2021 Weingut Dr. Hermann Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel Alte Reben Erdener Pralat Mosel 750 ml

The Erdener Prälat is as important to Riesling in Germany as DRC’s La Tâche is to Pinot Noir in France. It’s one of Germany’s greatest—and smallest—vineyards. 

Dr. Hermann’s Spatlese Goldkapsel is made from up to 120-year old, ungrafted vines on the site: a selection of the finest late-picked bunches, marked with a special gold capsule that producers use to show off their proudest achievements. The poise and lift of this Riesling is utterly beautiful. 

In the early 20th century, wines from this stretch of the Mittelmosel sold for two to three times the prices of First Growth Bordeaux. Painstakingly harvested from red slate slopes that pitch vertiginously upwards at 65°, in no sane marketplace should this wine cost what it does—and only 144 cases were made.

Erdener Prälat was named in the 19th century, thanks to a true story about events in 1066. The archbishop of Trier (the prelate in question) was cruising down the Mosel when he was kidnapped by local knights. They hauled him up the hill to their castle, and demanded ransom. 

The only problem? Nobody was interested in paying to save the hapless Conrad of Pfullingen. So his captors chucked him off the cliff and he landed in the vineyard that today bears his name, on whose labels he can be seen savoring a glass of wine.

The iconic winegrower Ernst Loosen once called Erdener Pralat the "greatest grand cru vineyard” of all his sites. The red slate, incredibly steep slopes, and south-facing aspect make this a warm microclimate—perfect in an outstanding year like 2021. The vineyard has a little bit more of everything than its neighbors, and produces wines with astonishing depth like this one.