Despite challenging conditions of 2018, von Schubert has come through again with an excellent vintage. Not as classic as 2017, but still plenty to offer here.
2016 Maximin Grünhaus Riesling (Deutscher) Sekt brut
This is as fine a Riesling Sekt as I can recall ever having. The wine is crisp and dry with a medium-full body, good depth and expression to its Riesling fruit, but also the acidity to give the impression of noble austerity. 12.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 4319. 90/A+
2018 Maximin Grünhaus Pinot Blanc
This wine has spiced pear fruit, some creaminess, lively acidity, and just a touch of sweetness to my extremely sweet-sensitive palate. Drink over the next 3-5 years. The wine is from the upper part of the Herrenberg vineyard on red Devonian slate. 8 year-old vines, on average. 13.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 1419. 87/B
2018 Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Monopol
This brilliant wine is from younger vines in the Abtsberg and Herrenberg vineyards. It is a dry wine (8.4 g/l acidity, 8.1 g/l residual sweetness) with minerality, crispness, and incipient apricot fruit; very good tension and energy. An outstanding value for its class and price. 12.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 0119. 91/A+
2018 (Maximin Grünhaus) Bruderberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs (auction wine)
Looser structure than Herrenberg GG below. Not as concentrated. Some minerality, apple and peach fruit, round and smooth. Normally, wines are not made and separately labelled for the Bruderberg site (I have seen QbA’s in the past and maybe a Kabinett or two), but Dr. Carl von Schubert said that it is a high acid terroir, and so in a vintage such as 2018, it worked for a GG. 91(+)/A-
2018 (Maximin Grünhaus) Herrenberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs (auction wine)
Dry and intense with roundness, acidity, and penetrating yellow fruit. Medium-weight, moderate acidity, sensual, drink young. 93/A
2018 (Maximin Grünhaus) Abtsberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs
Acidity, some yellow fruit, medium-light, energetic. Not showing as well as the Herrenberg at this time. 91/A-
2018 Riesling Maximin
This is something that I’ve never seen before — a negociant wine from von Schubert. The grapes are from vineyards in the Mosel and Ruwer Valleys that the von Schubert family owns. The wine is almost dry with a medium-weight body, crispness, and good, balanced acidity. It is fresh as a daisy and shows good structure, making for lovely drinking on its own as an aperitif or with simple dishes. 12.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 0119. 88/A
2018 Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Herrenberg Kabinett
The Herrenberg Kabinett is a wine of pure pleasure. The nose shows a little typical fern together with apricot fruit. The mouth has powerful, precise apricot fruit, a a medium-weight body, and enough acidity to balance out the notable sweetness. 8.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 12 18 (sic). 93/A+
2018 Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Abtsberg Kabinett
The Abtsberg Kabinett has a little sharper acidity than the Herrenberg and the apricot and nectarine aromas and flavors are at this stage more primary. The mouth is also not a rich as that of the Herrenberg. 8.5% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 01219. 93/A+
2018 (Maximin Grünhaus) Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett Nr. 25 (auction wine)
The Abtsberg Kabinett Nr. 25 is round and intense with peach fruit and excellent balance. 93/A+
2018 Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Abtsberg Spätlese
A little more sweetness here than for the Abtsberg Kabinett, and in fact rather sweet for Spätlese, but this wine has the acidity to make for proper balance. A fair amount of richness of texture here and gorgeous, forward apricot fruit. 8.0% stated alcohol. Last digits of A.P. Nr.: 0619. 92/A
2018 (Maximin Grünhaus) Herrenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkasel (auction wine)
The auction Herrenberg Auslese Goldkapsel has a super acidity balance with depth and penetration. The wine shows quite a bit of sweetness yet remains with the Auslese style. 95/A
2018 (Maximin Grünhaus) Abtsberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (auction wine)
Von Schubert’s Abtsberg Auslese Goldkapsel has spiced apple aromas and flavors with a smooth texture, purity, a less bracing acidity than the the Herrenberg, and outstanding length. 95/A