The Real Review (98)

Elegant, seamless pinot noir with fragrant, floral, red rose, dark cherry, anise, spice and restrained savoury and fresh herb characters. It's a complex medley of appealing flavours supported by an ethereal texture and a lingering finish. A surprisingly accessible wine from an excellent vintage. Should develop well with bottle age.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Lightish mid ruby, not star bright because unfiltered. Pretty, aromatic red fruits with the freshness of stem influence but without being overtly stemmy – the freshness and structure of stems but no greenness. Already quite complex on the nose, with hints of floral and citrus as well as the red fruits. There's intensity without unwanted concentration, the fruit is sweet but not overly so and the tannins already silky. Freshness to the long finish.

Decanter (98)

Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay has become one of the world’s most recognised New Zealand wine brands. Te Koko is made from fruit from four prime vineyard parcels. It’s barrel-fermented with ‘wild’ indigenous yeasts for four to five months before spending 15 months on fine lees. Roger Jones: Thai rice pudding with kaffir lime. Clean, focused and lingers for an age. The luxurious feeling at the end is immense; this is a stunning wine. Melanie Brown: Opulent and alluring. Shows how oak can heighten flavours and texture. Soft white peach and florals on a citrus base. Creamy centre with caramel popcorn and a pristine acid line. Beautiful. Rebecca Palmer: Attractive key lime characters, oak melding to create the silky, sleek palate.

Vinous (95)

Like its Brücke counterpart, this Auslese reflects genuinely botrytis-free grapes, said Dönnhoff, but ones that were too numerous and too high in sugar to use elsewhere, “and certainly not in the Grosses Gewächs, which would then have ended up with 14% alcohol.” Sea breeze on the nose intimates the sweet-saline savor of raw scallop that emerges on this wine’s lusciously lingering, mouthwateringly umami-rich finish. White peach and quince preserves feature throughout, reinforced on the soothingly creamy palate by nougat-like nut essences. There is an animating, juicy fresh-fruit aspect as well, and a wonderful sense of both focus and transparency to stony and ore-like nuances.

Vinous (95)

From an old parcel in the Hermannshöhle whose vines are still single post-trained, this auctioned bottling (representing the contents of a 600-liter Halbstück) delivers a highly aromatic and luscious amalgam of white peach, pink grapefruit and Persian melon not unlike that familiar from its A.P. #12 counterpart. Suggestions of nut pastes complemented by candied citrus rind are also present. But this boasts a yet creamier texture, greater delicacy, and a more complex and mouthwatering mineral savor, allied to raw scallop-like sweetness and salinity.

Real Review (97)

Intense, dense wine with cassis, blueberry, blackberry, dark chocolate, mixed spice and nutty oak flavours. Concentrated wine that is beautifully structured making it accessible now but with obvious potential

Vinous (97)

The 2020 Pinot Noir Block 5 offers up a mouthful of gorgeous Pinot Noir that's perfectly ripe without being overripe, blossoming in the mouth but retaining focus and shape as if it is wearing a pair of control pants. It's a wine that’s at ease with itself, offering rich red berries, fruitcake, festive spices and a subtle floral lift. There are plentiful tannins – in the context of Pinot Noir – and they coat the mouth like melted chocolate, making you want to lick your lips long after drinking. Overall, a finely balanced wine that has captured power and seduction in the same package. Lengthy, brooding finish.

Emerging from the esteemed vineyards of Saarburger Rausch, the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 2009 offers an indulgent taste of superior German craftsmanship. Hand-harvested with meticulous precision, this outstanding wine reverberates with the expertise of the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken estate, revered for its dedication to viticulture since 1742. This magnificent Riesling Auslese exudes the distinct terroir of Saar Valley, a unique composition of weathered grey slate and iron-rich soil, delivering an indelible minerality in every sip.

Characterised by an aromatic bouquet of ripe apricots, candied lemon peel, and subtle hints of honey, it possesses a remarkable ageing potential. Its vibrant acidity and persistent sweetness yield perfect harmony, making the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 2009 a cherished addition to any discerning wine collector's selection.

