Another village level off-dry, this is sourced from various parcels on the “Grand Cru” Kupp – as such this is more the equivalent of “Senior.” This is a “Grand Cru” wine declassified and sold at village-level pricing. This tends to be a bit deeper and broader-shouldered than the Fass 4; it has more mineral complexity and more depth.
Ayler has been a regular guest on wine lists in German restaurants since the 1920s and was described in a charming way with the attributes: “natural, flowery, spicy, demanding”. This description has not lost any of its validity over 100 years.
Riesling (young vine Sommerberg), Pinot Gris (Brand), Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner
Another great, great Lauer Kupp Kabi; soaring citrus and stone fruit, a muscular ten grams of acidity slicing open the wine to reveal a super-polished mineral core, salty like an ocean breeze. This is the Saar at its best.
-Importer notes (Vom Boden)
While everyone yanks the wheel to the right, doing ever-more dry wines, Lauer holds his own course, providing for us new treasures for our campaign: “Spätlese is the new Kabinett.” Some say Spätlese is the heart of the vintage; I’m not 100% sure but this is delicious, light and zingy and refreshing. Dinner Spätlese – not for dessert.
Note this is the single 2022 offering in our release of the 2023 vintage. Most estates, including Lauer, hold back quantities of certain wines for fun, for a rainy day, or because they just feel like the wine needs more time. In the case of this wine, it was held back for all of these reasons. A small tranche is being released to us now simply to fill up this offer a bit. Feel free to review my thoughts on Lauer’s 2022ers, readable here. I *love* them.
Since 2022, the VDP has classified Ayler Scheidterberg as a Erste Lage or “Premier Cru”. This site is very sheltered southern exposure that allows a slow and long ripening deep into autumn. Stony-fresh and dense core that is remarkably playful and relatively open in it’s youth.