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DerFeinschmecker
The 555 best wineries in Germany 2024


Awarded 5/5 points as one of the best wine producers

“After this current collection, Christoph and Andrea Schaefer’s business would have to climb one step higher in the rating, but the Graacher winery already has the highest score. It’s just perfect Riesling cinema that runs through the palate sip after sip. Refreshingly clear and extremely precisely structured, a juicy, tight minerality, together with a cornucopia full of aromas, harmoniously connected without getting lost in the details. Great! It seems as if the delicately fruity Kabinett Rieslings have wings in their beguiling lightness. The entire 2022 collection is once again a first-class calling card for the entire growing region.

Read more: Bucheintrag_DerFeinschmecker

DECANTER
November 2023
Producer profile: Willi Schaefer, Clive Pursehouse, US editor

“The Schaefers are a true Mosel Riesling winemaking dynasty – local documents date the family’s involvement in vineyards back at least as far as 1590. Today it’s Christoph Schaefer running the show…”

… That such a small place could be home to some of the world’s greatest wines and, in fact, one of the finest producers of Riesling on the planet, might be a bit surprising. However, if you know anything about these steep Devonian slate slopes and the reputation of Weingut Willi Schaefer, you’ll understand that Graach indeed sits on hallowed ground.“

“Willi Schaefer: top-flight Rieslings in high demand”

Willi Schaefer, Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese 1975    98/100
At 48 years this Auslese shows an unbelievable depth of colour: a deep golden nectar. There is great richness of fruit, balanced with verve and freshness. Aromatics of ripe golden nectarine, honey, ginger and bruised apples give a sense of its evolution. The palate surprises with lively lemon Starbust, and complementary peach syrup, honey and candied ginger.

Willi Schaefer, Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese 2013    98/100
The 2013 vintage was a trying one in the mosel but, 10 years later, this wine is stunning. Gorgeous petrol aromas, with notes of cardamom and grilled peach. Sweet fleshy fruit flavours of ripe pineapple, peach and candied ginger alongside rich honeyed pear balanced by gorgeous acidity and an intense mineral core.

Willi Schaefer, Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 2018    96/100
This Spätlese, with seven years of bottle age, is a thing to behold. A beautiful intensity of aromas that offer grilled pineapple and salinity. The palate is unbelievable: toasted marshmallows, juicy grilled pineapple, honeyed ginger, an intense tasting experience. Perfectly balanced purity of fruit with crystalline minerality.

Willi Schaefer, Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett 2022    95/100
This balances perfectly the richness of the slate terroir with fresh, zesty fruit. Aromatics show some slightly reduced notes of flint, pencil lead and streaks of graphite. The palate matches this intensity with flavours of crushed stone, graphite and spice, and a zesty hint of greengage. There is an overall ethereal character that gives the wine so much freshness and laser focus.

Willi Schaefer, Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2022    94/100
Great elegance and focus. The aromatics of lime zest and pronounced notes of spiced pear intermingle with notes of freshly cut nectarine. The Himmelreich vineyard is all about fruit character for the Schaefer wines. The palate is a blend of cardamom, nectarine flesh and honeyed pear. Its fleshy, textured fruit balances intensity with what Christoph calls ‘a light impression’.

Willi Schaefer, Graacher Riesling trocken 2022    94/100
A rare dry Schaefer Riesling. ‘The only one’, Christoph tells me. Crystalline and focused. Brilliant stony aromatics mingle with hints of ginger and beeswax. The palate is finely etched, with petrichor and flinty, crushed-slate mineral flavours backed by lemon zest. There is a great intensity here – it has fresh saline and is upright, yet it has an oak-influenced roundness of character.

Read more: Decanter_Nov2023_Willi Schaefer

 

 

LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE
November 2023
Les plus grands botrytis d'Europe, Jérémy Cukierman MW

"For the Schaefers, modesty and discretion are essential. But make no mistake: This tiny family estate, which has existed since 1121, is at the forefront of German winemaking. On the historic terroirs of the town of Graach on the Moselle, Andrea and Christoph Schaefer create some of the purest wines in the country. Thanks to the heritage of old, sometimes hundred-year-old and unrooted vines, attentive and careful management of the vineyards and great finesse in winemaking, vintages of incomparable energy and brilliance are created. Their Riesling Graacher Domprobst Auslese 2006 is the archetype of a great wine full of emotions: deep, light and mouth-watering."

