Wine Advocate (94)

The complex aromatics of the opaque, black-colored 2003 Dow Vintage Port display chocolate, dried oak, black cherries, blackberries, copious spices, and a myriad flowers. This fresh, backward wine offers a medium to full-bodied, deeply concentrated core of spice-laced dark fruits. Softly-textured and seductive in the mid-palate, it boasts abundant layers of candied Damson plums, blueberries, black cherries, molasses, and hints of chocolate before revealing its firm structure. Extremely youthful and primary, this exceptional effort demands patience. Projected maturity: 2025-2045+. Importer: Premium Port Wines, Inc., San Francisco, CA; tel. (866) 554-9920

Wine Spectator (99)

Powerful, refined and luscious, with a surplus of dark plum, kirsch and cassis flavors that are unctuous and long. Shows plenty of grip, presenting a long, full finish, filled with Asian spice and raspberry tart accents. Rich and chocolaty. One for the ages. Best from 2030 through 2060. 5,000 cases made. -KM

Wine Spectator (98)

This packs a lot of fun, with a wallop of blackberry, fig, boysenberry and açai berry compote flavors working together, laced with a mouthwatering licorice snap note and driven by a fresh, well-detailed finish. A roasted apple wood accent is integrated as well, lending textural contrast through the vivacious finish. Best from 2030 through 2055. 350 cases made

Vinous (98)

The 2017 Dow’s Vintage Port showed a slight reduction and required more time to really open in the glass. Typical of Dow’s it has a more backward and introspective bouquet compared to its peers, scents of blackberry, clove, wild mint, cassis and vanilla, gradually gaining more intensity with aeration. The palate is simply glorious. It is built around a compelling tannic frame that seems finer than any Dow’s I have encountered apart from the ethereal 2011. There is so much energy coiled up in this Port, a sense of symmetry that is enthralling and yet you just know that it needs to be cellared for 15-20 years for it to reveal its full potential. For serious Port-lovers. One of the vintages most cerebral offerings. Total production is 5,250 cases.

Vinous (98)

The 2017 Dow’s Vintage Port showed a slight reduction and required more time to really open in the glass. Typical of Dow’s it has a more backward and introspective bouquet compared to its peers, scents of blackberry, clove, wild mint, cassis and vanilla, gradually gaining more intensity with aeration. The palate is simply glorious. It is built around a compelling tannic frame that seems finer than any Dow’s I have encountered apart from the ethereal 2011. There is so much energy coiled up in this Port, a sense of symmetry that is enthralling and yet you just know that it needs to be cellared for 15-20 years for it to reveal its full potential. For serious Port-lovers. One of the vintages most cerebral offerings. Total production is 5,250 cases.

Vinous (94)

Decadent, musky, heady notes of lily and narcissus overshadow orange marmalade and pear preserves on the nose. The glossy, caressing midpalate is wafting in its delicacy and liquid florality, yet also lusciously fruity. Site-typical notes of sassafras, tarragon and black tea add unexpected cooling and smoky complexities to the luscious fruit and liquid perfume of a hauntingly sustained finish. This bottling – which eloquently reflects Schug’s attempt to preserve delicacy, lift and definition in wines from Prälat – fermented spontaneously in cask, whereas the “regular” Auslesen reflect some stainless steel and yeasting.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Erdener Treppchen Riesling GG Alte Reben comes from two very old plots adjacent the Prälat (the upper part of the former original Treppchen and the lower Herzlay) that have never been replanted since long before World War I. It shows a clear, intense yet subtle and deep, highly complex but also refined bouquet of very fine red slate and herbal aromas as well as perfectly clear and elegant Riesling fruits. Silky textured, highly finessed and perfectly balanced on the palate, this is a very intense and juicy, enormously long and concentrated yet finessed and mouthwatering Treppchen with the crystalline grip of broken slate and the intensity and complexity of biblical vines in a great terroir. The 2019 Treppchen is arguably the finest dry wine I have ever tasted from Ernie Loosen. Highly recommended. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Wine Advocate (96+)

