Fun fact: Did you know that the wines of the Saar River in Germany, at the turn of the 1900s, were so renowned for their quality that they routinely commanded double the price of top Bordeaux (think Cheval Blanc & Latour)?

Today, at over 50% off? These are absolute bargains!

When we popped this bottle at HQ, along with the other Rieslings available today, we knew it was something special. Weingut Dr. Wagner has been around since 1880 – known for lighter, racy Rieslings that age incredibly well. And at 10 years-young, we can confirm that this 2015 is incredible! Loaded with exotic fruits and developing notes of honey and marmalade, the finish is crisp, lime-tinged, mineral, and oh-so long!

Made famous by the likes of St. Urbans Hof, Zilliken, and Markus Molitor, the vineyard, Ockfener Bockstein is easily one of the most prestigious in the region. Its vertiginously steep south-facing slope captures every ounce of sunshine in this superbly cool region, allowing for optimal ripeness. Meanwhile, its grey slate soils collaborate to produce wines with exotic flavors, a vibrant freshness, and a distinctively mineral finish.

To address the elephant in the room – Yes, Spätlese wines have residual sugar. We know that the idea of ‘sweet’ wine scares many people. But it shouldn’t. Don’t let it. As a trained Operative, you owe it to yourself to try it. Without a doubt, some of the best wines in the world have residual sugar (think Sauternes, Tokaji, and yes… often German Rieslings.) They have since time immemorial. The key here is the natural balance of racy acidity - giving this wine its piercing fruit flavors and ephemeral minerality. It is what makes this wine so incredibly food-friendly with a wide range of options from game meats like wild boar, duck, or turkey (Thanksgiving, anyone?) to spicy Asian fare from Vietnamese Pho or traditional Dim Sum.

It also helps the wine age. Riesling is notoriously long-lived in the cellar. While this wine is a library release, it is just beginning to come into its own and will easily develop further over the coming decade.

Winemaking at Dr. Wagner was by Christiane Wagner, the fifth generation of the family, in 2009. Her talent was rewarded with increasing recognition from critics. The bad news - despite this, for personal reasons, she has recently decided to sell the winery. It is on the market for €1.45 Million. It remains to be seen if they will continue to produce wine under new ownership.

Per Mosel Fine Wines, “To the question how was the vintage, Christiane Wagner answered with a big smile: ‘Relaxed!’ We can only agree with Christiane: The 2015 vintage played into the hands of the elegant and light style favored by the Estate. The wines have a lightness and brightness rarely found in the vintage. In particular, the fruity-styled Kabinett and Spätlese are models of playfulness and airiness. If elegant, playful, racy Mosel Riesling is your thing, you should plunge into the gorgeous wines of Dr. Wagner in 2015!”

The moral of the story? Stock up now! It may be your last chance at this beautifully aged white!!!

Mosel Fine Wines “Harvested at a modest 88° Oechsle, this gorgeous Spätlese offers a stunning nose of fresh cassis, herbs and spices. The wine is superbly elegant and juicy on the palate, with a hint of tangerine and orchard fruits adding freshness and vibrancy to the wine. The lightness and aromatic complexity in the finish are simply remarkable. This gorgeously well-balanced success is a great tribute to the great zest and elegance of the Saar from the 1990s! Drink 2025-2040.”