The Germans Have Arrived
– Formerly Illegal to Grow Chardonnay
– We Are Now Discovering the Grand Cru Chardonnay Vineyards of Germany
– Am Buhl Is at the Top of the List
– The Most Burgundian German Chardonnay I Have Ever Had
2022 Andreas Laible Chardonnay Am Buhl GG
– A Transcendent Wine / DEBUT VINTAGE
– Reminds Me of Batard Montrachet from Say 19 or 20
– Insane German Chardonnay Energy
– Elite Burgundian Decadence
– Nose: Off the Charts Complexity
– Incredibly Expansive Aromas
– Lemon, Sweet Lime
– Tangerine, Blood Orange
– Green Apple
– Palate is Stunning
– Awesome Texture, Juiciness and Concentration
– Super Explosive, Elegant and Clean
– Concentrated and Sapid
– Yet So Elegant and Pretty
– Incredible Mineral Sweetness
– Wonderful Structure
I love German Chardonnay and import many. From Ziereisen to Thorle to Weltner to Aufricht to Ostreicher, they all are super unique, and more importantly delicious, but if I had to choose one that is the best quality price ratio of them all and is vastly underpriced for what is in the bottle it’s the 2022 Andreas Laible Am Bühl Chardonnay Grosses Gewachs ($41.99 a bottle on a 4-pack). This is the return of the Fass 4-3-1 plan which is to slug one down when young and age the other three as Laible is one of those estates that richly rewards medium term aging.
This wine is ridiculous and is my “eye opener” of the year. I was so blown away by this wine, as to get this quality in Burgundy one needs to spend over $100 easy. This is also the most Burgundian German Chardonnay I have ever had. It reminds me of a cross between Dauvissat Grand Cru Chablis and Paul Pernot 1er Cru and Grand Cru Cote de Beaune wines. It has that nose that I didn’t think was possible to find outside of Burgundy. That combo of west earth, wet stones, the lightest touch of oak and outrageous complexity one can find only in Burgundy. There is nobody reading this that would taste this blind and say Baden Chardonnay. Not even me. It’s insane. This also has a level of finesse that is only reserved for elite 1er cru and Grand Cru Burgundy but it also retains its essential Laibleness. It has that classic Laible aromatic florality that comes across after about an hour. I was giggling while drinking this wine as I could not believe it. It shocked me. There is nothing like this wine I have ever had at this pricepoint.
The 2022 Andreas Laible Chardonnay Am Buhl GG for $41.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. This wine was a revelation to me and shows how serious Chardonnay in Germany is. This wine drinks like a Batard-Montrachet from a vintage like 2019 or 2020. It has that insane German Chardonnay energy allied with the most incredible Chardonnay decadence that one expects out of Grand Cru White Burgundy. For $40 this is a silly silly deal. Should be $100+. It has that amazing iodine, hazelnut thing one only gets in elite Chardolnnay.
This wine is transcendent. So juicy, so pure, so deep, and so complex. Like a cross between Puligny and Meursault 1er Crus but it also had a foot in Grand Cru Chablis.
Below is my note from the other day.
“Incredible wine. Wow. Talk about Burgundian mimicry. This screams Chassagne 1er cru in that there is an intense florality and unreal minerals.. Wow the complexity is off the charts. Genius!! Tangerine, lemon, sweet lime, green apple, blood orange and so much more. Just magic. 9.7 nose. Intense concentration and purity and my goodness the finesse is just unreal. Delicate like only the best wines can be with enormous material but so nimble. Sapid and dense.but so focused and nimble. Balance. Wow wow wow. I am blown away. This has an indescribable quality. That X factor. A wine of such beauty and revelation words fail me. I love the mineral sweetness of this wine as it opens and the classic Laible florals are off the chain.“- Lyle Fass
This, below, is my previous note.
Nose is reticent at first. Hints of wood, huge minerality and you can really smell the limestone. Expansive aromas. It’s so subtle and beautiful. Wow. Truly a wow nose as it unfurls. Lime, lemon, other random citrus, sponti aromas, so complex. On day 2, the nose is more sweetley wooded today and has awesome spices and apple. Super complex and a hint of sponti. Awesome texture, juiciness and concentration. Really seamless and pure. There is a spherical like textural thing happening. Amazing texture end depth. So clean. Stunning purity.
Palate is stunning. Super explosive, elegant and clean. Tangy as all hell. Wow just superb. Concentrated and so pretty. Juicy and serene. Just brilliant. Unreal inner mouth aromas and just stunning purity and genius use of wood. It frames it perfectly. Wonderful structure suggests at least 5-8 years ahead of it. Really terrific. This really got into gear on day 2 and is just a magnificent wine.
Please call Cheryl at 949 378 5251 after emailing with your first order if you are a first time customer (we prefer not to receive credit card numbers over E-Mail).
OFFICE HOURS 4-7 PM
I love drinking and selecting wines – but my passion for teaching people about wine is almost as big. I’m happy to announce a block of time each day where people can call me just to chat about wine in general. These blocks are NOT intended to sell wine (I do that all day). This is to talk to me about wine pairings or great producers or how long to age wines or styles of wine making or the latest wine controversy. My goal is to help people learn more about wine and enjoy it more. Call me at 917-912-4355 from 4-7EST Monday – Friday.
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