Wednesday, January 10, 2024

7 Wines from Austria and Germany on Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections List of 2023

Picture: Christian Schiller and Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, Tasting at Weingut Weil. See: Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany


Picture: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Picture: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, with Alwin Jurtschitsch - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: At Weingut Fritz Haag, with Oliver Haag. See: Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir


The Wine Enthusiast released its Top 100 Cellar Selections, a list of the world’s most collectible wines from those that our pro reviewers blind-tasted in the past 12 months. There are 7 wines from Austria and Germany on the list.

Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections (2023)

Wine Enthusiast: It would have been easy to compile a list of the world’s most collectible wines from those that our pro reviewers blind-tasted in the past 12 months: Simply pick the wines known to bring the highest prices. But we thought that, post-pandemic and weighed down by inflation, Wine Enthusiast readers deserve a different tack for the Top 100 Cellar Selections.

These days, elite Burgundy, Bordeaux and California Cabernet bottles sell for thousands of dollars—if you can even find them. So, we looked elsewhere, scouring a year’s worth of Cellar Selections and crafted a different sort of list, one that values moderate cost, more adventure, more discovery. Forty-seven of the 100 cost less than $100, and 18 of the 100 come in under $50. None is priced higher than $800.

This list represents what’s next in Wine Enthusiast’s Cellar Selections—wines with consistency and structure that aren’t necessarily the biggest and boldest. The number one wine, for example, is Poggio di Sotto’s 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, not the most legendary in its region of Italy but what a wine! An earthy, stony nose, robust tannins and fiery acidity prove its ageworthiness, writes reviewer Danielle Callegari.

The number two wine, Vega Sicilia 2012 Unico from the Ribera del Duero is indeed a proven collectible: “Drink now through 2052,” raves reviewer Mike DeSimone. This gem represents Spain as an underappreciated wine country full of discoveries. Number three goes to a fantastic 2020 Côte-Rôtie Syrah from Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin in France’s Rhône valley.

Plenty of cellar-worthy wines from the U.S., France, Italy and 11 other countries follow, giving readers a broad shopping list and guide. And prices aside, all the Top 100 Cellar Selections are good investments in drinking pleasure.

Selecting wines from our list and gently storing them in a cool room or wine cellar will guarantee a personal supply of something exceptional to uncork for special occasions. Beyond that, experiencing how beautifully these wines improve with age is something no wine lover should miss. Have patience with these bottles and explore the dimension of time as only a great wine can convey.

#28 Robert Weil 2021 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Trockenbeeren Auslese Riesling (Rheingau).— 98pts, A.Z.


Incredible unctuousness, this is complex and ethereal. Creamy in texture, yet elegant and vibrant, thanks to its powerful acidity. It shows intensely concentrated notes of apricot marmelade, honey, caramelized pear and vanilla spice. Picks up a smoky note on the finish, but leaving the essence of apricot to linger
endlessly. The pinnacle of world's best sweet wines. Loosen Bros. USA. Cellar Selection. abv: 7.5% Price: $700/375 m

Picture: Christian Schiller and Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, Tasting at Weingut Weil. See: Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

Pictures: Christian and Annette Schiller with Wilhelm Weil at Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich

Pictures: Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Pictures: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Rheingau, with Jan Christensen - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling

#50 Wittmann 2021 Westhofen Morstein Trocken GG Riesling (Rheinhessen). — 95pts, A.Z.

Loosen Brothers: The 2021 Wittmann Morstein Riesling GG is #50 on Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Cellar Selections List of 2023! This is a monumental dry Riesling from the greatest Grosse Lage (grand cru) vineyard in the southern Rheinhessen region. Wittmann wines are known for their tension, depth and intensity, but are at the same time fresh and elegant.

This is quite closed still, but it does allow for a sneak peek to what it is going to become with some cellaring. Lemon verbena on the nose opens it up to the flavors of Meyer lemon, quince, Bosc pear and white raspberry. The acidity is firm and makes a heavy imprint at the moment, but when coupled with the texture, it leaves a harmonious impression. The finish is very persistent. There is a lot of wine here—you just need to peel off the layers. Best after 2028. Loosen Bros. USA. Cellar Selection. abv: 12.5% Price: $125

Pictures: Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann, Weingut Wittmann, with Annette and Christian Schiller at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf

Pictures: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

#57 Prager 2021 Ried Achleiten Smaragd Riesling (Wachau). — 98pts, A.Z.

