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Kobern and Winning UhlenImage: Deutsches Weininstitut
Kobern and Winning Uhlen. The imposing and extremely steep Uhlen, whose name derives from owls nesting in rocks and walls at the edge of the forest, is probably the most renowned vineyard of the Terrassenmosel. Most of it belongs to Kobern-Gondorf, the smaller part is on the territory of the neighbouring municipality of Winningen. Since 2018, there have been three under European wine law protected designations of origin within the Uhlen, which reflect the geological differences: Roth Lay, Blaufüßer Lay and Laubach. As Joachim Krieger explains in his book Terrassenkultur an der Untermosel (Terrace Culture on the Lower Moselle), the Uhlen, a construct of the German wine law of 1971, did not originally exist in its current dimensions. Rather, in its place there were the cadastral sites Uhlen, Untere Uhlen, Obere Uhlen, Im Rabenberg, An der Blaufüßerlay, Unter der Blaufüßerlay, Oberer Hamm and Pfaffenchöre.

Our Latest Ratings

WinewhitedryWeißer Gutedel

2023 Gutedel Landwein trocken

Thomas Harteneck, Schliengen

Germany

Badischer Landwein • Geschützte geografische Angabe (g. g. A.)

Lot number 303 9 25 • 11.5 % vol alcohol

16🯅

Tasted on 15 April 2026 by Werner Elflein

Pale yellow. A lively bouquet with delicate, spicy sur lie notes and aromas of pear and green apple. Enormously expressive on the palate with plenty of freshness that needs no acidity. Profound. Excellent length. A hint of ripe banana in the long finish. Wins with air.

16🯅

Tasted on 15 April 2026 by Julia Elflein

Winewhiteoff-dryWeißer Riesling

2016 Ürzig Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese feinherb

Jos. Christoffel jr. (Christoffel-Prüm), Ürzig

Germany

Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2602144 3 17 • 8.5 % vol alcohol

18🯅

Tasted on 12 April 2026 by Werner Elflein

Pale yellow. An exquisitely delicate Riesling bouquet with hints of peach and distinct natural fermentation aromas. On the palate, a complex interplay of elegant acidity and delicate sweetness. Superb balance and finesse. Vibrant minerality. Timeless, with no significant signs of ageing. Excellent length. Similar in style to a delicately fruity Kabinett.

18🯅

Tasted on 12 April 2026 by Julia Elflein

17.5🯅

Tasted on 16 June 2017 by Werner Elflein

17.5🯅

Tasted on 16 June 2017 by Julia Elflein

Winewhitedry to off-dryWeißer Riesling

2016 Neumagen Rosengärtchen von den Terrassen Riesling Qualitätswein

Günther Steinmetz, Brauneberg

Germany

Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2577121 7 17 • 12 % vol alcohol

18🯅

Tasted on 10 April 2026 by Werner Elflein

Straw-yellow. A spicy, mineral-driven nose. With age, it now displays a certain phenolic character and hints of peach and burnt caramel. Dense and multi-layered on the palate, again with distinct, yet not overly bitter, phenolic notes. A Francophile Riesling that focuses primarily on the mouthfeel. A hint of residual sweetness. Polished acidity. Complex length. Herbal spice on the finish. No longer possesses the impressive clarity and vibrant minerality of its youth.

19.5🯅🕓

Tasted on 9 December 2017 by Werner Elflein

WinereddryBlauer Spätburgunder

2018 Dernau Spätburgunder Qualitätswein

Bertram-Baltes, Dernau

Germany

Ahr • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 1792461 8 20 • 12.5 % vol alcohol

17🯅

Tasted on 8 April 2026 by Werner Elflein

A deep, opaque cherry red with a lighter rim. Still somewhat reductive on the nose. Despite the overall coolness of the fruit, there are also distinctly warming nuances. Light and dark fruit aromas, primarily raspberry and sweet cherry, blend together elegantly. On the palate, too, the Dernauer cannot decide which way to go, impressively bridging the gap between the power of the hot vintage and the silky elegance of the Ahr. Distinct toasty aromas, herbaceous spice and a hint of cocoa powder and dark chocolate. Velvety, slightly grainy tannins that have now integrated well. Fine acidity. Outstanding length and persistence.

