Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2021

Producer Profile

Erich and Johannes Weber are one of the last producers making traditional Mosel Riesling. Not members of the VDP, Hofgut Falkenstein do things their own way, including delivering most of their wine across Germany themselves.

Falkenstein’s adherence is to natural wine production, favouring the traditions of the pre-1971 wine laws. The wine laws of 1971 gave producers greater autonomy to ‘adulterate’ musts and, to a degree, made uniform the wine production processes of the various Pradikats. In other words, many estates, including the most famous were given greater latitude in regards to adding sugar, taking acid away, using enzymes, cultivated yeasts and so on – essentially encouraging wine producers to make wines to fit within categories.

The Webers of Hofgut Falkenstein, apart from small additions of sulphur, don’t add anything. Saar based, there are 13 hectares of steep south facing vineyards, mostly of old vines. One hectare is ungrafted and the grapes of young vines are sold off, rather than make an inferior product. Fermentation and ageing is in 1000 litre fuder, plus a couple of 500 litre halbfuder. The musts are allowed to ferment without any help whatsoever, and when it stops, that’s it, finished. In other words, if the must ferments dry or with a level of residual, it doesn’t matter. The pH is very low, usually around 3 and the acidity levels are high, ensuring stability, freshness and long ageing potential.

Falkenstein’s wines do not fit easily into classifications, at least as most of us would imagine them. If for example a Falkenstein wine is labelled as a Kabinett Trocken, then you will find a “light” dry wine. They are indeed light, being picked at the required Oeschle (between 67 and 82 degrees), but there is a vibrant density of flavour, unimaginable in a Riesling from anywhere else. Going to the other extreme, pick an Auslese, and you will find sweetness, but nothing along the lines of a Prum, Haag or, closer to home, an Egon Muller. Rippling, tense and charged, with the volume of a white burgundy but the vibrancy and thrashing intensity of crashing surf. Sugar is the balancing act, under shadow. Imagine ethereal, silken Prum, the luxurious decadence of an Egon Muller, or the pristine linear grace of Fritz Haag. All familiar, all great, but not Falkenstein.

Further, the Falkenstein wines are classified according to their Pradikat level (Kabinett, Spatlese, etc) and vineyard name (Niedermenninger Herrenberg, Krettnacher Euchariusberg etc) along with an AP number. The AP number denotes a precise cask or fuder which also carries a name, usually the previous owner of the vineyard. Most estates will bottle with the name of the vineyard and Pradikat level, or occasionally denote a special parcel or cask, but not fuder. Bottling by fuder is a Falkenstein tradition and it is a truly wonderous experience to taste and drink the different ferments. Not even the Burgundians bottle barrels!

Bottling is completed at the estate, by hand, without machine, straight from the fuder. Vineyard expression, as important as it may be, is only as important as the traditions and processes of wine production. These wines are the Mosel, or strictly speaking Saar as it was, as it still is, as it should be. Beyond the history, the wines are simply thrilling. Thrilling enough to be  worlds finest and at prices that a great many of us can afford. A new benchmark, on so many levels, is set.