James Suckling (96)

A super-filigree Mosel Auslese that impresses with fabulous delicacy and precision. So much vanilla-bean character, but also tropical-flower aromas. Beautifully integrated grape sweetness at the long, very refined finish. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese is concentrated and fresh on the aromatic nose that is immediately present but also still reductive. Ripe stone fruit aromas intermingle with notes of crushed stones on a deep foundation of aromas from the soil and the fruit of old vines. On the palate, the 2021 is very fine but also intense, savory, saline and lush, leading to a long, intense and highly digestible finish with crunchy and cleansing slate features. Again, this is a fabulous Auslese from Prüm's iconic Sonnenuhr. 7% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in May 2023.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese * (Golden Capsule) shows concentrated lemon fruit and crushed blue slate aromas with spicy notes. Just bottled in June, this Auslese is still pretty reductive, yet it shows its true elegance and finesse on the nose. Very elegant, fresh and salty on the palate, this is a savory, almost dry-finishing Auslese from the Graacher Himmelreich that is characterized by remarkably precise and sharp but ripe acidity that is intermingled with the saline taste and causes a salivating finish. Though still too young to full shine, this is a highly promising Auslese. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 134 22 in July 2022.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2021 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Golden Capsule) opens with a coolish nose with ethereal/herbal and delicate citrus fruit aromas as well as very fine slate notes. Juicy, quite dense and intense on the palate, this is a mouth-filling and textured Spätlese that is still somewhat greenish on the finish that has healthy phenolic grip and excellent aging potential. This is a Sonnenuhr Spätlese that shouldn't be served too early. There are complex talents in this 2021, but they need time to develop class and finesse. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in May 2023.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (White Capsule) is clear, pure, intense and refined, spicy and flinty on the nose that shows fully ripe, yellow-golden Riesling fruit combined with flinty/savory slate aromas. Lush and dense yet crystalline and refined on the palate, this is an elegant, very intense and saline, concentrated and substantial Sonnenuhr Spätlese that is, analytically and also sensorially, certainly an Auslese that reveals a concentrated, lemon-fresh, savory and stimulating bitter finish with great substance and class. This 2020 is remarkably complex and tensioned, but it has stimulating, zesty salinity and serious tannin structure. This impressive dry (or dry styled?) Spätlese will need another five to 10 years to open up and unfold its finesse and layers that it will easily keep for 50+ years, if cellared properly. 11.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 72 21 in July 2022.

Wine Advocate (98+)

The 2018 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (White Capsule) is beautifully clear, pure, fine and complex on the intense yet delicate and flinty bouquet that represents very fine slate soils and elegant, perfectly ripe and refined but concentrated (stone) fruit. Rich and intense yet fine and crystalline on the palate, this is a full-bodied, juicy and elegant Sonnenuhr Auslese with mouthfeel, elegance and finesse paired with power and concentration. The finish is pure, crystalline and precise as well as persistently salty and with a long, fresh and aromatic aftertaste. This 2018 is an impressive, sustainable ZSU that I highly recommend to cellar for at least a decade, or better, two. Tasted at the domain twice in September 2020.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Kabinett (Golden Capsule) opens with a deep, pure and complex bouquet with concentrated fruit and lemon aromas intermingled with delicate and coolish slate aromas. Full-bodied, crystalline and fresh on the palate, this is a pure, saline and terribly fresh but mouth-watering ZSU Kabinett with fine and precise acidity and a tight and tensioned finish that needs some years to refine. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 33 21 in July 2022.

The Real Review (95)

Made from 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay aged on the lees for three years. Crisp, flavoursome méthode with a strong yeasty, baguette crust flavour together with toast, hazelnut and citrus characters. A beautifully poised wine with an ethereal texture and lingering finish

James Suckling (98)

Fantastic aromas of ripe apple, smoke, flint and stone. Sandalwood as well. Full-bodied and very reductive with dry ice to the ripe and dried apple character. Dense and very layered, yet fresh and vivid. So long and intense. Great finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

James Suckling (96)

Lots of ripe strawberries with some citrus and cream. Some meat, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with round, ripe tannins and a delicious, juicy finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The Chardonnay cuvée was sourced from the small one hectare Chardonnay block on our Kopuwai Delta vineyard, located in the Pisa sub-region of Central Otago. This site has a mix of glacial and alluvial soil. Meticulous viticulture and the site’s low-elevation help to ensure full ripeness and concentration.

