Peter Lauer - Riesling "Kern" Fass 9 2023 (750ml)
Price: $48.99
| Producer | Peter Lauer |
| Country | Germany |
| Region | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer |
| Varietal | Riesling |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Sku | 202422 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Peter Lauer Description
Florian’s general style is exactly the opposite of his famous Saar neighbor Egon Müller. At Lauer, the focus is on dry-tasting Rieslings as opposed to the residual sugar wines of the latter. For this style, there are really only two addresses in the Saar (though more come online every year, trying to chase the style): Lauer and Hofgut Falkenstein.
Employing natural-yeast fermentations, Lauer’s wines find their own balance. They tend to be more textural, deeper and more broad-shouldered. They have a preternatural sense of balance, an energy that is singular. Yet the hallmarks of the Saar are there: purity, precision, rigor, mineral.
Florian’s playground is the breathtaking hillside of the Kupp, pictured at the top of the page, with a map of the area directly above. Though the many vineyards of this mountain were unified (obliterated?) under the single name “Kupp” with the 1971 German wine law, it has been Florian’s life’s work to keep the old vineyard names alive, to keep these voices alive. He has been fighting this fight since his first vintage in 2005 and only with an update to the law in 2014 can he now legally use the older vineyard names such as Unterstenberg, Stir, Kern and Neuenberg.
Florian fought the law, and he won.
In addition to the expanses of the Kupp, Lauer farms three other important sites, Feils, directly across the river, and the precipitous, cliff-vineyard Schonfels, a bit upstream from the other two sites and, finally, the once-famous Lambertskirch, just a stone’s throw from Schonfels. This was a site with a huge reputation in the 19th and mid-20th century, yet it was abandoned. Lauer cleared the site and replanted it himself.
“Kern” is named after the 19th century industrialist that cleared this more-western part of the Kupp; it is a small parcel that spans the entire top-to-bottom reach of the Kupp. Thus, for me, the wine always has something of the lift and rigor of “Stirn” and something of the depth of wines like “Neuenberg” and “Unterstenberg.” After the sun has finished its work on the hot stones during the day, the coolness pulls up the mountain and noticeably lowers the temperature. The vines are old here, well over 70-years-old, so the wine has some stuffing. It is most often well in that off-dry style, yet, with Lauer, it’s always about the balance.
Vinous: 95 Points
The 2023 Riesling Ayler Kupp Kern No. 9 was harvested across the Ayler Kupp extension, from deeper soils at the bottom to poor stone at the top. Facing southwest, it benefits from evening sun and experiences significant diurnal swing. The nose remains funky and reductive, but vivid, juicy passionfruit dominates both nose and palate, filling everything with its mouthwatering tart tropical aroma. The finish is wonderfully zesty and strikes a disarming balance.
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