RieslingKenner 6th Annual Hofgut Falkenstein Charity Event – Tasting Notes
The RieslingKenner 6th Annual Hofgut Falkenstein vintage charity tasting was held on Sunday at Easy Does it in Chicago, with all proceeds going to support The Trotter Project. We were able to offer our guests an opportunity to taste through the entire US allocation of 16 different current release bottlings which highlighted the 2024 vintage. By the reactions of the guests, we were also reminded by the rarity of these wines. We are very fortunate here in Chicago to have Kestral Wines not only partnering with us on this event, but also having every single bottling come into the local market.
A quick 2024 vintage note – a horrible frost on April 22, 2024 caused many wineries in the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer regions to suffer significant damage and loss. Hofgut Falkenstein was not spared and subsequently were limited in what bottlings they could make. The subsequent wines that survived are nothing short of spectacular. This collection is an incredible representation of what Hofgut Falkenstein is all about. Delicious wines of transparency, energy, and class.
NV Pet Nat: Delicious start to the tasting. Toast on the nose as it leads to ginger spiced apples and a zippy persistent palate.
2024 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Weissburgunder Spätlese trocken AP 2: Tightly wound and full of racy tart citrus and quince notes. Be patient.
2024 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett trocken "Mutter Anna" AP 1: Intensely herbaceous, impossibly pure, very spicy, fine smoke, and very filigreed.
2024 Niedermenniger Sonnenberg Kabinett trocken "Munny" AP 9: Cuts like a knife with mineral clarity, racy acidity, tart citrus, and wild herbs.
2024 Krettnacher Auf dem Hölzchen Kabinett trocken AP 21: Increased sense of fruit with piquancy and lip-smacking immediacy. An added layer of salinity and spice give this another dimension.
2024 Krettnacher Altenberg Spätlese trocken AP 7: Maybe my favorite rendition of this wine from the Enkers parcel of the Altenberg vineyard that I can remember. Bursting with energy and verve that gives the layers of tangy fruit, saline minerality, and herbaceous notes direction and magnetism.
2024 Krettnacher Ober Schäfershaus Riesling Spätlese trocken AP 18: A real standout for me, with layers and layers of incredibly fine minerality, tangy citrus, exotic herbs, and so much energy. This captures your attention and dares you to look away.
2024 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett feinherb "Onkel Peter" AP 4: Incredibly delicious with an amazing sense of lightness and transparency. A masterclass in the feinherb category. Impeccably balanced, pure, and delicious.
2024 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett feinherb "Meyer Nepal" AP 11: A flat-out guzzler of a wine that would surely be the first wine gone at any dinner table. Spicy citrus, sweet herbs, and packed in the most beautiful and delicious package imaginable.
2024 Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett feinherb "Palm" AP 3: Yet another star in the category. Its only problem is that the two wines that came before were breathtaking. This is juicy, delicious, and very fine.
2024 Niedermenniger Im Kleinschock Riesling Kabinett AP 20: Stepping into the residually sweet wines and this welcomes you with enthusiasm. Bright, fresh, and zesty. A lot of fun to drink.
2024 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Kabinett "Kugel Peter" AP 12: My sleeper of the vintage (as it often is.) This has that rare balance of a wine that bursts from the glass with energy and piquant fruit while somehow also being so light and filigreed that you question how it does both at the same time. Everlasting finish of lip-smacking deliciousness.
2024 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Kabinett Alte Reben "Gisela" AP 8: A truly classic Gisela, built for the cellar. Layers of delicacy and depth. A wine to ponder, to enjoy, to bask in its radiance. Decidedly smokey and savory at its core, with a kaleidoscope of nuanced fruit, herbs, spice, and the purity of a mountain stream.
2024 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben "Mia" AP 22: This might be my favorite vintage of this bottling yet. Incredibly fine and delicate with beautiful notes of wildflowers, plums, berries, and herbs. A finish that doesn’t quit while leaving you wanting more.
2024 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Spätlese "Klaus" AP 6: A drinking Spätlese for sure with bright piquant nectarines and juicy oranges that seem to fill the senses. A deliciously spicy finish that adds to this extremely satisfying wine.
2024 Krettnacher Euchariusberg Spätlese "Förster" AP 5: Incredibly tangy and full of zippy limes, Meyer lemons, and peach. This wine has it all with energy, poise, and balance. Note to self – hide some bottles away because this has a long and gorgeous future ahead.
Why we do this annual event and our other events, raffles and get togethers for RieslingKenner? We do it for two simple reasons. The first is to celebrate our beloved Riesling by sharing it with others, giving attention to an underappreciated grape, and sharing our experiences along the way. The second (and most important) is to do what we can to help those of us in our society that need it, with a particular focus in fighting food insecurity and opening doors into wine for people that haven’t historically had equal access. We make no money on any event or anything else that we do at RieslingKenner. Everything goes to purchasing the wines, securing a venue, and the remainder going to one of the charities we are supporting. We are overjoyed to partner with The Trotter Project for this latest event and through our efforts with this event and raffle, last year we were able raise enough money to help them create and plant a new community garden, here in Chicago. None of this would be possible without the support of so many people that attended the event and donated as part of our raffle.
by Strange_Height3188