2018 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 5 Willi Schaefer, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Mosel Fine Wines - 2018 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 5, Willi Schaefer

The 2018er Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese AP 05 was harvested at 93° Oechsle in the Nikolausley and Gerdsgrub and was fermented down to fully fruity-styled levels of residual sugar. The wine offers a gorgeous nose dried herbs, hay, greengage, whipped cream, and smoky elements. It is overtly fruity yet playful on the delicately creamy palate and leaves a clean and pure feel of herbs and spices in the long finish. 2028-2048. - Jun. 2019

Vinous - 2018 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 5, Willi Schaefer

As usual, the Schaefers have bottled as their A.P. #5 a Spätlese richer and more conspicuously ripe than its A.P. #10 counterpart. And in this instance, it also delivers an earthiness along with its wet stone aspect that is highly site-typical. Baked apple, marzipan, lily-of-the-valley and a hint of caramel on the nose strikingly signal the advanced ripeness vis-à-vis A.P. #10. The palate impression is slick and honeyed, adding hints of white raisin to an already rich mix. The finish is not as mouthwatering, refreshing or transparent as that of several other Schaefer 2018s, but the aforementioned mineral elements are present as a sort of suffusion, and although sweetness is prominent, it is appropriate to the wine’s ripeness of fruit and confectionary cast. - David Schildknecht, Nov. 20