VINUM WEINGUIDE DEUTSCHLAND 2024
Awarded 4,5/5 Stars

That was fantastic precision work that Andrea and Christoph Schaefer offered us… Even in the dry segment, which is covered by one wine, the Graacher Riesling completely convinced us. Finest cabinet style, sparkling clean with wooden barrel influence. If the Himmelreich reveals charming open fruitiness in the wines shown, the Domprobst impresses with its depth and powerful appearance… The Spätlese Graacher Domprobst -13-, the auction wine, seems to us to be a dignified successor… with the 2022 vintage

 

 

 

2022 Graacher Riesling trocken   91/100
2022 Graacher Riesling feinherb   91/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett   93/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03   95/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese   95/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05   98/100

2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #01 (auction)   95/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #13 (auction)   96/100

Read more: Seiten aus Weinguide

 

Half of our wines find themselves in the TOP TEN – What a compliment!

5. Kategorie Riesling Kabinett
2022 Graacher Domprobst Kabinett #01  95/100

9. Kategorie Riesling Kabinett
2022 Graacher Domprobst Kabinett #03  95/100

3. Kategorie Riesling Spätlese
2022 Graacher Domprobst Spätlese #05  98/100

6. Kategorie Riesling Spätlese
2022 Graacher Domprobst Spätlese #13  96/100

2. Kategorie ZEHN JAHRE DANACH Riesling Spätlese 2013
2022 Graacher Domprobst Spätlese #09 Auktion 94/100

 

JAMES SUCKLING - STUART PIGOTT
A Supernova Kabinett and Crittenden’s Savagnin Wonders: Weekly Tasting Report (Aug 2-8)
Thursday, August 10, 2023

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“Senior Editor Stuart Pigott made the first of three trips to the Mosel over the past week to taste the young 2022 vintage wines and was amazed by what he found: many leading winemakers stunned by their own wines.

The summer of 2022 was hot and arid, causing the vines to shut down and stopping photosynthesis. Then rain came and the vines jerked out of their slumbers to continue the ripening process.  …

The positive side of the vintage is most prominently on show in the Kabinett category of Mosel riesling, which is known for its low alcohol content, delicacy and crispness. There were many stars in this category and one mighty supernova, the Willi Schaefer Riesling Mosel Graacher Domprobst Kabinett (Auction Wine) 2022, which married the classic characteristics of Kabinett with truly phenomenal concentration.

There was just one Fuder barrel of this wine, or just over 1,300 bottles, but there’s a lot more of the regular bottling of this wine, the Willi Schaefer Riesling Mosel Graacher Domprobst Kabinett. “We are really delighted how the Kabinett wines turned out in 2022,” winemaker Christoph Schaefer said. …”

Single Fuder, or best barrel, bottlings have a long tradition in the Mosel going back to at least the second half of the 19th century. It is the exact opposite of the Bordeaux tradition of making just a couple of wines (first and second) in each vintage with large bottlings.

2022 Graacher Riesling trocken   93/100
2022 Graacher Riesling feinherb   95/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett   95/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03   98/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese   96/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05   97/100

2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #01 (auction)   100/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #13 (auction)   98/100

Read more: James_Suckling_StuartPigott_Willi_Schaefer_2022er

ROBERT PARKER, WINE ADVOCATE
Stephan Reinhardt, May, 2023

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2022 Graacher Riesling trocken   93/100
2022 Graacher Riesling feinherb   92/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett   93+/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03   94/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese   96/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05   96/100

2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #01 (auction)   95/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #13 (auction)   98/100

Read more: 2022er_Robert_Parker_WineAdvocat

MOSEL FINE WINES
„The independent Review of Mosel Riesling“
Von Jean Fisch und David Rayer, Issue no. 66 – June, 2023

