Riesling Kabinett Veldenzer Elisenberg
2021
Situated in the heart of the Mosel's finest vineyards, the Max Ferdinand Richter estate has been in the family for over 300 years. The family owns 48 acres of priceless vines on the magnificent stretch of the river between Erden and Brauenberg including all the best sites: Graacher Himmelreich, Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Brauenberger Juffer and Richter's monopole Veldenzer Eilsenberg. This is quite literally an embarrassment of riches. Richter's vines are sustainably farmed; all grapes are...
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Diamond-bright and super-mineral, this a very exciting Kabinett that leaps and bounds across the palate. Still very youthful, but the purity and precision leave no doubt. As it aerates, a slew of wild-berry and wild-herb aromas emerge. Uplifting, brilliant finish.
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The 2020 Elisenberger Riesling Kabinett, as it is referred to on the consumer label, was made from fruit picked at 78° Oechsle in the area around the sundial and in the upper part of the vineyard and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (48 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose made of mirabelle, quince, melon, tangerine, whipped cream, herbs, and lots of smoky elements. The wine is gorgeously playful on the palate and leaves a stunning feel of herbs and ripe fruits in the juicy finish. The aromatic intensity paired with the airy and light-footed structure are truly remarkable. The wine proves however still rather reduced and primary so a little bit of patience will be in order before truly getting the most out of this beauty!
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This gorgeous Kabinett harvested at 85° Oechsle is still marked by residual scents from spontaneous fermentation at this early stage and needs quite some airing to exhibit its stunningly fresh and vibrant scents of grapefruit, cassis, white melon, herbs and spices. The wine is juicy and lively on the palate and leaves a superb cocktail of chalky minerals, grapefruit, white peach and spicy herbs in the long finish. This will be a breathtaking Kabinett at maturity once the acidity will have mellowed away and integrated into the juicy aromatics. 2025-2045
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The Veldenzer Elisenberg Kabinett is made from the same fruit harvested at a low 82° Oechsle as the Veldenzer Elisenberg Kabinett **, but fermented in traditional Fuder. This offers a gorgeous Ruwer styled nose, with very clean and pure scents of grapefruit and a hint of rosewater on the palate. The wine is crisp and lively, with a firm zesty backbone which will be hugely appealing for acid freaks. The finish is long and nearly off-dry in taste. While delicious now, this hypothetical blend between a 1996 and a 1994 is still on the rougher side of life and will only really shine, as so often with Max Ferd. Richter wines, once properly aged.
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From 50-year-old vines, the Veldenzer 2022 Elisenberger Riesling Kabinett is very clear, bright, pure and fresh on the still pretty reductive nose that delivers an intense aroma of ripe and dried apples intermingled with almond and nutty aromas. Lush and savory on the palate, this is a crystalline and nervously classy, pure and saline, quite stony Riesling Kabinett with a serious expression. It's more austere than "verspielt" (frisky) but very stimulating and salivating, and it has good aging capacity. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in May 2023.
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From old vines rooting in quartzite-slate soils, the 2021 Elisenberger Riesling Kabinett opens with a pure and stony, fruit-wise rather discreet but thoroughly mineral nose. Sweet and round on the textured palate, this is a saline, very elegant and linear Kabinett with sugared redcurrant notes on the stimulating saline and finely crisp finish. This is Kabinett as sorbet. It already drinks well young, but it will be more complex in 10-15 years. Bottled in May with 7.5% stated alcohol and a bit less than 50 grams per liter of residual sugar. The acidity is analytically at 11.4 grams per liter but is completely imbedded. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022. Drink fresh or matured.
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The 2018er Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Kabinett was harvested at 84° Oechsle and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (50 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose made of white peach, cassis, gooseberry, pear, laurel, herbs and spices. The wine develops the delicate creaminess of a Spätlese on the otherwise nicely crisp palate. The finish is long and nicely fruity. Ripe mirabelle and some herbs join the zesty side in the after-taste.
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The 2017er Veldenzer Elisenberg Kabinett was made from fruit harvested at 81° Oechsle. It offers a gorgeously spicy and herbal nose of nettle, green tea, anise, peach and pear. The wine proves nicely smooth and delicate on the palate where some tickly acidity is waiting for its great day. The finish is light-weighted and leaves one with a beautiful feel of tangerine, a hint of apricot and yellow peach in the after-taste.
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Scents and bright palate profusion of fresh lime, white peach and red currant put me in mind of a Ruwer Riesling. The delicate palate and consummately refreshing finish are transparent to stony underpinnings and incisive impingements of raw ginger. And here is one of those many instances where high quartzite content for whatever reason correlates with salinity, which in the present instance practically milks the salivary glands. If this libation doesn’t leave you invigorated, you might want to check with your doctor. (The newly revived antique label for this wine styles it merely as “Elisenberger,” although the official label conforms with German Wine Law in referring to “Veldenzer Elisenberg.”)
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The 2021er Elisenberger Riesling Kabinett, as it is referred to on the consumer label, was made from fruit picked at 74° Oechsle in the area around the sundial and in the upper part of the vineyard and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (48 g/l). It offers a superbly fresh, minty, and floral nose of orange blossom, jasmine, rose, yellow peach, prune, and William’s pear. The wine proves delicately juicy and gorgeously
playful on the light-weighted palate. There is really good to high dry extract adding presence and intensity. The finish is very focused as some zesty and citric acidity joins the party. This is a great Kabinett in the making.
The 2022er Elisenberger Riesling Kabinett, as it is referred to on the consumer label, was made from fruit picked at a low 78° Oechsle and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (50 g/l). It offers an engaging and fruit-driven nose made of pear, a hint of kumquat, melon, mango, apricot blossom, and citrusy elements. The wine proves nicely juicy on the subtly smooth but still light-weighted palate and leaves a juicy and softly zesty feel in the long finish. The aftertaste is pure and quite persistent. This Kabinett with subtle Spätlese creaminess will gain with bottle aging but is already quite enjoyable now.
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Edgy, ripe and very flinty aromas here, this needs to settle. The palate has a glossy, rich-peach and apple-infused core of flavor and a gently granular edge. Give this some time to resolve.
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The Elisenberg Kabinett AP27 was made from fruit harvested at 81° Oechsle. It offers a stunning nose of white peach, mint, peach and ginger. The wine develops a stunning balance with pear, ginger and fine herbs and spices on the palate. The finish is salty, refined and superbly light-featured yet packed with flavors. This is a stunning Kabinett in the making but one which will need a few years to develop its full balance. It could even exceed our high expectations if it maintains the tension and finesse of the aromatics. What a stunning piece of Kabinett in the making.
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