Andrew Guard

2023 Krettnacher Altenberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken, Hofgut Falkenstein

The 2023er Krettnacher Altenberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken comes from 50-60-year-old vines in the Enkers part of the vineyard. It offers a 
beautiful and superbly finely chiseled nose of mirabelle, greengage, smoke, and citrusy elements. The wine is superbly light-footed yet packed with 
flavors on the zesty palate. It leaves a great sense of minerals and subtle fruits in the long finish. The balance is racy but still beautifully engaging 
and juicy. 2028-2038 92pts - Mosel Fine Wines


Erich Weber of Hofgut Falkenstein makes ultra-traditional, mostly dry-tasting Saar Rieslings. He likes to call himself “Winzer Weber.” Winzer is German for winegrower. In other words, the emphasis is on the work in his vineyards. With his tan and rugged face, he looks the part, too.

Erich ferments exclusively with wild yeasts in old wooden casks in a deep, cool cellar, and most of his wines end up either naturally dry (trocken) or off-dry (feinherb). Falkenstein, therefore, is one of the rare Saar producers that specializes in distinctive, bracing, light, dry Rieslings, bottled traditionally by the cask.

Falkenstein makes light-bodied, tangy, wholesome, dry-tasting Saar Rieslings, as well as residually sweet Spätlesen and Auslesen. These are old-style wines for drinking, which often retain a lively (spritzig), natural efferverscence from fermentation. In other words, they go down well — Trinkfluss in German. © 2014 Lars Carlberg