Stefan Steinmetz
– One of the Smartest and Most Knowledgeable Winemakers in Europe
– One of the Greatest Tasters I’ve Ever Met
– One of My Oldest Friends in Wine
– He’s Been Snatching Up The Top Small Vineyards in the Mosel
– Style Is Absolutely Clear, Crystalline, Jaw Dropping Masterpieces That Perfectly Express the Vineyards
– Drinkable Now But Will Age for Decades
2022 Günther Steinmetz Riesling Dhroner Hofberger Reserve
– 97 Points (Pigott)
– Made with His Best Barrels
– The Most “Cochy” of His Top Dry Whites– That Skoche of Elegant Richnes
– Powerful and Creamy like Meursault
– Nose: Brilliant Complexity
– Crazy Florals: Yellow Flowers, Daisies
– Sweet Flowers from Acacia. Resinous
– Palate: Opulent Yet Super Refined
– “all the sensuality of a perfectly ripe peach.” (SP)
– “Great concentration” (SP)
– “What finesse!” (SP)|
– Acid-Driven Tropical Fruits
– Intense Inner Mouth Aromas
– Yellow Fruits
The Range
Stefan has two types of vineyards for his GG wines. The classics like Goldtropfchen and Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr and the up and comers he made famous like Piesporter Treppchen and Neumagener Rosengartchen.
The Style
So he gets these crazy vineyards and makes stunning Riesling. What are they are like? What’s the style here?
– They are as refined as Markus Molitor.
– But they have maybe even greater acid spines.
– They are as delicate and fine as Riesling can be.
– They have structure to last decades
– The biggest takeaway I have is that they are unbelievable young. In 20-25 minutes they just are drinking so well.
– They will age also 30 years. Or you can drink them tomorrow. And they will drink well young. It’s the key. Sometimes the GG Mosel dry wines need a few years to come together. Not at Steinmetz. Pop, pour, and drink elite level dry Riesling while the rest of your case rests in the cellar.
The Characteristics of Stefan’s Top Wines
When someone is interested in a Burgundy producer’s portfolio they generally buy all the wines in the lineup to compare and contrast the wines. For example the Pommard is powerful, mineral and elegant. The Volnay is haunting and ethereal with lights out aromatics. The Chambolle is lithe, elegant and sweet while the Gevrey is powerful and meaty. I tried to do that below with Stefan’s wines.
- Rosengartchen – The most mineral
- Treppchen – Largest scaled, yet creamy
- Hengelberg – Best texture like old school Wehlener Sonnenuhr
- Brauneberger Juffer – Sonnenuhr – most powerful and concentrated
- Hofberger – Like a Meursault 1er Cru- powerful and creamy texture from low yields; as low as Hengelberg.
The Wine
Today I am selling a very special wine from Stefan. The great 2022 Gunther Steinmetz Riesling Dhroner Hofberger Reserve for $46.99 on a 4-pack and the absurd price of $44.99 on a case. Oh and it’s 97 points by Pigott. I’ve been saving this as it’s such a crazy, outrageous wine for almost no money. Only in Germany! That’s one of the reasons I love it. You cannot get white wine this complex, interesting and ageworthy for under $50 (under 30 today!) in any other country. It’s remarkable and I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. Usually this is called Dhroner Hofberg GD but in 21 and 22 it’s called Reserve as it’s just an outrageous example (also it’s only 15/hl hectare yields and only 500 liters were made) of this exalted site that really wasn’t popular until AJ Adam and then Stefan Steinmetz started making masterpieces from this great vineyard. It’s so grandiose an chiseled.
This wine is a presence on your palate. I gave it a 9.9 so I liked it better than Pigott. I had a barrel sample Stefan gave Sven Enderle this summer when we did a wine trip in France together.
Nose is so crazy. Wow. Insane. Crazy florals. Yellow flowers. Daisies. Like laying in a wild grassland with all these flowers that are perpetually blooming around you. Sweet flowers from acacia. Resinous. It’s the beginning of the acacia flower cycle. The aromas are very Influenced by the Stockinger barrel as well which are special Austrian barrels Stefan only puts his best wines in. Superb nose after 2 hours open that is at a 9.9 level.
Palate is opulent yet is super refined because of the Stockinger barrels. So playful versus how it was this summer which was more muscular. Floral palate with intense inner mouth aromas and yellow fruits Huge acid and high and ripe acid-driven tropical fruits. Wild mint and herbals resonate throughout the palate. Very herbal. Wild herbs and green sweetness dust your palate but are so vivid and intense. Definitely some elegant richness from the barrels here – reminds me of Meursault. Very vibrant and chiseled. It used be Arnold in the 70’s when it was bottled and now it’s Brad Pitt in Fight Club. in its current state. And it gains in length to make the finish endless, You can drink it now but it only shows 30% of its potential but it will last forever.
“There’s just a hint of oak in this lush and very exciting dry Mosel riesling. Succulent peach and apricot fruit on the concentrated palate. Vibrant acidity for the 2022 vintage, then comes the spicy and silky finish that completes the stunning composition. Delicious now, but excellent potential. Drink or hold.” – 97 points, Stuart Pigott
Please call Cheryl at 949 378 5251 with your 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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