Lauer Fass 9 Grand Cru Kern 2019

From the importer: "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." 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.

For purists, there is nothing like the Saar. The magic here is intensity without weight, grandiosity without size: rocks and acidity. Lauer is currently one of greatest estates in this sacred place. The style here is 180 degrees removed from his famous neighbors Egon Müller and Zilliken. The focus here is on dry and dry-tasting Riesling. While the source of most of the bottlings is the famed Ayler Kupp, Florian uses the pre-1971 vineyard names – Neuenberg, Stirn, Unterstenberg. Rigorous vineyard work, indigenous yeasts and spontaneous fermentations mean the wines find their own balance. The results are undeniable: depth, texture, dimension, clarity, CUT. For Lauer, the large site of the Ayler Kupp has many different terroirs rather than a single, defining character. Soil composition, exposition, altitude, and microclimate in combination with vine age all make contributions to the individual character of each wine.

Vineyard Work: All vineyard work is done by hand due to the incline of the vineyards. Absolutely no use of insecticides/pesticides or fertilizers; the work is completely organic but not certified as such because Florian refuses to spray copper on the vines. He is alarmed and disturbed by the amount of copper buildup in many organic vineyards and the impact the copper has on the microorganisms in the soil.

The 2019er Riesling Kern Fass 9 comes from the upper part of a prime south-west-facing old-vine parcel (called Kern) situated well into the side valley on the original Ayler Kupp hill, and was fermented down to fully off-dry levels of residual sugar (39 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose made of vineyard peach, elderflower, herbs, a hint of cream, and smoky elements. The wine proves nicely zesty but also a touch sweet on the palate, a fact underlined by the apricot flavors which come through in the finish. Apricot, almond, and floral elements define the tart aftertaste. This slightly larger expression of Kern really needs a decade or more to develop its nuances. 2029-2049-Mosel Fine Wines