17🯅

Tasted on 8 April 2026 by Julia Elflein

17🯅

Tasted on 27 October 2023 by Werner Elflein

Winewhitedry to off-dryWeißer Riesling

2015 Trittenheim Apotheke Jungheld Riesling Spätlese

Loersch, Leiwen

Germany

Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 3594509 22 17 • 12.5 % vol alcohol

18.5🯅

Tasted on 21 March 2026 by Werner Elflein

In 2015, Alexander Loersch first released his Riesling from the Jungheld vineyard at the Trittenheimer Apotheke, aged in acacia wood barrels. Straw-yellow. A dense, complex bouquet, influenced by the cask, with a slightly ethereal quality and notes of burnt caramel and bourbon vanilla. Subtle, understated fruit with delicate hints of bitter orange. Restrained herbal notes, with nuances of partly green, partly dried herbs. A hint of black pepper. On the palate, it has a delicately creamy texture and harmoniously integrated acidity, refined by malolactic fermentation. A distinctly dry flavour profile with an extremely subtle hint of residual sweetness. The finish brings back the ethereal spice. Excellent length and persistence. Impressive substance.

Symbols
🯅The rating of the wine is based on a single taster. The taster is named in the context of the rating. The tasting was either open or blind. In case of a blind tasting, it is explicitly labelled as such.
🯅🯅The rating of the wine is based on two tasters. The tasters are named in the context of the rating. The tasting was carried out according to the four-eyes principle, in which both tasters agree on a joint rating.
🯅🯅🯅The rating is based on a tasting by our jury and indicates the Mean value calculated by us from the individual ratings of the tasters. Our mean value is based on the median.
⚖The wine was evaluated in a blind tasting. We have strict rules for blind tastings. The tasters do not receive any information that would allow them to identify the wines. The tasters are only given access to further information that goes beyond the subject matter if it is absolutely necessary for understanding the wines.
🕓We only had limited time to taste the wine  - typically during an open tasting event, such as a wine fair. It was therefore not possible to observe the development of the wine in the glass over a longer period of time. The informative value of our rating may therefore be limited under certain circumstances.
⛬The wine was tasted as a barrel sample or before an official test number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer or Staatliche Prüfnummer) was issued. We only accept samples of unfilled wines in exceptional cases, and then only if we can assume sufficient stability in the bottle for a period of at least three months.
▲During our tasting, the wine showed conspicuous sensory characteristics. This does not necessarily have to be a wine fault. We categorise the quality and quantity of the abnormality and include it in the rating. Wine faults such as cork taint or an atypical ageing generally lead to a complete rejection.
Tastings that refer to the same bottle of a wine are visually summarised by a dotted line.

Our Latest Posts

Satire

Wellness for the Vineyards

Massage Techniques for Vines are Revolutionising Viticulture
Image: weinfreaks.de
In spring, even before the vines begin to bud, the first seasonal workers are already busy tending the vines in the Saar vineyards. At the famous Scharzhofberg, the focus is not on pruning or tilling the soil. Instead, you see the workers bent over the vines, massaging the wood with their hands just a few centimetres above the root zone.
Facts

The Rescue of Moselle Apollo and Steep-Slope Viticulture

Melanargia and Deutsche Umwelthilfe Have Lost at the Court, Rescue Measures for the Moselle Apollo are Effective
Image: Detlef Mader
At the end of 2023, we reported for the first time on the serious threat to the Moselle Apollo butterfly. In April 2025, a report was published on the feared imminent extinction of the unique knight butterfly and the absurd lawsuit brought by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Melanargia – Rheinisch-Westfälischer Lepidopterologen (AGL) and the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) for a ban on helicopter spraying in steep-slope viticulture on the Moselle, which has since been rejected by the administrative courts in four rulings. Therefore, there are now renewed hope.
Facts

