We also buy the same producers and largely the same wines every year, just a little more or little less depending on notes and vintage impressions, as well as what’s available.
That said, I have often found myself out of sync with the common wisdom as to which are the “best” vintages once a few years have passed, so I try not to get too caught in the hype. I have almost never found myself wishing I’d bought less of a German wine I know I love.
My German wine buying over the past several years also has gotten concentrated in a relative handful of producers. I look for vintages with good acidity these days. Unlike when I was young, ripeness does not seem to be an issue anymore. When was the last vintage in Germany where the grapes did not get sufficiently ripe?
1991?
Just went in on some 2020 Bürklin-Wolf (Forst Village, Wachenheimer Altenburg, Wachenheimer Gerümpel, and Wachenheimer Böhlig) from Robert Panzer’s offer to try a producer new to me.
We just put in our 2020 Laible request, along with some other usual suspect producers. Lovely to have a favorite no one else is chasing!
I saw, quite a haul! I haven’t seen Laible offers from Lyle in awhile, is he still importing them?
No, you saw a purchase of 2019 and some 2018. I didn’t post what we asked for in 2020.
Yes, Lyle still brings in several excellent bottlings, though not the GG Riesling. There were a few nice deals in his spring sale back a month or so ago.
The scramble for German wines in the US just hit a tiny bit easier. Can we hold you to it?
Not 100%, but I will be buying much less than normal. Already passed on two offers for 2020 that I bit hard in 2019.
I stared at that Bürklin-Wolf offer, read articles about past vintages, reviews, scanned this site, filled out a good sized order of village and 1ers … then deleted it. Don’t know how I found the strength. Panzer has too many tempting offers.
fify
Just joking 
My wife’s cold stare helped.
To answer the OP - based on limited early reviews I don’t see any reason not to buy my regulars for 2020. I’ll go lighter than ‘19 for sure, but will make steady cellar additions.
Here in EU 2020 Hofgut Falkenstein sells out faster than newly baked Croissants
Gisela Magnums in milliseconds
I grabbed some.
I went big on a first look of 2020 Falkenstein here fearing that as well. Will see what actually makes it to retail shelves after pre-arrival offers go out…
I went big on a first look of 2020 Falkenstein here fearing that as well. Will see what actually makes it to retail shelves after pre-arrival offers go out…
Did you include my order? I never got an email confirmation back from you…
Continuing on this less serious note, My FOMO on 2019 Falkenstein has been replaced by 2020 FOMO.
Watching an IG Live with Stephen Bitterolf right now. He says he’s only had 4 or 5 wines from the 2020 vintage so far. Compared to 2019 he says it feels like a leaner, more racy vintage with slightly higher acidity. Sounds like a great kabinett vintage to me.
Has anyone heard anything about the 2020 Eiswein harvest? I’m wondering about Donnhoff in particular.
There wasn’t much of one was there? There’s been very little in recent years.