The Stunning 2024s from Lauer
12/4/25 -
I feel a bit like a broken record in saying this but 2024 in Germany is truly a showstopper vintage. This reigns true as we move our focus today to the wines of Peter Lauer. Well before it was on trend to do so, Lauer has been crafting stunning 'dry-tasting' Rieslings with precision, balance, and finesse. Florian Lauer has been at the helm of his family's estate since 2005 and represents the 5th generation. We start with the bad news, Lauer lost 40-50% of his crop due to terrible frosts, but on the bright side, the resulting wines are fantastic!
Florian has a majority of his vines on the hillside of Ayler Kupp (pictured below). In 1971 German wine law unified all the separate vineyards under the single name "Kupp." Since his first vintage in 2005 he has been fighting to keep the old vineyard names alive, and in 2014 he finally won! There was an update in the law that allowed those original names to be used! With that, Unterstenberg, Stirn, Kern, and Neuenberg all returned to the labels and have been highlighting the distinct terroir of each vineyard since.
Lauer's care and attention to detail continues in the cellar with natural-yeast fermentation, which allows the wines to find their own balance. They oftentimes have a bit of RS but due to the bracing acidity, they drink dry. I got to taste a handful of the new releases a few weeks ago and what really stood out to me is the ripping acidity, excellent ripeness of fruit, and strong minerality across the board. These are wines of texture and depth, and they truly stand out in comparison to their neighbors.
As always, our friend Stephen from Vom Boden has written at length about Lauer and you can find that here. This link also includes a vineyard tour! With most of these wines we are bringing in as much as we can get, but with that quantities are still limited, so be sure to grab these wines while you can, they are sure to drink well for years to come!
-Hanna Krilov Cohen
The majestic hill of Ayler Kupp
Eben's reflections from June 2025 visit:
If there's anything I learned from visiting Florian Lauer this past June, it's that looks can be deceiving. The several times I've met him, he's always well dressed, with a fresh shirt, stylish slim sweater, etc. He has the look of a very civilized, stoic and sane member of society. After visiting him however, I realized he is a bit insane, all in the very best ways of course. He's witty, mentally sharp and ready with a quip, and clearly he was bitten by a bug that has driven him for now over 20 years to dedicate himself to a goal that most people have deserted, farming incredibly steep vineyards with low yields to make minuscule amounts of wine that most people don't understand! Looks can be deceiving with the Ayler Kupp vineyard too. It's majestic and beautiful from a distance, and the panoramic view is inviting, with the long slope which slides into the Saar. Once you're standing at the top however, it's a whole other story. There are rails to hold onto luckily, as the steepness is impressive and a bit scary. This is an unforgiving hill that provides no protection from the sun or the elements, and this is the place Florian spends a vast majority of his time! A crazy man, a crazy hill, and some of the most memorable and singular wines of Germany are the result.
-Eben Lillie
