2023 Stein Himmelreich Kabinett Feinherb (750ml)

“Weihwasser” meaning Holy Water, from vines in the St. Aldegunder Klosterkammer vineyard near the old church in Alf. Barely off dry with salty lemon, pear and extremely high drinkability. This is a PERFECT old school feinherb as they used to be made, low in alcohol and disappears in the glass before you know it.

Importer notes (Vom Boden)

Consider this Stein’s “1er Cru” vineyard; though it’s a 1er Cru vineyard with 70 to 80+ year-old ungrafted vines and a serious terroir of mostly blue slate. This is the “other” Himmelreich and similar to its more famous sibling in Graach, the wines from this site always show a slimmer profile, a pronounced mineral fine-ness and lift. With only about 15 grams RS (just beyond dry), this is a wildly restrained and chiseled, old-school “Feinherb.

The Palmberg is Stein’s “Grand Cru” and a vineyard to measure against any other vineyard in the Mosel, period. It is an awesome site, an ancient wall of vines filled with ungrafted plantings that are 90+ years old. The Palmberg is cut on one side by a stream, so the vineyard angles away from the Mosel. In former times this was likely a liability, the cool wind pouring down the valley and the distance from the river keeping optimum ripeness in all but the top vintages just beyond grasp. This is no longer an issue and these cooler vineyards, especially when they have old vines, are a massive asset. This wine is ruthless, cut, mineral, fresh and phenolic. It is quite simply one of my favorite wines of this vintage and it will age, easily, for 10-20+ years.

-Importer notes (Vom Boden)