Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** White Capsule 2017

"(Molitor) loves the idea of expressing Riesling in all its myriad facets and does so with almost unparalleled clarity." - Anne Krebiehl, MW (The Wines of Germany)

“This is one of the finest two-starred Auslesen I have tasted from Markus Molitor, and it kisses the three-star level. I can only recommend buying some cases and enjoying this beauty over the next 20 to 30 years.” – Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

This is another epiphany-level wine from an already legendary vintage in the Mosel from one of the greatest producers in Germany, Markus Molitor. These MUST be tasted, savored and cellared – epically delicious, serious, intellectual and adventurous wines. We have an amazing price while supplies last!

Molitor’s Zeltinger Sonnenuhr plot covers 0.13 hectares in the legendary 3.2 hectare steep slope facing south-west. The location has a stony Devonian slate weathered soil with a high proportion of fine earth and good water retention capacity. The minerality here will shock you a bit, in the best way. Laser-focused crushed rock and citrus zest, kaffir lime and tropical flavors with no real sense of “sweetness”, despite the sugar levels, because of the utterly fine textures, intense minerality, succulent acids and overall balance.

Absolutely awesome, stunning stuff for under $50 on 6 or more. While it lasts...as you might imagine, there’s not a lot to go around!

** If you ever wondered what the asterisks on the label demarcate (also called "stars", as Stephan Reinhardt references in his review), some producers choose to add this to a label for further clarity on quality. They will separate lots they deem superior and with greater intensity. Often times, that can mean the wines with more stars are sweeter but not always. It is more a qualitative assessment made by the winemaker. In general, the more stars, the higher the quality. These are most often seen on Auslese level Rieslings. **

PAIRING IDEAS: This is simply too fine to pair with something exotic like Thai food, so we’ll go with a minimalist spread of soft cheeses and pates, or even a bit of white sausage. Époisses, aged Gruyere, Comte... Even really aged cheddar would be amazing.

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Turn on records of Vampire Weekend, especially their hit song “A-Punk"! This short but sweet song, with all its awkward lyrical references and diverse instrumentation, is the perfect accompaniment to this highly complex Riesling. Turn it up!