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
“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
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
“… 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
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
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
MOSEL FINE WINES
„The independent Review of Mosel Riesling“
Von Jean Fisch und David Rayer, Ausgabe Nr. 63 – August 2022 - Auctionguide
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #01 (Auction wine) 97/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #13 (Auction wine) 100/100
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese GK #21 (Auction wine) 98+/100
Read More: Mosel Fine Wines – 2022 Auction Guide – Weingut Willi Schaefer
MOSEL FINE WINES
„The independent Review of Mosel Riesling“
By Jean Fisch und David Rayer, Issue No 62 – June 2022
„… Andrea and Christoph Schaefer produced a tiny but oh so breathtaking line-up of wines in the 2021 vintage. The wines show great purity, finesse, but also huge presence and energy, and really show the best of the Mosel can offer, with lightness yet immense complexity. They are all at least great, even for both village wines. The fruity-styled wines are all modern-day classics and true majestic Mosel wines. In a word: Bravo!“
2021 Graacher Riesling trocken 91/100
2021 Graacher Riesling feinherb 93/100
2021 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 95/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett #03 96/100
2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 98/100
2021 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #05 98/100
Read more: Mosel Fine Wines – 2021 Vintage Report – Weingut Willi Schaefer