Schloss Lieser Riesling Feinherb 2023

Mosel Riesling has a reputation for being sweet, which isn't exactly fair. Feinherb is a German term that sits somewhere between dry and off-dry. It's a wine that has a little residual sugar, but just enough to balance the electric acidity that Mosel is famous for. 

Schloss Lieser is one of the most striking buildings in the Middle Mosel. A Neo-Renaissance castle built in 1875, it's been a winemaking estate through various hands for over a century. Thomas and Ute Haag took over in 1992, when it was just six hectares. They've since grown it to 25 hectares across eight Grand Cru sites. Their children, Lara and Niklas, have joined them, and the family is working toward full organic certification.

The winemaking is simple and deliberate. Hand-picked fruit, spontaneous fermentations, stainless steel (with some oak in cooler vintages), extended lees contact, and no filtering. Thomas says the goal is always to do as little as possible, letting the structure come from time on the lees rather than maceration or pressing. The wines ferment for as long as they need, then rest on the gross lees until Thomas tastes them and decides they're ready.

This Feinherb starts off by showing some flinty reduction on the nose, a really nice touch of chalky minerality that we love in wine. The palate is strikingly alive with tart green apple, ripe lemon, and a slender, tender profile. 17.5 grams of residual sugar, which sounds like a lot but tastes perfectly balanced against the electric acidity. Sleek, pristine, and a crowd pleaser.