Stefan Steinmetz’s Rieslings
– Top 5 in the Mosel
– Top 10 in Germany
– Tasted His Lineup and Have Been Blown Away
– Teeming with Energy and Shimmer like Diamonds
2022 Günther Steinmetz Piesporter Goldtropfchen “GP”
– The Most Undervalued Elite 2022 German Dry Wine We Have Offered
– I Gave this a 9.8 and My Tasting Buddy Gave it a 9.9
– Elite Level Balance, Acidity, Palate Presence and Delineation
– The “Harmony” of Elements Is What Sets This Apart
– Nose: Stunning Mineral Depth
– Tree Bark. Citrus Rind
– Almost a Crystalline Purity
– So Airy Like a Scene in Nature
– Super Complex Nose
– An Amalgenm of Aromatics that Really Have no Reference Point
– Palate: An Easy 9.8
– Ripe but So Crystalline and Pure
– Insane Concentration and Purity
– Low Yields (30 HL/HA – 50 Would Be Normal)
– Some of the Best Sun Exposure in Goldtropfchen (100% Southern)
– Famous for Sweet Wines, This Is Likely the Greatest Dry Goldtropfchen Ever Made
2021 Günther Steinmetz “Alter Satz”
– A Field Blend of Extinct Varieties
– Like a Hypothetical Blend of Pinot Noir, 50s and 60s Bordeaux and Blaufrankish
– Nose: Crazy
– Wild Berries, Black Berries and Wild Strawberries, Black Cherries
– Forest Soil, Wild Herbs, Wild Mint, Roses, Orange Roses
– Terrific Complexity
– Wild, So Distinct and Wonderful
– Palate: Huge Core of Very Small Berries
– Super Sappy Black Fruits
– Fresh Gamey, Meaty Aspect
– Massive Structure and Density
– Old Time Bordeaux Vibe from the 50s/60s/70s
– “The wine delivers the beautifully silky and fruity structure of a Burgundy on the palate . . .”- Mosel Fine Wines (2019)
The Wines
First up is the 2022 Günther Steinmetz Piesporter Goldtropfchen “GP” for $31.99 on a 4-pack and $29.99 on a case. This is the most undervalued elite 2022 German dry wine we have offered. I find this wine needs so much to evolve whether it’s fermenting in barrel or aging in bottle. It was just bottled right before harvest around 6 weeks ago and the sample I tasted this summer was amazing and I know from experience when we ship it next Spring it will be one of the stars of the cellar.
This is the only regular GG style wine (non elite/reserve) aged in the magical Stockinger barrels that Stefan says he wants to buried in. It’s a choice parcel next to the best parcel from Kesselstat near the old bridge that they tore down.
I gave this a 9.8.
This was just a sick wine.
The balance, the acid, the palate presence, the delineation and linearity were just elite level.
The purity and mineral expression blew my mind.
The finesse was unreal as was the crunchy minerality.
A stunning wine that I could not stop drinking. The reason this wine reached elite territory for me was very simple and one word can describe it. Harmony. This was as complex as a Riesling as I’ve ever had but nothing was sticking out and it had no hard edges. The harmony was remarkable. Too often very complex wines don’t have that type of elite harmony. Maybe the acid dominates. Or maybe the finish is a bit short because it hasn’t unraveled yet. This has it all. And my goodness the focus of this wine was incomparable. It’s like there was an artificial tunnel in my mouth and the wine would only go down that tunnel. Every sip. One of the most focused German dry Rieslings I’ve ever had. This is why this Piesporter is a 9.8 for me.
The Piesporter Goldtropfchen is a storied vineyard. But, like all vineyards, there are better and worse parcels. Stefan, “the Vineyard Collector” has acquired one of the best parcels. First, he gets very low yields: 30 HL/HA versus 50 HL/HA, which would be more normal. And second, this parcel is 100% Southern facing, so it’s very hot (the sun is to the South for vineyards that are North of the equator). And finally, it gets more water than most of his other sites.
Nose: Wow is that mineral. Stunning mineral depth. Just dizzying. Amazing. Tree bark. So floral and spicey. All wines that Stefan bottled late have these strong floral and spicey notes. Citrus rind. Gorgeous herbal spices. Also honey melon and so much expansiveness. Maybe bergamot and black tea as well. Almost a crystalline purity. Again, so airy like a scene in nature. Super complex nose. Maybe a 9.8. On Day 2 Stefan’s wines I’ve noticed are always better. Huge nose. Very deep and expansive and penetrating nose. Some sponti and just so much complexity. I’d love to give you a list of various things that the wine smells like – but I can’t. But I can kind of try. Piquant and focused. After mega air aromas are more intense. Very fine green tea like a genmaicha or ooling. Like a fine green tea bitterness.
This wine has that kind of complexity that is an amalgam of aromatics that really have no reference point. We’ve all had this kind of wine. It’s the kind of wine that you just smell and either say “whoa” or sit back in stunned silence.
