2020 Gunther Steinmetz Neumagener Rosengartchen Auslese GK
- 99 Points Stuart Piggot
- “An explosion of floral aromas that spans the spectrum" (SP)
- "from lilacs to tropical orchids!" (SP)
- "So concentrated, yet so elegant" (SP)
- "truly staggering finesse." (SP)
- "the powerful minerality here is truly off the scale!” (SP)
I Need to Sell These Remaining Bottles NOW or The Brits Will Snap Them Up.
Neumagener Rosengartchen
If Stefan Steinmetz has his own “Romanee Conti” or “Scharzhofberger” it is the obscure Neumagener Rosengartchen. He makes dry and sweet wine from it (depending on the vintage).
Stefan acquired this from an estate that goes back to the 1700s. The guy proposed to him that he needed a vineyard in Neumagen, which is farther away from Brauneberg, where Stefan resides but also very close to Dhron where Stefan has many holdings. The site is very steep and has an old cave in the middle of it which was a slate mine. The vines are 50 years old and the main reason Stefan bought this vineyard is because of the slate mine. The vineyard yields super, super mineral wines because of all the slate dust that has blown all over the vineyard for centuries. Stefan had a feeling it would be a top vineyard and in former times it was super famous. Not as famous as Juffer but right below.
The wine is a revelation.
Let’s take a look at the recent scoring history of it. His first vintage was 2016 and as one can see he started to figure it out in 2017 but he really fully realized the brilliance of this site with the 100 pointer in 2019. What did he follow that up with? The absurdly profound 2020 GK Auslese (99 points) version of it which we have on offer tonight for $36.99 NET. Just an incredible run Stefan has with this amazing site.
2020 Neumagener Rosengartchen Auslese GK - 99 points, Stuart Pigott
2019 Neumagener Rosengartchen Von Den Terrasen - 100 Points, Stuart Pigott
2017 Neumagener Rosengartchen Von Den Terrasen - 93 Points Stephan Reinhardt
2016 Neumagener Rosengartchen Von Den Terrasen - 94 Points Stephan Reinhardt
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“An explosion of floral aromas that spans the spectrum, from lilacs to tropical orchids! So concentrated, yet so elegant, this has truly staggering finesse. Theoretically, this is a sweet wine, but the powerful minerality here is truly off the scale! Drink or hold.”- 99 Points, Stuart Piggott
The Collector of Obscure but Brilliant Vineyards
What Stefan has done is unlike anyone I've ever seen in the wine trade. This dude is really in the WINE TRADE for how he acquires and trades vineyards. The guy is like a rare vineyard hunter. He gets these small plots no one has ever heard of that have crazy old vines, works his vineyard magic, works his cellar magic and then makes absolutely clear, crystalline, jaw dropping masterpieces of Rieslings that get 100/99/98 points from one of the best Riesling critics in the world. Stefan has arrived and I'm again, so humbled to finally be able to work with him again. Carried two or three at another store I worked at back in 2007-2008. To come full circle and be able to be the avenue for his coming out party as a superstar Riesling winemaker is really a terrific privilege.
The Style
So he gets these crazy vineyards and makes stunning Riesling. What are they are like? What's the style here?
- They are as refined as Markus Molitor.
- But they have maybe even greater acid spines.
- They are as delicate and fine as Riesling can be.
- They have structure to last decades
- The biggest takeaway I have is that they are unbelievable young. In 20-25 minutes they just are drinking so well.
- They will age also 30 years. Or you can drink them tomorrow. And they will drink well young. It's the key. Pop, pour, and drink elite level dry Riesling while the rest of your case rests in the cellar.
2020 Gunther Steinmetz Neumagener Rosengartchen Auslese GK - $36.99 NET
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