A Trip to Germany

10/16/23

In July I went to Germany for the first time, spending almost the entire trip in the Mosel – seeing places I’ve only read about, connecting familiar faces to their home turf and, celebrating 10 years of inspired work by importer vom Boden.

With a swath of German new arrivals landing, too, it felt like a good time to reflect on the 2022 vintage, share some takeaways from the trip and share details on our next in-person event.

- Chris

2022: ANOTHER TO REMEMBER

It’s tough to be the sibling of a decorated, adored older sibling. That position can cast a shadow quickly. However, despite all of the (deserved) press about 2021 Riesling, ‘22 is just as confident; but a whole lot easier to engage with. Cooling and quenching – consistently so – the wines are a joy to drink. The product of a sunny, temperate growing season.

I’ve been reading a lot of reports using “filigreed” to describe the vintage but, for me, that's too precious for 2022. One descriptor I do love is Stephen Bitterolf’s: “SATURATE and EVAPORATE…because this is exactly what they do.” If you take the phenolic citric grip of ‘21 and replace it with an intoxicating aroma of jasmine, you’ll start picturing just how pretty the wines are. Back to back, one is thunder, the other lighting.

These are joyous, delicious wines. Built for living (read: drinking) in real time. Not for aging over a decade – which in the world of reference-point-riesling, is a breath of fresh air.

Highlights below (including some soon to arrive gems!)

TO VOM BODEN, A CHEERS

When you’re a retailer, the best working relationships don't follow a simple client x vendor dynamic. They read more like a partnership. Their success is yours. And, vom Boden’s inspired success in elevating regions, people and TBH, Riesling – has made Leon & Son a more dynamic business. A more interesting place to explore the world of wine.

vom Boden's founder Stephen Bitterolf in his element, Vollenweider's Goldgrube

It's not easy to import unpronounceable-to-most products, let alone sell them; but vom Boden has been doing that for a decade. And, really well. Because they believe and love what they’re selling. We’ll raise a very full glass to that.

🇩🇪 NEW ARRIVALS 🇩🇪

Keep an eye out for: library wines + '22s from Willi Schaefer, the high-wire wines of Hermann Ludes, icons from Ulli Stein, Saar unicorns from Hofgut Falkenstein, a tiny drop from Keller and the full range of Dönnhoff’s '22s.

RECENTLY ARRIVED HIGHLIGHTS:

PETER LAUER

King of the Saar. The full range of '22s recently landed, including Grand Cru and Prädikat wines →

CLEMENS BUSCH

The biodynamic pride of Punderich! Tiny drops of GGs and the return his insanely valued Trocken →

J.B. BECKER

Rheingau doesn’t get more unique, or in his 2021s, more delicious... →

JULIAN HAART

Tiny drops left of his practically-dry 'Moselle' (top wines land later 2023) →

MAX KILBURG

Speaking of Julian Haart (for whom Max worked before taking over his family's 20th generation estate) ...these are a must-have for lovers of Goldtröpfchen and Geierslay →

And for the OG cut, newly arrived '19 STEINMETZ from the same sites →

ICYMI...

Library 2016 GGs from GUNDERLOCH landed today;

EGON MÜLLER Kabis and 'Scharzhof' are here;

as are the ever-elegant GGs from SCHÄFER-FRÖLICH

DRINK WINE WITH US

We’re excited for another very special in-person event!

We’ll be hanging out with Stephen Bitterolf, the founder of vom Boden. And, you’ll get to take home one of the very first copies of Stephen’s book, Vom Boden: Ten Years of Hocks & Moselles.

The book tells his story of starting an import company, alongside regional love letters, personal photos, maps and more. It’s truly an intimate perspective, and we’ll be cozying up with Stephen and (several) flights of wine that illustrate what's happening in Germany now. Yes, you will be tasting more than just Riesling! But also – some incredible Riesling.

GET TICKETS →

THE MOSEL:

AN EXISTENTIAL MOMENT

Driving up and down the Mosel river, you see overgrown fallow vineyards, especially driving through lesser-known villages. And, as sad and maybe even stark as this sounds, it does provide an opportunity.

Many of the land owners are motivated to sell or give away these perilous vineyards (by law, unused parcels are required to be ripped out – difficult, and costly).

I can’t think of any other visible European appellation where world-class vineyards are as accessible as this. It's made for a unique time to be watching the work here, as many wide-eyed (and open-minded) producers are taking hold of choice parcels and reimagining what Mosel wine is. If you want to know what this inflection point tastes like, look no further then PHILIP LARDOT.

In short: Germany is arguably redefining its wine culture more drastically than any other in Europe – turning a corner from being for German wine lovers, to being for all wine lovers. And we're here for it.

SHOP ALL GERMANY

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