First, I must say I had to really think hard about adding another Rheinhessen wine to my portfolio. After all, I already have Battenfeld Spanier who is one of the Rheinhessen Big 4 and one of the top 5 producers of white wine in Germany. But then I whacked myself in the head and realized that I could not not offer them. First, the wines are completely different from Battenfeld Spanier and the other Big 3. And second, do I really want to live the rest of my life regretting not having them in my portfolio? Because I would have regretted not having them until my dying breath, they are that good and that unique.
Kai is one of the most cerebral winemakers I've ever met. He questions everything that he does. He is organic and has surrounded himself with a brilliant, inquisitive group of young assistants. He and his team have a singular, almost manic drive to create wines that are, above all else, pure and reflective of their terroir. He is a once in a generation talent who comes along, challenges assumptions and upends what we all thought was possible.
As the Wine Advocate's Stephane Rheinhardt puts it,
"Schätzel presents a very unique wine style; he aims for pure and refreshing wines, with true terroir character and does not accept any over-ripeness, botrytis or corrections in the old traditions of the cellar. In fact-and due to their coolish, frisky, finessed, ... and grippy character-they remind me of the old times, the pre global-warming years. "
These are unlike any other Rheinhessen wines being made today. They remind me of the Mosel and in particular the best, most powerful wines of Martin Müllen as Kai also is a very reductive winemaker. He picks very early and you don't get the usual tropical fruit basket of the Rheinhessen. The minerality in these wines is to absolutely die for. They are dazzlingly fresh and pure, and so frisky and zesty but also have incredible site expression. They are mouthwatering and not shy on acidity.
First, I have the big boy, the wine that is making waves in the German Grosses Gewachs community, the 2014 Schätzel Hipping Riesling for $52.99 on a 3-pack. Hipping is a very steep vineyard. Almost Mosel like steepness. Mostly red clay and red shale the Rieslings from this vineyard are magic. Just magic and I am thrilled to be able to offer one. Keller makes one as well and that is rare as hen's teeth. As soon as you smell it it almost comes across as a Riesling Champagne. The nose is stunning. So clear. Crystalline purity. Like a mountain stream on the nose. Tensile. It's just crazy. So unique. So complex are the aromas that they are always changing so it's hard to get a handle on the full spectrum. The palate is a ridiculously intense juicy explosion of white peaches, sweet/ripe pink grapefruit, and a delicious intense salty extract. God is this good. One of those wines that when you think the wine is finished it keeps going and opening up new worlds you never knew existed. It's a wine that is hard to get a handle on but also so fun in trying to get a handle on. There are waves and layers and what unreal wall of flavor. The acid is brilliant and so ripe and not shy. It is elegant, grippy and dazzlingly pure. The energy this brings to your palate is just unbelievable. The core of fruit and mineral promises this has 15-25 years to go. It's serious wine but it's so playful as well. Just genius. If you are a riesling fan, you NEED TO TRY THIS WINE.
Up first I have one of the best values I tasted on my trip and wine that will convert anybody and everybody into a Schätzel fan. The 2014 Schätzel Reinschiefer Riesling Nierstein can be had today for $24.99 on a 4-pack. This wine is brilliant. Mineral, passion fruit, apricot, and reduction notes on the nose. Incredible amount of material on the palate. This wine is just a force and has that wall of flavor I look for in great white wine. Palate is just insane. Delineation is top notch. Juicy, long, powerful, concentrated, brilliant. The fruit is a cooling kind and seems almost Mosel like with green apple, passion fruit and succulent minerality. The wine is so juicy and layered with unreal finesse. This wine I hope will tell you all what I know, that Kai Schätzel is a super star winemaker. This is incredible and will easily last 15+ years. Remarkable for a wine at this price.
We tasted multiple vintages of all the wines which gave me a very good idea of what Kai is doing and also helped me decide what to offer first. The 15 GG styled wines (remember he got into the VDP in 16) and the Ortsweine Abe still aging in the old barrels in the cellar. He is a late releaser, like Martin Müllen. These wines need age. When young they are dominated by structure. But with 1-3-5 years they transform into something very special. The '14s here are mind-blowing and also happen to be drinking very well now but will age for a very long time. These I think will be long distance runners. Early picking, reductive winemaking is a recipe for long aging wines. Even the 2012's I tasted I could see going 20 more years. I am super excited about these wines. I've never had anything like it in the Rheinhessen. It's almost like Mosel Rheinhessen wines in a way.
I've got many Wall Street friends and clients who always tell me that I'd be a billionaire today if I was picking stocks instead of wineries. It flatters me of course but wineries are my thing and I don't think I have the mental makeup to be a stock picker. They tell me that because of the research that I do. In order to become a great importer you have to always be researching and looking for the next big thing. You can't just rest on the laurels of who you have. I've introduced Battenfeld Spanier, Paul Weltner, Juwel, Martin Müllen and more to the extremely particular Rieslings palates that make up the Fass Selections customers. Now I have someone I'd like to introduce you to. Here is how I came to represent the brilliant Rieslings (and Silvaners) of Kai Schätzel in Nierstein. I've got many friends who travel to Germany that are in the wine business and a few who aren't. I've come to trust these people immensely as they have consistently given me great tips. One of those people I've written about before is Martin Zwick of Berlin Cup fame. I emailed Martin and also one other contact and asked them who should I visit. Martin is a champion of young producers in Germany and is one of the great ambassadors of German wine. They both said I have to visit Kai Schätzel. They both also said that not only are the wines brilliant they are completely in that Fass style. I was very very intrigued. Kai and I got in touch and the appointment was made. I was super exited for this as I had that feeling again that perhaps these wines would be great. I can't explain it. Sometimes you just get this feeling. I had it big time with Schätzel and I hadn't even tasted the wines.
Fast forward to late August and I arrived at Kai's on a very very rainy day. The only real rainy day of the trip. He is located in Nierstein. I shortly found out he is very good buddies with Klaus Peter Keller. That intrigued me more. Kai is a young, energetic and very passionate guy. He loves wine. I know that is kind of a trope to say that but it's true. He exudes passion for winemaking and has one of the most open minds when it comes to winemaking I've ever seen. We started talking about natural wine and he said the only way to undertake it is to make it. He had has assembled a crack team of young workers who are just as passionate as him and he assigned them to make a barrel of natural wine as an experiment to see what it is all about. That is the kind of thinking that told me, even before I tasted the wines, that they were going to be great.
Kai has 12 hectares of organic vines in many of the top sites in Nierstein including Hipping. Kai is THE new star in Germany now. He was just admitted to the VDP in 2016.
Welcome to Fass Selections Kai Schätzel!
2014 Schätzel Reinschiefer Nierstein Riesling - $26.99 ($99.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)
2014 Schätzel Hipping Riesling (GG) - $54.99 ($158.97 3-pack)
(VERY LIMITED)
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