Markus Molitor Riesling (Dry) Bernkasteler Lay Auslese ** White Capsule 2020

We’ve been waiting for this! The sun is out and it's time for single vineyard riesling from the legendary Markus Molitor! 98 points and pure, stunning, crystalline perfection in every sip – all at the best price in the country? Let’s go!

Markus Molitor is an absolute phenom, arguably the best winemaker in Germany today. With an uncountable number of 95+ scores to his credit, his wines are a must-have in any cellar and one of the most consistent riesling rockstars the world over.

The Bernkasteler Lay vineyard (pronounced “lie” and is an old Germanic word for slate) sits in the heart of the serpentine Mosel valley – an exceptional site that has been farmed for centuries. The revered Devonian slate makeup here is grey-blue in color, with west-by-southwest facing slopes that take advantage of the warmer afternoon sun. This 11-hectare parcel is layered with finely-weathered slate, and Markus receives some of the site’s oldest vines. All the vines are skillfully hand-harvested (one look at the vineyard and you see that is truly the only option) and brought to the winery for crushing. The juice is left on the skins for several hours before being transferred to large wooden barrels for fermentation. Extended lees contact in barrels following fermentation grants the wine its characteristic viscosity, where fully ripe fruit flavors are balanced by piercing acidity and an ever-present minerality.

The wine simply sings of green apple purity, with aromas of ripe peaches, honeysuckle, and chopped tarragon. The mouth is laser-focused and structured with lemon and tangerine notes, more white stone fruits, and a pervasive saline backbone that grants the wine incredible tension and intensity on the impressively lengthy finish. This is a wine to decant young and enjoy its development over the next several decades. Check out the poetic review from Wine Advocate below to get a sense of how special this wine is. Not to be missed!