2024 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken

The 2024 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken is one of the most sought-after dry Rieslings from the Saar, a single-parcel wine made from the Mutter Anna vineyard in the Niedermenniger Herrenberg by Erich Weber and his son Johannes in the village of Konz-Niedermennig. What sets this wine apart is the estate's uncompromising approach: no additions or subtractions of any kind, fermentation entirely on wild yeasts in traditional oak Fuders, and no tanks in the cellar at all. The result is a house style that is featherlight yet deeply concentrated, with the knife-sharp acidity and mineral intensity that defines great Saar Riesling. Hofgut Falkenstein is run by the Weber family in the village of Konz-Niedermennig on the Saar, where allocations are strict and demand far outpaces supply. The Herrenberg parcel is a short walk from the estate, planted on a mix of iron-rich grey slate, quartz, and quartzite sandstone with occasional diabas. For the 2024 vintage, the grapes were harvested by hand in a single pass, whole-cluster pressed, then allowed to settle overnight before being transferred to a single traditional Fuder for spontaneous fermentation, where the wine stayed through elevage and was bottled in spring 2025. The winemaking is entirely hands-off, relying on wild yeasts and traditional wood fermentation to express the iron-minerality and taut acidity of the Saar. The wine is pale yellow with green reflections. The nose is cool and precise, with Granny Smith apple, lemon zest, fennel, juniper, and a vivid struck-flint minerality. On the palate it is dry and taut, with a vibrating, saline acidity and a long, stony finish that is pure Saar. Pair it with raw oysters, grilled trout, cucumber-and-dill salad, or steamed mussels with lemon and white wine. It is approachable now but built to reward patience over the next decade. The 2024 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken is available for pickup at Off Premise Chicago, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, with local Chicago delivery and nationwide shipping.