Beurer, Jochen 2021 Württemberg 'In der Luft' Riesling Chardonnay

The label for "In der Luft" says it all; "In the Air" in English, showing a photo of winemaker and BMX guru from Swabia, Jochen Beurer "flying" over a rally car  on his bike! An ethereal blend of Riesling with Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer, unfiltered with great lift and energy. The nose wafts clouds of lychee and green jalapeno whilst the palate shows flavors of juicy green melon and lime. A total blast of fantasy and fun, not taking itself seriously and meant to be shared with company. In the words of the most excellent Wayne's World: "Party on Garth!" Giselle Hamburg

Busch, Clemens 2021 Mosel Vom Grauen Schiefer Riesling Trocken

From grey slate parcels on the Marienburg, The sister wine to the Vom Roten Shiefer is always more linear, stony and drier tasting. The 2021 opens with aromas of white wet rocks, white flowers and citrus whilst the palate bursts with brilliant acidity, minerality and lemons. The epitome of dry yet delicate riesling. Giselle Hamburg

Busch, Clemens 2021 Mosel Vom Roten Schiefer Riesling Trocken

The fruit for this wine is grown on the Pündericher Marienburg, one of the best sites in the Mosel from, in part, the red slate parcel Rothenpfad lending a pronounced spicy and expansive note. The nose opens with aromas of forest floor moss, pine cones, smoky rocks, yellow peach, grapefruit and ginger. The wine coats the  palate with juicy limeade, orange blossom  and a slight mintiness. The mouthfeel is balanced by the zippy acidity and undescored by the wet  stone minerality and spicy ginger. The finish goes on for miles, rendering the wine ethereal yet simultaneously luscious; technically trocken yet neither angular or austere. Absolutely breathtaking! Giselle Hamburg

Dreissigacker 2021 Rheinhessen Riesling Trocken

Jochen Dreissigacker took over his family's estate in 2001 and works organically (certified). The entry-level trocken a mix of estate and purchased grapes (all organic), from mostly south/southeast-facing sites on loess and loam. Fermented with native yeasts and aged in stainless steel tank. Pale gold in the glass. Cool-toned and savory on the nose, with aromas of crushed herbs, honeysuckle, and flint. Dry and lively on the palate with fine mineral cut and mouth-watering acidity highlighted by red apple and stone fruit flavors, with a salty core and a bright minty coolness on the finish. John McIlwain

Franzen, Reinhold 2018 Mosel Bremmer Riesling 'Zeit'

 A sheer delight from one of the world's steepest vertical vineyards with 90 year old vines; their roots driven into the terraced slate, giving immense concentration to the wines. Fermentations are spontaneous, some taking nearly two years to complete. The wines go through malo and GGs are bottled late. All this accounts for wines that are as much about texture, herbaceousness, and salinity as they are fruit. They display remarkable freshness and animation as well as power and echoing length. “Zeit” means “time” and this wine fermented, spontaneously, for 396 days before it could not go further. The label showcases an old photo of the Calmont vineyard, from which all the grapes in this wine harken, but it also is a reminder of a time when this kind of élevage was normal. Kilian explains that “every year, one tank takes forever, and what can we do? We wait and wait and if it doesn’t get dry, it must be where the wine wants to be.” It’s richly textured, leesy, but also crunchy with spice. It’s a throwback wine to former times, but it’s also a fresh and intriguing slightly off dry riesling with 20gms RS, explosive with tropical notes like pineapple with herbaceousness over a slightly spritzy, juicy limeade finish. Simply spectacular! Giselle Hamburg

Gut Hermannsberg 2020 Nahe Just Riesling! Riesling Trocken

Germany's 2023 Vinum Wineguide just awarded our newest German producer from the Nahe, Karsten Peter, "Winemaker of the Year". As per the winery's website: "The stony, mostly volcanic soils, in our vineyards give our wines a pronounced raciness, spice and minerality." The entry level "Just Riesling " shows that in spades whilst maintaining an ethereal 11.5% abv and juicy fruit salad profile underscored by a dry finish. An excellent pairing for all manner of sushi, spicy Asian dishes, barbecued pork, Buffalo chicken wings...Game Day WIne! Giselle Hamburg

Immich-Batterieberg 2019 Mosel C.A.I. Riesling Trocken

C.A.I. stands for Carl August Immich, owner of the estate in the 19th century, who used gunpowder charges to blast out part of the mountainside in order to plant vines. Grapes are sourced  from vineyards in the Mosel and Saar valleys, vinified in stainless steel.  The 2019 C.A.I. has a bright greenish-yellow, translucent robe. The nose offers and intriguing blend of white flower and stone fruit aromas with a  hint of gunsmoke (echoes of Herr Immich's munitions?). The palate is racy and mouthwatering with zesty citrus peel and white cherry fruit with a long, lip-smacking finish. Rainwater fresh and bright. John McIlwain

Meyer, Stefan 2021 Pfalz Riesling Trocken 1L

Hailing from the Pfalz, Germany directly north of Alsace, this is a trocken (dry) riesling of brilliant purity! 30 year old Riesling vines planted to loam and clay soils. Hand harvested and hand sorted. Natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel. Bottled, with one filtration, at 7.8 g/l residual sugar,  Immediate aromas of petrol, kefir lime, white peach and wet rocks blast the nose. On the palate, flavors of limeade and  peach nectar burst with vivid acidity and minerality. Sporting a long, dry yet juicy finish, this is a super refreshing , classic riesling perfect for drinking  pleasure. I'd serve it with grilled swordfish and a veggie medley of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, cipolline onions with a balsamic glaze (last night's dinner pairing!) or a spicy Thai seafood curry.  Giselle Hamburg

Müller, Stefan 2021 Niedermenniger Sonnenberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben

Stefan's winery in the Saar has won "Best of" accolades for everything in the past 5 years.  2021 was an astonishing vintage with sizzling acidities balancing ripe sugar levels.  With vineyards in  Niedermenninger and Krettnact, his prized vineyard is this 50 year old parcel of old vines in the south west facing western part of the Niedermenninger Sonnenberg on iron rich red slate soils. The 44 g/l of residual sugar is barely perceptible in this vintage, offering just a finishing kiss with juicy lemon drop, crystalline  acidity and crunchy minerality: truly breathtaking like an aerial trapezist flipping effortlessly through the air!! Giselle Hamburg

Schaefer, Willi 2019 Mosel Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #11

The 2019 Graacher Domprobst Auslese #11 is filigreed and racy for the pradikat, showing all the verve and brightness of the vintage. The nose shows a touch of sponti, but time in the glass reveals pretty aromas of pear skin, orange blossom, peach nectar, and cool mint leaves. There's a delicate honeyed sweetness that dances across the palate balanced by pitch-perfect acidity and waves of luscious stone fruit and citrus flavors with a subtle herbal undercurrent. Framing this is a zesty, mouthwatering stoniness leading to impeccable balance even at this young age. This is already lovely, but this will dazzle when mature in 8-10 years and for decades beyond. An emotionally gratifying wine! John McIlwain

Später-Veit 2021 Piesporter Riesling Feinherb 1 L

This slightly off-dry Riesling really leaps out of the glass with lively stone fruit and minerals. Vivacious acidity gives it lift and is matched with silky, ripe pear on the palate, with hint of texture on the finish. This is a standout value in the 1L bottle . From just above the famous Piesporter Goldtröpchen vineyard, the 25 year old vines hail from three different parcels in Piesport, including Falkenberg and Gunterslay planted to soils of slate and gravel. Wild-yeast fermentation. Elevage in both stainless steel and old Moselfuder. Vinified off-dry at 10% alcohol.