I took a bottle of Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2015 along to a meal at my friends house, she’s not a wine person…
“This is the most amazing wine I’ve ever tasted!”
Think I’ve won a convert to the world’s greatest grape variety…
Vintages are often overhyped, but 2015 in most of Germany has turned out to be a winner, Willi Schaefer is another that rarely disappoints.
You’ve done well.
I finally gave up the ghost last week in my quest to convert my father. He’s a lost cause. After attempt no 4, this time with a glass of the 1999 Geyerhoff that TWS sold a year or so ago, he just doesn’t get riesling at all.
Please don’t try to make converts; we don’t want demand to go up.
Several years ago, I was at an auction where a couple of cases of this came up. Nobody was interested, so I got them for a silly price - around £40/doz IIRC.
Well, you win some, you lose some. This time lady luck was smiling on me (unlike the previous few times when she had clearly been out to lunch). Given the age, and the less than stellar vintage, I was anticipating a few at least being past it. But they have all been wonderful. Truly characterful mature riesling - no signs of tiredness still.
It makes a lovely wine for a summer’s evening, not so sweet that it is difficult to match with food, but a balanced wine that maintains interest, with the added bonus of those honeyed notes that only come with time.
(I had never heard of Laurentiushof, but a spot of research suggests that this house is now called Milz-Laurentiushof. Comments seem to be that the quality of their wines varies somewhat from year to year. There is another outfit just called Laurentiushof, but they have their vines around Calmont in the upper Mosel. Perhaps there was some sort of split?)
The Laurentiushof you have is based in Trittenheim with plots in Piesport, Ockfen and Giesberg plus others, this is an old 17th century family firm and to my knowledge is all Riesling.
The Calmont , reputed to be the steepest vineyards in Europe has noinformation I could find re Laurentiushof, but this is a neglected area and only recently have efforts been made to start production again as the slopes were not a viable proposition and much fell into disuse.
If you have information re Laurentiushof in the Calmont I would be interested, the label style looks familiar but I can’t place it, looks like you purchased a bargain.
A wet year…
I can’t make this myself but others might be interested
https://mailchi.mp/howardripley/2022germanep-974842?e=602b9858fd
The only information I have of the Laurentiushof with vines on Calmont is this one I’m afraid -
Weingut Laurentiushof.
Not sure their offering looks wildly exciting though.
I’m afraid you are correct, not on any lists I know of.
01438 741177
