TN: 2017 Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett (AP 12)

Impossibly pale. Limpid. Reticent at first, a day of air brings out creamy lime blossom aromas. But the mouth is screaming from the get-go. Sassafras, what MFW called greengage, more lime, and barely ripe white peach. Highly etched pronounced and mouthwatering acidity but hinting at creaminess to come. Very long. Weightess. Crystalline but not like the ultra-pure and insanely cut 2016. Now I want to try the Alte Reben and will have to figure out where to find it.

YES, this was also my impression.

Thanks for the note. I was only able to get a single bottle of the Alte Reben, along with a couple spatlesen from 2017. I was on a strict buying moratorium when I saw the Alte Reben on sale at Chambers, so I abstained, and it’s quite difficult to find now

I find the 2015s, at least the feinherbs, to be hitting their stride now compared to release, so I’ll be holding the 2017s for a bit. Falkenstein has so much zing that it’s almost too much to handle on release. Electric is how I often described these wines. Sometimes painfully so.

Precisely what I loved about 2016 and 2015!

This was electric, just a slightly lower current than 2016.

I’ve had several of the Falkenstein 2017s (and 2016s) and they are really very good, electric even, and yet not quite as thrilling as 2016. I have especially liked the 2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett feinherb - a beautiful blade of a wine, finely etched and filigreed. Utterly delightful and joyous. It has wowed non-geeks.

I have been favoring less-sweet rieslings in general and the Falkenstein lineup has several Kabinett and feinherb wines that are just the ticket for me. The 2017 AP12 Kabinett of Jayson’s note is fantastic. The 2017 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb AP3 is also dynamite. The 2017 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben is packed and needs time and/or air.

The 2016 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb AP3 is absolutely sick - my favorite of all the Falkenstein wines I have tried from 2016/2017.

Enablers. Just grabbed more.

Thanks for this thread. Found the 2016 #12 and #14 locally, and just picked up case.

I’m drinking the 2017 niedermenniger herrenberg spatlese feinherb (AP 3) this evening. It’s delcious - lemony, racy, minty with wintergreen on the palate and subtle with just a hint of petrol on the nose. I snagged a few of the kabinett alte reben but haven’t opened one yet and the only euschariusberg kabinett was unfortunately corked. But Hofgut Falkenstein is firing on all cylinders and don’t really seem to miss right now.

In general, 2017 seems to be a pretty wonderful year for kabinett. I generally drink kabinett with a few years of age, but between Wei-Ku and Julian Haart, I’m having a hard time keeping my hands off them. And the Lauer and Grunhaus auction kabinetts are both out of this world.
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This is on tap for me. Will probably pop one tomorrow night.

I tasted this last week and it was beautiful. The density and lightness worked so well together.

AP 12 is also from old vines, even if only the one Euchariusberg Kabinett (AP 8) is designated as “Alte Reben,” because it is made from a plot of ungrafted, old vines. The parcels for both Kabinetts adjoin each other in the prime Großschock sector—the original south-facing slope of Euchariusberg (ca. 4 ha), which was highly rated in the 19th century and colored dark red on Clotten’s 1868 Viticultural Map of the Saar and Mosel.

2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben

An exceptional Kabinett. Really best of class.

White Fruit. Yellow fruit. Slate. Minerals. Mint. Florals.

And a hint, a subtle hint, of diesel. Ok, more than a hint.

Still taught, very linear, takes some coaxing to release its expansiveness on the palate. But wow what a range. Just enjoyed this beautiful wine with pan-seared blue crab cakes on arugula with shaved, aged parmigiana, olive oil and sea salt. Divine. I don’t normally say this with Kabinett - I tend to love them baby fresh - but this infant needs some maturation.

A notch above 2016 and 2015.

Told you!

I liked 2016 a hair better but both so good. Try day 2 and shake the hell out of it. Even better. And petrol blows off.

Day 2?

I tried my first bottle of the 2018 Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben. Delicate, white stone fruits on the nose (pears, peach). But on the palate, almost too much too handle. I think it’s quite a bold kabinett, very deep, apples on the forefront. But maybe it’s just me who likes my kabinett a bit more mellowed down? Still have 5 bottles to follow.

As a reference point: I had a W. Schaefer Graacher Riesling feinherb (so off-dry) 2012 yesterday, that was tasting better to my palate. It’s also from the Mosel. Similar price point in Europe as far as I can see.

Thanks for the note. When I went to NYC for the Paulee, I bought some 2017 Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Spätlese, but I have not tried it yet. You are making me want to try one.

Jozef,
I’m fairly certain that in 2018, because of the extreme heat, only the first press free run juice with the highest acidity was used in the wine (and the rest was sold off). So I think that might explain why this was a bit ripping, and pretty far from mellow! I liked the wine a lot, although not nearly as much as the ‘17, which I thought was really special. I’m interested to see what happens to the ‘18 over time and whether a wine from just that first press will make old bones so I’ve set some aside for the long term.
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Don’t the Falkenstein wines come from the Saar, not the Mosel (unlike Graach, which is in the Mittel Mosel)?