecht

Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese – I didn’t get to taste this, but based on the performance of the rest of the white capsule range, this should be a knockout….
“Quite reductive at first, this only reluctantly reveals some ripe fruits including pineapple, passion fruit, yellow peach, greengage and a touch of mango packed into smoke and minty herbs on the nose at this early stage. The wine coats the palate with ample juicy and creamy fruits. Some cassis lurks in the background in the long and smooth finish, only waiting to come out at maturity. There is quite some upside here once the fresher side will have emerged over the coming years. 2023-2036” 92+ MFW

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese – My note: “Again, without hestiation or doubt, the Grand cru “special something” of the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr at its finest immediately presents itself on the nose, as though the other wines were in 3D, and this wine in 4D…..A broader, more complex, multifaceted aromatic spectrum of yellow fruits and almost purple flowers? This fills the senses in sperically expansive fashion, with weightless floating breadth and depth of all things fruit/floral/mineral. This is plain stunningly complex, and self-evidently class in a glass! BRAVO! ” A little * awarded here.
“This offers a superbly deep, complex and refined nose including dried flowers, whipped almond cream, a touch of smoke, vineyard peach, cassis and grapefruit. While fully present everything about this splendid nose is subtle and refined. The wine is superbly playful with a creamy and light texture and great complexity and finesse on the palate. The finish is breathtakingly long and pure, even if still slightly reduced at this early stage. But make no mistake, this is a great airy and dry Riesling in the making. 2023-2036” 94 MFW

“Apple blossom and heliotrope share aromatic billing with unanticipated intimations of sea breeze and fresh oyster. The mouthwatering palate impression is at once creamy and animatingly juicy, rich in apple and quince but also replete with saline, alkaline and nutty oyster-flesh notes. The superbly sustained finish offers full-throttle fruit, and the mineral and floral elements are beautifully integrated if not quite as strikingly evident as in this year’s corresponding Graacher Domprobst.” 93 David Schildknecht

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** My note: “WOWZERS. Class in a glass!! In aromatic purity and dazzling dimension, this illustrates, once again, the pinnacle level of quality in Molitor’s Zeltinger Sonnenuhr wines….this is self evident Grand cru class and complexity. In the mouth, this is a bit richer in body (as its Auslese must weight would logically infer), yet it is weightlessly filigrée and precise, with heart swooning charm, complexity, and finesse. As good as it gets! Bravo!!” A little * awarded here.
“This delivers a stunning nose of smoke, vineyard peach, candied grapefruit, pear, cassis, yellow flowers, anise and dried spices. The wine is delicate on the palate, where a most gorgeously juicy side is beautifully wrapped into a touch whipped cream. The finish is simply to die for: airy, delicate and above all superbly refined. What a great dry Riesling in the making! 2021-2036” 95 MFW

“Another Molitor 2016 featuring heady florality, this is both musky and suggestively sweet on the nose, channeling peony, narcissus and lily. A creamy, expansive palate offers deep, undulating layering of apple and pear fruit, piquant, smoky nut oils and liquid floral perfume. This finishes with a sensational combination of sheer length and transparency to subtle complexity, offering persistent creaminess yet animating juiciness.” 94 David Schildknecht

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese ** – This is one that I did not taste at the winery, nor offer on either of the first two go arounds….Seems like David thought it was one of the (many) highlights of the range…..sounds awesome!
“Rowan, heliotrope and apple blossom introduce a performance of flattering creaminess and luscious appley fruitiness perfectly complemented by persistently wafting floral perfume and undertones of almond paste and vanilla. There is a strikingly custardy combination of creaminess and density midpalate. Yet, for all of its soothing richness, this beauty finishes with an unexpectedly and impressively decisive note of wet stone as well as infectious, refreshing primary juiciness.” 94 David Schildknecht