From volcanic soils, the 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling GG Alte Reben is beautifully clear, fresh and subtle on the precise and highly finessed bouquet of slate, iodine and herbal scents. The warm and elegant Riesling fruit intertwined with very fine herbal notes represents the very best of this exceptional grand cru in its original, much smaller size. Almost entirely sourced from the Urglück, this is a lush and intense, enormously powerful yet restrained and slatey Würzgarten GG with crystalline acidity that leads to a long, intense and still slightly astringent finish with refreshing lemon features. This wine is still developing and has the potential to become another giant of the vintage. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

James Suckling (94)

Very fresh and vibrant, with terrific white tree fruit and peach aromas, but this has terrific structure for a Mosel Kabinett, the fine tannins underlining the fruit beautifully. Very long finish for a wine with such a light body. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Wine Advocate (96)

From vines planted in 1911 or earlier in the Laichen lieu-dit, Loosen's 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling GG Alte Reben is sylphlike, highly delicate and fine in its multilayered, fruity, floral and crunchy/flinty bouquet that reveals very fine slate aromas and even salty notes. Absolutely fabulous! Silky textured, lush and generous yet highly finessed, this is an intense yet subtle, pure and minerally fresh Riesling from one of the Mosel's finest vineyard. The finish is long, fresh, piquant and sustainably structured as well as salty. Irresistible. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Vinous (90)

Cheesy post-fermentative notes mingle with sweaty and musky scents to give the nose an intriguing cast, but one that many tasters will not find enticing. With that come overripe pear and faded lily perfume. The palate is glossy and lush though naturally alcoholically light, with inner-mouth perfume accentuating the decadent impression conveyed by the wine’s pear and quince fruit. The unabashedly sweet finish is impressive for sheer persistence, but lacks the freshness delivered by the corresponding Spätlese A.P. #3 or the salinity exhibited by the Spätlese A.P. #4. This reminds me of what I consider the more typical Thanisch Doctor Spätlesen and Auslesen of a decade or two ago: wines that gained definition and enhanced complexity with bottle age, but in their youth showed decadently overripe and surprisingly soft.

The Dr Thanisch Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese 2019 is a masterpiece of refined viticulture. Sourced from the prestigious Berncasteler Doctor vineyard in Mosel, Germany, this splendid Riesling exhibits all the hallmarks of an exceptional Auslese. Produced by the venerable Dr Thanisch winery—an establishment with a proud tradition spanning 375 years—this remarkable wine embodies their dedication to precision, tradition, and quality.

The grapes handpicked for this particular vintage benefited from an extended growing period, leading to an impressive balance of sugar and acidity. The resultant wine thus possesses a delightful sweetness, underpinned by a delicate acerbity invoking flavours of ripe peach, crisp apple, and a dash of honey. Its floral undertone further enhances its graceful complexity.

Earning acclaim from global wine critics, the Dr Thanisch Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese 2019 meritoriously upholds the reputation of German Rieslings, marking it a supreme choice for any discerning wine enthusiast.

The Dr Thanisch Berncasteler Doctor Riesling GG 2017 is an exceptional German Riesling, revered by connoisseurs world over. This masterpiece hails from the prestigious Berncasteler Doctor vineyard, nestled on the heart of the Mosel region. Laid out on precipitous slopes facing south, it enjoys an impeccable climate and unique mineral-rich blue slate soils that significantly contribute to the wine's signature profile.

Under the careful stewardship of the Thanisch family, the winery has preserved its high standard since 1636. The grape's late harvest ensures optimal maturity, undergoing gentle crushing, long-term maceration, and fermentation in traditional oak foudres, creating a profoundly aromatic and well-structured wine.

The Dr Thanisch Berncasteler Doctor Riesling GG 2017 reveals layers of white fruits, nuanced with elegant minerality and delicate floral undertones. Its vibrant acidity balanced by its subtle sweetness, producing a long-finishing, sensational palate experience. Truly, a revelatory embodiment of Riesling's calming elegance and vivacity.