Schloss Lieser

This Estate is one of the new stars of the Mosel that in Thomas Haag (son of Wilhelm at Fritz Haag), has one of Germany’s brightest up and coming winemakers. His prime plots of land are in the top due south-facing Niederberg Helden vineyard of Lieser. Though just a few hundred metres from his father’s Brauneberg vineyards, the heavy thicker set grey/blue slate of the Helden vineyard produces heavier wines that sometimes require more initial bottle bottle age before showing their true colours. Rigorous work in the vineyard and microscopic attention to detail in his cellars, guarantee a consistent production of good wines in poor years and outstanding wines in great years. In fact, Thomas can regularly claim to have the Mosel’s lowest yields. Since 2004, Thomas has been exploiting some vines in the famous Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr vineyard, given to him by his father Wilhelm Haag of the Fritz Haag estate.

2023 Vintage: Arriving in Lieser on what we were told was the first day of sun this year, the mood was a happy one. Spirits were lifted even further as we discovered the 2023s’ outstanding combination of extract, fruit density and charm. Acidities are crispy but ripe and overall the wines show a fresher and fruitier character than the more focused, structured 2022s. Already, the 2023s really impress, and Thomas Haag feels that “2023 is a more homogenous vintage here than 2022. But this required hard work, particularly for the pickers who had to check thoroughly every bunch before cutting, then a second selection in the boxes before they left the vineyards. At the beginning of the harvest this feels do-able, but as the weeks go by and tiredness sets in, it requires real motivation and commitment to see that precision through to the end.” This, just one in a long line of examples, is the sort of intensity and focus with which the family works to produce some of the most athletic, incisive wines in the Mosel. 2023 is a great vintage here crowned by two Goldkapsels and two Long Goldkapsels, the most we have seen since 2019. All four marry noble flavours with a succulence and thrilling cut that makes them highly drinkable and enticing. 2023 was clearly a taxing year in the vineyards but the results at Schloss Lieser prove that hard work breeds success.