When Wine Disappears

On the Erosion of a Culture of Enjoyment
Image: Pixabay
Wine is more than just a matter of taste or fashion. It is a structural element of everyday life and has long been embedded in social rituals and cultural habits. In the post-war period, especially from the 1950s onwards, wine became a symbol of stability, routine and prosperity. The integration of wine into everyday life was not a luxury phenomenon, but rather an expression of the social and economic conditions of the time, which were characterised by predictable career paths, stable incomes and clear social milieus.
Comment

Dry January

Moral Imperative or Cultureless Dogmatism?
Image: Pixabay
At the beginning of each year, the collective abstinence parade known as Dry January begins anew. A whole month without alcohol, marketed as an act of self-control, as a contribution to physical regeneration, as a signal of a “sensible lifestyle”. Those who opt out of this ritual quickly find themselves under pressure to justify their decision. What appears to be a voluntary health initiative, however, on closer inspection turns out to be a media-driven standardisation project that suppresses enjoyment, culture and differentiation in favour of simple messages.
Obituary

Remembering Hans-Günter Schwarz

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Image: Wikipedia
Germany's wine world is in mourning. Hans-Günter Schwarz passed away on 21 November 2025 at the age of 84. For decades, Schwarz was arguably the most prominent figure in the German wine scene. He established the international reputation of the Müller-Catoir winery and trained many young winemakers to become top producers. His achievements remain unrivalled to this day.
Comment

Terroir and Misunderstanding

Why the Grape Variety Matters
Image: weinfreaks.de
“A spectre is haunting the world of wine. Its name is terroir.” [translated] With these words, Reinhard Löwenstein once opened his famous essay “Vom Öchsle zum Terroir” (From Oechsle to Terroir), published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in October 2003. The article was preceded by years of discussion that had shaped the German wine scene since at least the late 1990s. Löwenstein's essay was of enormous importance to the discourse at the time. In many respects, it is still highly topical. Nevertheless, the headline itself contains a serious misunderstanding.
Tasting

Bordeaux: 2022 a Vintage of the Century?

Great Wines despite Great Drought
Image: weinfreaks.de
Apostrophising a vintage as the vintage of the century even before a centenary has passed may seem premature. However, with regard to the 2022s from the Bordeaux region, the assessment that exceptional wines were produced in that year is undoubtedly anything but bold. Of course, not all châteaux were able to triumph. Moreover, the 2022 was anything but a sure-fire success. The course of the vintage presented the winemakers with major challenges. However, in many cases, the result in the bottle can be downright inspiring. We tasted a cross-section of the vintage on the occasion of the presentation of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux at this year's ProWein.
Comment

ProWein in Decline

Large Drop in Exhibitors and Visitors at the International Wine Fair in Düsseldorf
Image: Messe Düsseldorf
In its press release, Messe Düsseldorf celebrates ProWein 2025 (16–18 March) as a success. However, the facts speak a different language. Only 4200 exhibitors, 20 per cent fewer than last year, were spread across the eleven exhibition halls. The number of visitors also fell, by a good ten per cent to 42000 compared to 2024. While the trade fair continues to emphasise the outstanding importance of ProWein for the international wine industry, the exodus of German wine producers in particular has reached a new dimension. Only around 900 exhibitors came from Germany in 2025.

A selection of our previous posts

Facts

Against Viticulture and for the Death of the Apollo Butterfly

Absurd Lawsuit against Rhineland-Palatinate
Image: Pixabay
Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is a non-profit organisation under German association law, but above all it is a group of lobbyists who receive state support for their activities. According to the online platform auto.de, this amounted to almost five million Euros in 2018. The DUH received further 2.5 million Euros from the lucrative business of issuing warning letters. DUH is now suing the state of Rhineland-Palatinate together with the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Rheinisch-Westfälischer Lepidopterologen (AGL). Since 2011, the state's Ministry of Viticulture has repeatedly granted winegrowers in the Lower Moselle region exemptions for helicopter spraying, which is prohibited by law in the state.
Tasting

“A New Chapter”

