What wines would you bring back?

I’m flying out to the Mosel this weekend, will be there for a week of tastings at many wineries. Due to limitations in the amount of wine I can bring back (I have a wine check and will try to stuff 4 wines in sleeves in my suitcase) I’m trying to decide which wines to actively seek out to try that may be difficult/impossible to source in the U.S. otherwise, particularly older vintages that may be found there. I plan to visit Rieslinghaus Porn in Bernkastel sometime during the week as I’ve heard rave reviews of its selection. As for the wineries I’m visiting, I’ll be going to Martin Mullen, Willi Schaefer, Schloss Leiser, Markus Molitor, Reinhold Haart, Zilliken, Peter Lauer, Karthauserhof, von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser, and JJ Prum.

I’d look for wines that are hard to source in the US, maybe the upper end Kellers, Julian Haart, von Hovel.


Of course when I read the title I thought you were asking “If you could bring back into existence any wine which is no longer made what would it be?” I had a lot of ideas, maybe I’ll start that thread :slight_smile:

Funny, I read the topic as what wines are no longer made but you would want to bring back and make again…

Was in the same situation as you a few years ago. Also with limited space, I focused on wines that would be difficult to find in the U.S. – so mostly higher pradikat wines such as cask-numbered Auslese, goldkaps, and so forth. While I don’t think these wines are necessarily better than regular Kabinetts and Spatleses, I had to be selective and with a few exceptions many of these can be tough to find back home. Also half bottles take up a lot less space in the suitcase. :slight_smile:

Hopefully when I return I can share my spoils from the trip :slight_smile:

Good call on the 375’s [cheers.gif]

Older stuff.

Sounds like a great trip. It’d it were me, I’d be focused on wines with some age on them if they are available. I know zilliken holds back stock for many years (they released some ‘99s last year). Having the opportunity to buy perfectly stored wines that are ready to drink now would be my focus.

In most cases, wineries maintain a stock of auction bottlings in addition to the selection sent to the Mosel Ring every year. For Schaefer, Prum and Lauer- might be worth inquiring as to availability. These do come up for sale in the US periodically, but interestingly it is usually the Auslesen. So Spatlese are the harder to come by and where I would be asking if it were me.

Otherwise, out of the wineries on your list where I am also a fan, I find Schloss Lieser the most difficult to obtain here by far.

Not on your list- but if you are a fan and will have time to get to one or two good shops, Fritz Haag stickies are incredibly difficult to get in the US. If you have any fondness for their BA or TBA, now is your magic chance.

All great points. Agree on Lieser, though the situation wasn’t any better there. When I visited in 2014 they had basically nothing to sell. Larger estates like Grunhaus and Karthauserhof had large selections.

Tom: I haven’t had Fritz Haag wines before, but I’ll be on the lookout for them in shops and may bring a bottle back if I have any luck.

David: Sorry to hear about Lieser. If I can buy anything from them you’ll be the first to know :slight_smile: Looking back on your previous post, what is cask-numbered Auslese? Same as the AP numbers?

Thanks for the tips everyone. Will have to see what the wineries are selling.

Cask-numbered Auslesen are basically another way for designing the higher-end Auslese bottlings, like goldkapsels. Some producers use goldkapsels, some use cask-numbers, others use stars. For example, Grunhaus and Karthauserhof use cask numbers. It’s not the same as AP number. You will find them easily because they will be labeled as such on the price list and they will be much more expensive. [wink.gif]

Got it, thanks!

Just go and ask what older wines they have to sell to you at Porn.

Same. And I thought the original Karl Lawrence.

I had a 1998 Karl Lawrence Herb Lamb Reserve earlier this year, was incredible [cheers.gif]

Another vote for Grunhaus cask-numbered Auslesen and Schaefer older and/or auction wines.

I would bring back older wines from 75, 71, 61 and other impossible to find vintages in US.

A friend of mine actually just got back from a week in Trier and brought me 4 bottles. We decided on 2x Maximin Grunhauser Spatburgunder and 2x Van Volxem Sekt 1900 as both have very limited production and were impossible to source in the UK.

Pretty much what has already been said - stick to special bottlings. Higher pradikats such as Eiswein, BA and TBA are really tough to get in the USA, so bite the cost bullet and focus there.

And good thing they come in smaller bottles for packing :wink:

I fly out in 8 hours:D