Wine Region: Mosel

(2023) Grown organically, this is a dry wine from the Saar region of the Mosel Valley. The nose is citrus and apples, but the slaty and slightly waxy character of the Riesling does come through. On the palate there is a hint of sweetness here with around 7g/l of residual sugar, but it is  noticeably drier than many consumers might expect. It has a slightly fatter texture too, and a core of pure, sheer citrus that propels the finish.

(2022) Tasted via Laithwaites, but this vintage sold out at time of writing, this is a modest Mosel Riesling, basically dry (or 'trocken') but just lacking a bit of distinction for me. There's some golden delicious apple and peachy fruit, and juicy lemon acidity, but it lacks the thrill quotient that I'd hope for in a £15 Mosel Riesling.

(2022) Quite limey, a touch of butteriness but herbaceous notes too. The palate is just off-dry, with a real juiciness and plenty of succulent fruit, spanning nectarine and ripe lemon and lime.

(2021) From around the village of Piesport, a 'trocken', or 'dry' Riesling, weighing in with 12.5% abv, and winemaker Thomas Haag has fermented this with wild yeasts. There's a noticeable amount of sulphur aroma on this on initial pouring, which dissipates rather slowly, but when it does, stone fruits, lemon and a slaty mineral quality comes through. In the mouth that flinty/mineral edge is maintained, with apple and citrus, a note of fennel and a delightful surge of more tropical, juicy nectarine sweetness tempered by fine acidity. That initial sulphur does knock this back a point or two for me.

(2020) JJ Prüm is one of Germany’s star names, run today by Katharina Prüm. From the steep, slate covered Himmelrich vineyard, it is made in stainless steel and bottled late to avoid the addition of too much sulphur. It opens with some flint and beeswax and paraffin over greengage and peach, the palate delicate and lacy, a good level of sweetness that is braced by mouth-watering acidity, a touch of pink grapefruit but more of that peachy fruit coming through too. A lovely wine for sipping on its own, finishing with purity and balance.

(2019) With 25g/l of residual sugar, this 12-year-old wine from a warm vintage has around 25% Botrytis fruit in the blend. There is a lovely hint of barley sugar, golden Sharon fruit and yellow plum, beautifully balanced sweetness, a gorgeous weight and full texture, glittering acidity. Orange peel and clove hints and the first wine with the correct age to develop complexity says Sybille. Fabulous.

(2019) Made with skin contact during six weeks of fermentation, this is dry, unfiltered and spends a further period of six months in old Fuder (Foudre) large barrels. Light cider notes, a touch of wheat beer yeastiness, the fresh lemon juicy palate refreshing, bone dry impression on the finsih and clean. 7g/l of residual sugar.

(2019) Like the 2017, fermented and marcerated on skins for six weeks. After pressing the wine is aged in old 1,000-litre Fuder barrels for a futher six months. Immediatey more aromatic compared to the 2017, orange peel and clove, juicier, perhaps a little less 'orange character' at this stage, but beautifully drinkable.

(2019) Fantastically dry, searing salt and lemon mineral acidity is the first thing that strikes about this wine, though it is softened on the palate by 8g/l of residual sugar. It has real concentration and substance despite being gossamer light. A bad spring frost delayed ripening and reduced the crop in 2017, but a very good summer meant harvest was actually a little early.

(2019) Lovely hints of nettle and wax join the fresh, clean and zipping citrus, again a distinct salty mineral tow to this. A lightly waxy and creamy texture to the acidity here giving a touch of roundness, with 7g/l of residual sugar. Markus suggests serving not too cold - 15 degrees C or so. There's a softened edge to the acid, but absolutely no lack of balance. A lovely, approachable wine.