letuffeau.com
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Dr. Loosen
Bernkastel - Mosel, Germany
“Despite—or perhaps because of—the major challenges posed by the weather, especially the very rainy August and hot September, the 2023 Mosel wines are of astounding, even beguiling quality.”
— Stephan Reinhardt, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
“There is no way around it: the Dr. Loosen wines are in ‘Dan's’. Just the entry level ones, thankfully, and not these genre-defining Grosses Gewachs (Grand Crus).
That out of the way, I can wax lyrical about the wines. To start at the top: the Loosen family owns vines in one of my favourite villages (anywhere): Erden. Here, clinging to the practically vertical cliffs of weathered red slate, there are very old vines in the Pralat and Treppchen vineyards. These sites have long been renowned for their famous wines. The former is a tiny 1.5ha plot of the most vaunted vines in Germany, the latter substantially larger on the steps (ie: giant stone terraces) leading up the Pralat. Slightly less deep and fine than the Pralat, perhaps, but still producing wines of staggering quality.
Further along the Mosel are the potentially more internationally-renowned sites of Wurzgarten (‘Spice Garden’, in Urzig immediately up-River from Erden) and Sonnenuhr (‘Sundial’ in Wehlen, a few kilometres downstream). The former produces spicy and densely fruited wines, the latter racy and powerful wines with great succulence from the well-sunned vines in which the eponymous sundial is nestled.
A word about the style. These are rich, powerful wines. They of course have great natural acidity yet for me speak to a generosity and depth that can only come from the earth itself, and is accentuated by lees work and aging in Fuder (vast barrels). These are benchmarks for the region; very very fine wines.”
— David
“Few people have done as much to revive the reputation of German Riesling as Ernie Loosen, aka 'Mr Riesling'. The ebullient and articulate winery owner took over his family's estate in 1987 and has since built an enviable business. Refreshingly opinionated and energetic, he collaborates with winemakers in Australia, Oregon and Washington, and always seems to be in some airport or other on his tireless travels. Yet his team, above all cellarmaster Bernhard Schug, who has worked at Ernie's side since 1988, manage to deliver great wines from a 22-hectare portfolio of historic sites ... Loosen also worked to return to dry the dry styles that his grandfather had made, which all mature in large, old fuder.”
— The Wines of Germany, Anne Kriebiehl MW
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~ please note : strictly limited quantities ~
David: As an aside, I rarely ever see serious reviews from serious reviewers (Reinhardt, Kriebiehl) with such high scores on wines of this price…
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(special)
Dr. Loosen 2018 Erdener Pralat Riesling Reserve GG
(Price on application by reply email.)
“Enormous power and concentration, but every bit as much finesse. Hard to wrap your head around this monumental yet refined wine. The elegance is extraordinary for this super-warm vintage, Lovely mango fruit, but this is not a bit loud. Then comes an extraordinary minerality in the incredibly long finish.”
99pts — Stuart Piggott, jamessuckling.com
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Dr. Loosen 2023 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling GG
(Shelf Price: $119.00)
Offer: $105.00
“The 2023 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Alte Reben Grosses Gewächs presents slate and lemon zest on the nose, promising chiseled elegance. The palate is immensely elegant and fine-boned. It's streamlined, precise and stony, with lemon juiciness driving deep into the stone, leaving a statuesque feel.”
95-97pts — Anne Kriebiehl MW, vinous.com
Order here
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II
Dr. Loosen 2023 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling GG
(Shelf Price: $119.00)
Offer: $105.00
“The 2023 Ürziger Würzgarten GG Alte Reben represents the impressively steep, red-colored, iron-rich cru perfectly well on the fragrant, very elegant, deep, intense and complex nose that is pure, fresh and refined but also tropical, saline and smoky. Round and crystalline on the palate, this is a full-bodied, intense and elegant, deeply structured but also generous and lush, nevertheless precise and saline Würzgarten with class and style. 12.5% stated alcohol.”
95pts — Stephan Reinhardt, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Order here
(Link)
III
Dr. Loosen 2023 Erdener Treppchen Riesling GG
(Shelf Price: $119.00)
Offer: $105.00
“From the ferrous red slate soils of this very steep vineyard next to the Prälat, the 2023 Erdener Treppchen GG Alte Reben opens clear, deep, fresh and intense yet also refined on the elegant nose that intermingles delicate slate and intense saline notes with concentrated and spicy Riesling aromas without becoming too fruity. Mouth-filling, saline and highly refined on the palate, this is an elegant but tight and very complex, intense, long und textural Treppchen with a sustainable and layered finish that exhibits mineral and herbal flavors as well as great and complex intensity that is sourced from the terroir and transported by the deep roots of the ancient vines. The 2023 Treppchen is a highlight of the vintage in Loosen's portfolio and most probably among all the Grosses Gewächs Rieslings from the Middle Mosel. 12.5% stated alcohol.”
96pts — Stephan Reinhardt, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Order here
(Link)
If you would like any of the above, would like to come by for a private appointment, or just have some questions — please let us know.