Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Niederberg Riesling, Nahe, Germany 2021

Emrich-Schonleber is one of the top estates of the Nahe, and indeed all of Germany. Family-run, they were established in the upper Nahe village of Monzigen over 250 years ago. The Nahe is known for three things: Dönnhoff, Schaefer-Fröhlich and Emrich-Schönleber. The first two have been sought out here in the states for decades, while the latter has been mostly off of the radar, except for in-the-know German wine drinkers.

Lost in the shuffle for long was Niederberg, but after much petitioning the stunning site chock-full of slate and quartzite soils was elevated to "Erste Lage", or "First Growth" - that is, essentially a Premier Cru site. As we said, this is a stunning site as its soils pop to the eye; they also generate a touch more ripeness with the absorption and reflection of light to the vines, meaning the Niederberg is a touch riper in aromatics, with its' bright citrus peel and spice, incredibly grippy texture and breathtaking length. A gem to enjoy now or watch unfurl over decades.