This intensely mineral version has a light golden hue, which hints at concentration, but its acidity makes it incredibly graceful. Integration of elements is seamless, and its lively profile is decorated with rich flavors of melon, clementine and peach that are sprinkled with meringue and fleur de sel. The succulent, mouth-watering finish flows across the palate, inviting you for another sip. Best 2025–2045. Winebow
Imports. Cellar Selection. abv: 13.5% Price: $85 

#71 Christian Tschida 2022 Laissez-Faire Riesling (Austria). — 94pts, A.Z.

Delicious and complex, this unfiltered white has a lacy texture and finesse. It peels off in layers, with flavors that range from bergamot, kumquat and gooseberry to spring blossom and savory mineral. Really alive and invigorating, with a long, floral-tinged finish, it will show even more in a few years. Best after 2025. Jenny and François Selections. Cellar Selection. abv: 12% Price: $84

#82 Jurtschitsch 2020 Ried Käferberg Erste Lage Grüner Veltliner (Kamptal).— 94pts, A.Z.

This is incredibly elegant, yet very expressive, with firm, bracing acidity that keeps it intact, but also gives it energy, creating a mouthwatering impression. There is an intense mix of ginger, tangerine and persimmon upfront, while notes of jasmine and strawberry mint emerge toward the finish. It lingers on the palate, inviting you for more. Bowler Wine. Cellar Selection. abv: 12.5% Price: $60












Pictures: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, with Alwin Jurtschitsch - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

#84 Fritz Haag 2021 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling (Mosel). — 95pts, A.Z.

Loosen Bros.:Don't mind us as we brag about another producer that made Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Cellar Selections List of 2023! The 2021 Fritz Haag Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese came in at #94. 


Silky and suave, it features gorgeous notes of acacia honey, violet and mineral that frame the juicy core of nectarine, mango and passion fruit. It is pretty concentrated, yet graceful and shows great definition, partly because of its acidity, that flows almost unnoticeably before its emergence toward the finish, where it leaves your mouth watering after a wave of spice and floral notes. Drink through 2045. Loosen Bros. USA. Cellar Selection. abv: 7.5% Price: $42

Pictures: At Weingut Fritz Haag, with Oliver Haag. See: Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

#91 Lesehof Stagård 2020 Ried Steiner Pfaffenberg Riesling (Kremstal). — 95pts, A.Z.

This phenomenal wine shows a somewhat idiosyncratic style at first. It is soft-spoken and needs time to unravel, with hints of lavender and jasmine. White raspberry notes emerge midpalate, intermingled with sea salt, coriander and tarragon, all tied to a vivid structure. It is pure and precise, with a tactile finish. Aging will help reveal the wine’s facets even more. Best through 2035. Schatzi Wines. Cellar Selection.
abv: 13% Price: $45

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

ombiasy WineTours: Wine Tour Schedule 2023 - Austria, Germany/East, Burgundy/ Champagne, Germany/ North

Summery: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours 

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Tement, Steiermark, with Sommelier Andy Bodor and Manfred and Heidi Tement - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours   

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

The American Wine Society National Conference 2022 in Bellevue/ Seattle, Washington State - Seen through Christian Schiller`s Camera Lens

Tasting Top Virginia Wines in Frankfurt, Germany: Virginia Governor's Cup Case 2017

A Journey through Bourgogne with Louis Jadot - Tasting at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar Presented by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and Thibaud Marquis, Louis Jadot

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Carl Willner, Christian Schiller and Ken Bensley of the German Wine Society/ Washington DC Chapter (Re-)elected to the National Board, USA, Germany 

The End of the "Grosslage" in Germany - Seminar about the new German Wine Law of 2022 at the 2022 American Wine Society National Conference in Bellevue/ Seattle, Washington State, led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

Germany's Weingut Künstler #2 on James Suckling's List of the Top 100 Wines of the World (2022)

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

"Wein-Oktoberfest" of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) at the German Embassy in Washington DC, USA 

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists



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