Mosel Fine Wines Label

“… The Estate produced a superb collection of wines in 2022, which indeed shines through elegance, transparency, and this incredible sense of precision and subtlety which has made the success of the Estate over the years. The Domprobst wines have a slight edge over the Himmelreich ones but all are terrific and hugely representative of their terroir. In addition, the ‚simple‘ Graacher Trocken is anything but ‚simple’ but a hugely complex dry wine which would proudly be given the label GG at many Estates. Lovers of Willi Schaefer wines will hail 2022 as a huge success. The major issue will be to be able to lay one’s hands on some of these gems: happy hunting!”

2022 Graacher Riesling trocken   92/100
2022 Graacher Riesling feinherb   89/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett   92/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03   94/100
2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese   93/100
2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05   95/100

Read more: Mosel Fine Wines – 2022 Vintage Report – Weingut Willi Schaefer

ROBERT PARKER, STEPHAN REINHARDT, 14. Dez. 2022
Five Favorite Wines of 2022 Germany

“… A Wine That’s Especially Good Value:

Ever since I have been drinking wine, I have been drinking Rieslings from Willi Schaefer. No Riesling is brighter, finer, more heavenly or more incomprehensible and yet stands with its feet in the slate that produces unmistakable wines of absolute world class in the Graacher Himmelreich and even more so in the Domprobst. One would recognize their smoky spiciness even in one’s sleep and immediately want to open a bottle of Kabinett! The 2021 vintage was small in volume, but the qualities were superb! I didn’t study any wines longer this year than the 2021s from Christoph and Andrea Schaefer. Namely, the Kabinett Rieslings from this cool vintage are terrific. Although not dry, I first understood the darker-toned Domprobst in particular as a full-blown food wine, as deep and complex as it is for all its lightness. Great art, distributed over two fuders: AP #1 and AP #3. That is too little for the world, but to never forget the wine again, one sip is enough.”

Read more: https://winejournal.robertparker.com/reviewer-favorites-2022-stephan-reinhardt-germany-riesling

Der FEINSCHMECKER
The 500 best Estates of Germany 2023
Awarded with 5 of 5 points

“Welcome on the summit! This year we have raised the rating for the extraordinary and characterful Riesling wines, produced by the small, traditional family estate in 2021. In his sustainably produced Graach and Wehlen Rieslings, Christoph Schaefer presents impressively how the Mosel-typical residual sugar can be transformed into infatuating elegance and that immense juiciness can be in a wine if it is made by skilled and talented hands. Just magnificent. Mosel at its best!”

VINUM WEINGUIDE DEUTSCHLAND 2023
Awarded with 4,5/5 stars

„… Here, as an exception, we have swallowed instead of spitting. Now as before, the wines’ taste show tranquility and easiness. Therefor they are all provided with something magic…“
mehr lesen: Vinum23_Inhalt-Willi-Schaefer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weingut Willi Schaefer wines in the Top Ten! We are overjoyed!

2nd rank category Riesling Spätlese
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese  97/100

9th rank category Riesling Spätlese
2021 Graacher Domprobst Spätlese #13 95/100

5th rank category Riesling Auslese
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 97/100

JAMES SUCKLING – STUART PIGOTT
August 31, 2022

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2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #01 (Auction)  96/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #13 (Auction)  97/100
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese #21 (Auction)   98/100

2021 Graacher Riesling trocken 91/100
2021 Graacher Riesling feinherb 92/100
2021 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett #02   94/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03   94/100
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese    94/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05   95/100

Read more: James_Suckling_StuartPigott_Willi_Schaefer_2021er

ROBERT PARKER, WINE ADVOCATE
Stephan Reinhardt, August, 2022

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2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #01 (Auction)   99/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #13 (Auction)  100/100
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese #21 (Auction)   100/100

2021 Graacher Riesling trocken 90+/100
2021 Graacher Riesling feinherb 93/100
2021 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett #02   96/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03   97/100
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese    95/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05   97/100

Read more:  Robert Parker The Wine Advocat_Willi_Schaefer_2021er