Wine Advocate (96)

Vinified in stück and doppelstück (1,200- and 2,400-liter barrels, respectively) and aged on the full lees until the end of July, the 2020 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken shows a fascinating, deep, intense and generous as well as complex and aristocratic bouquet of ripe yellow fruits and crushed dark stones. The Turmberg is darker-toned and deeper than the Klosterberg, maybe also even more complex and provided with substantial but elegant fruit. Full-bodied, refined and elegant on the palate, this is a lush, intense and expressive, seriously structured, very long, complex and tensioned Turmberg with a spectacularly long, multilayered and persistently salty finish. Seriously, the Turmberg has never been better than in 2020. For the first time since its re-activation in 2005, the Turmberg premier cru is on grand cru level. Its aftertaste is incredibly dense and compact but also salivating and provided with the energy and expression of a great wine. A Must Buy of the vintage and a Best Buy as well! Magnums preferred. Tasted at the domain in August 2021.

Jancis Robinson (16.5+)

Lightish crimson. Much more inviting on the nose compared with the Klingenberg. There's red fruit and a fresh stemmy note (60% whole bunch) that adds a lovely scent to the fruit. Peppery too. Light and a little sour-fruited on the palate, delicate tannins, taut and fresh and just a baby.

James Suckling (99)

The nose of this Spatlese makes me think of 18th century engravings of pear and white peach varieties, but that only hints at the enveloping and astonishingly fine fruit that follows on the palate. A masterpiece of finesse, precision and balance, but even that doesn’t say the most important thing, which is the breathtaking leafy freshness and stony clarity at the stunningly long finish. When will it ever stop? From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Wine Orbit (97)

Offering harmony and structure within an opulent framed of rich fruit and silky tannins, this is a gratifying red offering awesome value. The enticing bouquet shows blackcurrant, mulberry, tobacco and cedary oak characters with a delicate floral overtone. The palate displays amazing depth and persistency, wonderfully complemented by delectable fruit flavours with spicy nuances. Tannins are fine, mouth-coating and just right, making it structured and seamless at the same time.

Bob Campbell MW (98)

Bright, youthful blended red of cabernet sauvignon (52%), merlot (33%) and cabernet franc (15%). This is classic Coleraine with cassis, cedar, floral, blueberry, a suggestion of wood-smoke, anise and spicy oak flavours. Terrific depth and an exquisite balance between fruit sweetness and acid/tannin structure. It will be a long-distance runner.

Wine Orbit (100)

This is solidly built yet fine and flawless with cassis, scented floral, olive, cake spice and stylish oak aromas on the nose. The powerfully concentrated palate offers dazzling clarity of fruit purity as well as astonishing complexity, brilliantly structured by perfectly pitched chalky tannins. Beautifully layered with formidable depth and seductive texture, making this rendition of Coleraine undeniably spellbinding.

Wine Orbit (96)

Gorgeously fruited and splendidly styled, showing sweet plum, thyme, roasted nut and warm mushroom aromas, the wine exhibits awesome concentration and richness, while remaining elegant and refined. Plush and persistent with fine grainy tannins, finishing superbly long and satisfying. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2032.

Express your refined taste with the Weingut Weiser-Künstler GAISPFAD trocken 2016, a distinctively crisp white wine that embodies class. Nestled in Germany's Mosel wine region, the Weiser-Künstler estate is lauded for its commitment to quality viticulture and old-world winemaking techniques. Harnessing the power of 80-year-old vines, this Riesling is grown on Gaispfad's grey slate soil, yielding a wine renowned for its lively minerality, balanced acidity and crisp apple notes.

2016 was a vintage year for Weiser-Künstler, producing wines of superb complexity and tension. Punctuated by nuances of citrus and stone fruit, the Weingut Weiser-Künstler GAISPFAD trocken 2016 bestows a long, dry finish that bewitches the palate. Sealed with a traditional cork, it captures the authenticity of this small but distinctive Mosel estate, echoing the passion winemakers Alexandra Künstler and Konstantin Weiser hold for Riesling. Decant this treasure to tantalise your guests or pair it with robust seafood for an exceptional dining experience.