WINE ADVOCATE - 96-97 POINTS Schaefer's 2019 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese is very clear, bright, fresh and flinty on the coolish, pure and spicy nose with aromas of lime rind. Sweet, lush and finessed on the palate, this is a pure, piquant, highly elegant, tight and intense Auslese with very attractive fruit and a dense, super stimulating, salty and grippy finish that gives a great counterpoint to the sweetness. Outstanding! 7.5% alcohol. Tasted from AP 09 20 in June 2020. Stephan Reinhardt.
2019 is a great vintage for this tiny icon producer in Graach. Christoph and Andrea Schaefer were even able to select a (dry) Grosses Gewächs from the Himmelreich, and I am curious to taste the result as soon as possible. However this wine will show, the sweet predicates are hard to beat. They are absolutely brilliant and possibly include some of the finest I have tasted here. Just look at the several selections from the family's Domprobst holdings! A great Kabinett, three highly finessed Spätlesen, three savory Auslesen and even a Beerenauslese! Namely, Schaefer's Spätlesen (Domprobst #5 and #10) and Auslesen (Domprobst #14 and Himmelreich) are extraordinary, and you don't have to go to the auction in Trier in September to prove it. Due to the cold autumn and the healthy grapes, there was even time to sort for a Beerenauslese in the Domprobst, which is another highlight of the vintage and based entirely on healthy yet overripe grapes. The 2019 Prädikatsweine show Willi Schaefer at its very best. Published: Aug 13, 2020
2019 is a great vintage for this tiny icon producer in Graach. Christoph and Andrea Schaefer were even able to select a (dry) Grosses Gewächs from the Himmelreich, and I am curious to taste the result as soon as possible. However this wine will show, the sweet predicates are hard to beat. They are absolutely brilliant and possibly include some of the finest I have tasted here. Just look at the several selections from the family's Domprobst holdings! A great Kabinett, three highly finessed Spätlesen, three savory Auslesen and even a Beerenauslese! Namely, Schaefer's Spätlesen (Domprobst #5 and #10) and Auslesen (Domprobst #14 and Himmelreich) are extraordinary, and you don't have to go to the auction in Trier in September to prove it. Due to the cold autumn and the healthy grapes, there was even time to sort for a Beerenauslese in the Domprobst, which is another highlight of the vintage and based entirely on healthy yet overripe grapes. The 2019 Prädikatsweine show Willi Schaefer at its very best. Published: Aug 13, 2020