Palate is insane. That’s a 9.8 palate. It’s ripe but so crystalline and pure. Focused and nimble. Insane concentration and purity. Dancing pitter patter of acid. So so delicate. It starts with sweetness but turns into fine bittenesss and an acid components that stays in the tongue but doesn’t go on the sides and gums. This wine will make you crazy. Early season apricot. Mirabelle plum. Wow. Cleansing acids. Powerful but not opulent. This is not a bodybuilder it’s more like a marathon runner or a spartan warrior. Not painful acids but gently caressing acids. Palate is full of citrus, lemon, lemongrass and colder acid driven fruits. Really intense penetrating fruits. Very powerful wine that also has star fruit and kumquat. Insane concentration and power but at the same time it’s super nimble and round. Genius. Hard to find why this wine is not perfect. On day 2, creamy fruits and just a dizzying array on the palate. Concentrated and compact with a major core of juicy fruit and brilliant minerals.This is incomparable to any other vintage as if can’t be another vintage. 2022 is so unique.Wines that have longer fermentations aren’t as lean and keto-like as the wines with shorter fermentations. Normally wines get fatter as they ferment that long but this is the opposite. Asit airs the energy gets so intense it is just beyond. The tannic structure is similar to the Alter Satz which is my best segue ever.
“Here the boldness and ripeness of the Goldtropfchen site are bonded with a stunning mineral acidity that electrifies this seriously structured wine. You’ll need some patience to experience this at its peak, but then all the jewels will be displayed! Limited production. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.” – 95 Points Stuart Pigott (2021)
Next up I’ve got a wacky, ridiculously underpriced wine that is as original and delicious as anything I’ve ever tasted. The 2021 Günther Steinmetz Alte Satz can be had for $22.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. This is as geeky as it gets. This wine is peak wine geek and so delicious you will not believe it is $22.99. The wine is a blend of Hartblau, Süßschwarz, Schwarzblauer, Affenthaler, Schwarzurban and Frankischer Burgunder. Talk about esoteric. This is a field blend that Stefan makes from cuttings from a nursery that reproduces old extinct varieties. Some guy found them in different places and many in the ruins of old castles. In medieval times this was a typical blend. The owner of the nursery wanted for some reason to make single wines from each grape but Stefan went the medieval route and I think that’s the way to go. The wine is stunning. It’s like a hypothetical blend of Pinot Noir, 50s and 60s Bordeaux and Blaufrankish. It’s a dark wine but not black like Cahors and some parts of it are like Pinot Noir. It’s really hard to explain. The 2021 is the second vintage and Stefan charged way less then he should have because the wine is so out there. This drinks like a $40-$50 wine.
The nose is crazy. Wild berries, black berries and wild strawberries abound. Black cherries. Forest soil. Wild herbs. Wild mint. Roses. Needs a lot of air. Dark aromas and more funky than the 19 with some sponti aroma ls which are unusual for reds. It’s like a Grunhaus white. Intense wild cherry and wild forest berries along with wild strawberry. Very herbal. Wild mint and darker herbals. Rosemary. Thyme. Sage. Hint of parsley. Calling Simon & Garfunkel. Dried herbs from a spice rack. Juniper berries. Foundational aromas. Orange roses. Nose acts more like Bordeaux of yesteryear than like a Pinot. It’s more aggressive. One can smell tannins. One can smell the terrific complexity on the nose. It is so wild, so distinct and just wonderful. You’re smelling history.
The palate has a huge tannic structure. This is a classic Bordeaux in structure. But the texture and smoothness is all Burgundy. Stefan used no stems. There are super sappy black fruits on the attack and it’s a full bodied wine. It’s low in alcohol but full in body. It’s so heavy and full in the mouth. Only 12.5% alcohol. Huge core of very small berries. There was a lot of meat on the grapes that went into this but not much juice so it’s ultra concentrated. It’s got and awesome tiny berry fruit intensity to it. These are all warmer climate varieties. More darker fruits plus there is a fresh gamey, meaty aspect like cutting open a fresh animal after a hunt. Lots of aspects of mature Bordeaux. This will easily age longer than 10 years. Stefan told me this wine surprises him every time he tastes it. He thought it was going to be easy drinking but it’s got massive structure and density. Energy, freshness and very good acids. I mean the acidity is very strong. Not dominant but very present. Old time Bordeaux vibe from the 50s/60s/70s. Medium finish right now that will expand more with age. Tannins are more dominant at the moment. They are ripe. Very present but velvety and luscious. Bordeaux tannic structure and much Bordeaux like rather than Pinot but there is a Pinot vibe as well. Truly an exceptional and profound wine and will be an important part of the portfolio going forward. Needs 2-3 hours of air. This was aged for 2 years in the barrel (as was the 20) vs 1 for the 19
“The 2019er Alter Satz is a red wine made from a field blend of old grape varieties including Hartblau, Süssschwarz, Fränkischer Burgunder, Schwarzurban, and Schwarzblauer Affenthaler, which Stefan Steinmetz planted a few years ago to revive this old vineyard tradition in the Mosel. The wine was fermented and aged in a used Barrique from Burgundy for 12 months. This bright colored wine offers a fascinating nose of dark spices, juicy cherry, and fine spices much as one expects from a high-end Portugieser. The wine delivers the beautifully silky and fruity structure of a Burgundy on the palate and leaves a terrific feel of spices, ripe red berried fruits, and soy sauce. This debut vintage of this gorgeous red wine is a huge success! Now-2029.- 92 Points, Mosel Fine Wine (2019)
Please call Cheryl at 949 378 5251 after emailing with your firstorder 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.
2022 Günther Steinmetz Piesporter Goldtropfchen “GP” – $33.99
($127.96 4-pack, $359.88 12 bottle case {$29.99})
(VERY LIMITED)
2021 Günther Steinmetz “Alter Satz” – $24.99 ($91.96 4-pack)
(VERY LIMITED)
Mix and Match on 4 Bottles Or More For Deepest Deal
This Offer is Not Available to Retailers, Wholesalers or Restaurants
Shipping will be charged when wine ships.
These will be shipped in the Fall of 2024
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