Graacher Himmelreich Auslese *** – My note: WHOA. Aromatically, this one is arresting. The depth and power of the Graacher Himmelreich, rendered in bedazzling fashion. This is an example of power meets finesse that is clearly Grand cru class in a glass. The pricing is difficult, but on purely qualitative terms, a knockout. By far the class of the *** dry range (the others I didn’t care for so much, and haven’t included them).”
“This immediately catches one’s attention as delicately spicy elements give way to subtly multi-layered scents of candied grapefruit, tangerine, cassis and violet on the nose. The wine shows stunning lightness on the palate, yet is packed with complexity, intensity and freshness. It develops great presence and depth in the hugely long and superbly delineated finish. This is a mind-blowingly good dry Riesling in the making! 2021-2036” 96 MFW

Green Capsule wines (off-dry aka feinherb): The playfulness and versatility of the under represented feinherb category of wines is one that I adore…..the charm factor is undeniable….! The versatility, the CHARM!

Okfener Bockstein Kabinett – This is one that I added late to my lineup, so many of you have likely not seen this offered yet…..the Green capsule wines are the definition of charm…….
“Orange and orange blossom, mint and elder flower waft fragrantly from the glass. This beauty comes to the palate with infectious juiciness of orange and lime, heady inner-mouth perfume, and a seductively silken feel. Undertones of raw almond and wet stone add further interest to an impeccably poised, consummately refreshing, exuberantly persistent finish. In its levity and animating energy, this precisely captures Kabinett virtues. Its mere hint of sweetness is ideally supportive and conducive to culinary versatility. Not a bit more residual sugar is needed. No wonder Molitor has been eager to make major inroads into the Bockstein. I’m beginning to better understand why this Saar site – or, at least, its best portions – were traditionally second in reputation only to the Scharzhofberg. (I returned to this wine repeatedly, thinking that I must have overrated it – but no.)” 94 David Schildknecht

Bernkasteller Badstube Kabinett – I didn’t taste this…..
“This offers a beautiful nose made of pear, white peach, laurel, thyme and smoky slate. Finely sizzled peach and minerals make for a
balanced feel on the palate. The finish is still very much work in progress but this should prove a beautiful off-dry wine with a few years of bottle aging. 2021-2036” 91+ MFW

Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett – My note: “(9% alc) Wowie zowie. Charm your face off…..the aromatics of smoky mineral reduction and pure yellor fruits are my cup of tea and then some. Then in the mouth, the kiss of sweetness is all charm leading to dancing filigrée delicacy and finesse, with a light citrus pith bitterness that adds complexity, with a core of light minerality leaving my mouth watering. Lovely lovely lovely lovely sauce!! ” A little * awarded here.
“This offers a beautiful nose of cassis, grapefruit, herbs, white flowers and fine spices. The wine is silky yet delicately zesty on the palate. Canned yellow peach, zesty grapefruit and fine aniseed herbs come through and add depth to the long and nicely focused finish. The after-taste is persistent, with nicely integrated ripe acidity and smooth herbal and fruity flavors. 2021-2036” 92 MFW

“Ripe apple mingles with iris, sea breeze and wet stone on a haunting nose. The polished, delicate palate is energetically bright and infectiously juicy, its apple and lime marrying with mouthwatering salinity on a refreshingly sustained, barely off-dry finish.” 92 David Schildknecht

Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett – “(9.5% alc) LOVELY. Tiny red fruits and spice, dancing in precision and delicacy…I hate to be a broken record, but this is sooooo arresting lovely, with refreshment and sighs guaranteed. For an everyday Mosel wine chock full of the signature charms of the Urziger Würzgarten (and the Mosel itself), an absolute no brainer. ” A little * awarded here.
“This offers an attractive nose made of pear, strawberry, Provence herbs and fine spices. The wine is gorgeously playful on the medium-bodied palate and leaves a nice and juicy feel in the airy and feather-light finish. This is plain gorgeous. 2021-2036” 92 MFW