Christoph Eifel Continues the Family Tradition
Image: Christoph Eifel
The history of the Trittenheim family business can be traced back to 1635. The next generation took over in 2021. The Ernst Eifel winery became the Christoph Eifel winery. The question of what exactly has changed as a result of the generational change is not easy to answer. It would undoubtedly be a miracle if Christoph Eifel, who learnt the winemaking trade from Nik Weis in Leiwen and Thomas Haag in Lieser before studying viticulture in Geisenheim, did not introduce his own ideas and carefully develop the style of the wines. But this does not necessarily mean a break.
Tasting

The Piwi Kollektiv

An Integrated Concept for Organic Viticulture
Image: Piwi Kollektiv
If the state government has its way, the proportion of organically farmed land in Baden-Württemberg should increase to up to 40 per cent by 2030. This also applies to viticulture. However, many small family businesses in Baden are traditionally organised in cooperatives and only cultivate their mostly small vineyards as a sideline. Martin Schmidt, owner of the Kiefer and Schmidt wineries in Eichstetten, and Philipp Rottmann thought about this and founded the Piwi Kollektiv.
Tasting

Virginia on the Road

The Development of a Young Wine Region
Image: Pixabay
Compared to the total area under vines in the United States, Virginia's viticulture may only play a minor role. In terms of quality, however, the wines of the state on the American east coast have become increasingly important in recent decades. Although Virginia's wines are still little known on the international stage, they are increasingly developing into important export goods. Virginia is still a young wine region. It was not until the late 18th century that European immigrants planted the first vineyards here. Among them was Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers and third president of the United States.
Tasting

Pascal Oberhofer Takes Off

Generation Change in the Traditional Palatinate Winery
Image: Deutsches Weininstitut
At the time of the French Revolution, they were almost 200 years old. The vines in the Rhodt Rosengarten, mainly Gewürztraminer, are still standing today. The phylloxera and two world wars could not harm them. The Oberhofer family, whose ancestors once came to the Palatinate from South Tyrol, owns what is probably the world's oldest vineyard still in production. The Oberhofers have been cultivating their vineyards organically since 2008. This is not to change in the course of the current generation change – step by step, the 25-year-old junior Pascal is taking over the business.
Tasting

Mosella Patria Vini Sicci

Moselle Rieslings with a Dry Flavour Profile
Image: Pixabay
A good 150 years ago, when Rieslings from the Moselle achieved higher international prices than red wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, noble sweet top wines played only a secondary role. Auslesen, Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen were extremely rare. At the time, it were mainly Rieslings with a dry flavour that made the winegrowers of the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer successful. It was not until after the Second World War that the region gained great importance as a source of outstanding fruity and noble sweet wines. The production of great dry Rieslings largely came to a standstill. But after the end of the sweet wine wave, the focus is increasingly back on dry Rieslings. We look into the question of whether the Moselle region can resume its old tradition.
Tasting

Draught Horse HE

Palatinate Pinot Noirs in Burgundian Style
Image: Pixabay
“Prago”, “Arthos”, “Melandor”. This is how winemaker Uli Metzger from Grünstadt-Asselheim calls his three best Pinot Noirs. Their first vintage, 2012, is now sold out at the winery. Not least because “Arthos” was one of the winning wines at the VINUM German Red Wine Award last year. The young 2013s are already tasting very promising and even indicate an increase compared to the previous year. However, there is not much room for improvement. Uli Metzger's advisor knows that, too. For Hans Erich Dausch, the three Pinot Noirs are in the same league as the best red wines of Burgundy. Dausch can judge that. He knows Burgundy like the back of his hand and is a welcome guest at Romanée-Conti. In his Palatinate homeland, he is better known by his abbreviation HE than by his civil name.
Tasting

Blaufränkisch – The Next Generation

Austrian's Red Wine Slims Down
Image: Pixabay
Austrian red wines have a hard time in this country. Almost ineradicable in the minds of consumers is the idea that they are always ponderous wines disfigured by new wood to the point of being unrecognisable as a grape variety, as was still common in the nineties. We still have the impression that many producers give priority to concentration over elegance. But in the meantime, a counter-current to the mainstream is forming. Blaufränkisch, an autochthonous Austrian grape variety, benefits not least from this, as it needs neither abundant alcohol nor exaggerated wood make-up to produce convincing, tannin-rich red wines with fine acidity.