Fine wine is not having an easy time of it at the moment. That is why the VDP.Nahe has come up with a special measure this year to further enhance the 2025 auction in Bad Kreuznach. Sur-la-pointe was commissioned to create a special image brochure. It contains the history of the auction as well as portraits and tasting notes for all the wines on offer. The guide is rounded off with a foreword by Jancis Robinson and an interview with auctioneer Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm. The history of the auction is indeed fascinating. The predecessor of today’s VDP.Nahe had been holding auctions in Bad Kreuznach since its foundation in 1912 – and the auctions tell the story of the German wine miracle as if through a magnifying glass. The brochure can be found online here. The pre-tasting of all wines also documented the current performance level of top German Rieslings, especially in a crystal-clear, purist Riesling vintage such as 2024. That is why my notes are reprinted here after a review of the actual auction.
The auction in Bad Kreuznach
Due to the difficult year in 2024, there was lower participation and fewer lots this year. Accordingly, it was not expected in advance that the previous year’s result of €1.5 million net would be repeated. Nevertheless, the 32 lots from 13 wineries auctioned by VDP Honorary President Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm raised a total of €1,001,233 (gross: €1,251,040.63). The standout lot in Bad Kreuznach was a double magnum of 2024 Pettenthal Riesling GG from the Keller winery with a starting price of €400, which finally went under the hammer for €11,000 (gross: €13,744.50). Frank Schönleber, chairman of the VDP-Nahe, was very satisfied with the results and summed up: “This auction impressively demonstrates how relevant and sought-after top German wines are internationally. German viticulture will only have a chance in the long term if we continuously strive for the best quality.”
Apart from these key figures, a look at the individual results provides some remarkable insights – especially when compared to previous years. Most wines were exceptionally stable (Kreuzberg, Hermannsberg, and Kuhn were almost identical). Caroline Diel’s ARA did not achieve the same result as last year, perhaps because 2020 turned out to be somewhat more purist and elegant than 2019. Wagner Stempel’s EMT also failed to reach the price of the previous two years (€187.43 instead of €243.65 gross). Wittmann’s La Borne fared similarly, albeit at a higher level (now €387.35). Schäfer-Fröhlich’s Final, on the other hand, maintained the previous year’s price, which was, however, a good €100 net below 2023. At €499.80 gross, it is certainly one of the most expensive dry wines in Germany. Auf der Ley from Emrich-Schönleber has risen steadily – and quite rightly so – (now €301.13 gross). Incidentally, the most expensive dry wine was Keller’s Pettenthal at €749.70 gross.
Keller’s wines from Schubertslay fell slightly short of my expectations. The 2018 Magnum was sold for €937.13 gross – in 2022, the 2021 Kabinett in the same bottle size achieved a net increase in price of €8,900. However, only six bottles were offered at that time, compared to 100 this year. The Schubertslay Spätlese (produced for the first time ever!) was almost a bargain at €499.80 (288 bottles), especially given its exceptional quality. The four magnums, at €2,998.80 each, were more expensive. As expected, the most expensive sweet wine of the year was the ice wine from Dönnhoff’s Brücke vineyard. Offered in sizes of 0.375, 0.75, and 1.5 liters, the latter reached a gross price of €3,248.70 in a single bottling. Given that this category is facing extinction due to climate change, this is also surprisingly moderate.
The wines
1. The Reds
J. Kreuzberg (Ahr): 2023 Devonschiefer R, Spätburgunder. Transparent ruby red in the glass, dark smoky bouquet, with the expressive notes of a Spätburgunder grown on slate, accompanied by plum, cloves, and delicate smoke. Sinewy and cool on the palate, with precise fruit melt and very good length.
Schlossgut Diel (Nahe): 2020 Pinot Noir ARA, Spätburgunder. Dark, almost opaque ruby red, seductive cherry aromas on the nose, but also blackberry and dark chocolate. The silky, downright luxurious texture is characterized by the finest tannins and ripe acidity. Underneath, of course, lies a powerful structure.
2. The Kabinetts Part 1
Joh. Bapt. Schäfer (Nahe): 2024 GOLDLOCH, Riesling Kabinett. Pale yellow-green, yeasty and herbal fermentation aromas on the nose, but also peach skin and ripe apples. Almost weightless on the palate despite its density. Acidity and sweetness are perfectly integrated, and the creaminess at the beginning transforms with air into an almost Mosel-like precision.
F. Groebe (Rheinhessen): 2024 KIRCHSPIEL, Riesling Kabinett. Still a reserved, delicate bouquet with some citrus fruits, young yellow stone fruits, and only subtle yeast notes. Initially pure as spring water and very delicate, the wine becomes increasingly full-bodied and creamy in the glass until it finally makes a statement, completely at ease with itself.
3. Kabinett and Spätlese from Keller
Keller: 2018 SCHUBERTSLAY (Mosel), Riesling Kabinett (60 years old). A Kabinett like something from a parallel universe. Fresh apple, lemon, and pear skin on the nose. Slim, weightless on the palate, completely round and perfect, yet incredibly fresh and almost ageless. The harmony of acidity and fruit is dreamlike. Long finish.
Keller: 2023 SCHUBERTSLAY (Mosel), Riesling Spätlese Alte Reben. Beautiful ripe stone fruit aromas and considerable spice in the bouquet. On the palate, it is denser and more complex than the Kabinett. But it is also younger and still clearly undeveloped. It is already wonderful to drink and is the darker and more enigmatic of the two wines.
4. Sparkling wine and reserve
Gut Hermannsberg (Nahe) 2018 KUPFERGRUBE, Schloßböckelheim Riesling Sekt Extra Brut. Pale golden color, purist bouquet of white flowers and a hint of white bread, still very young on the palate and with razor-sharp precision. Powerful acidity and invigorating saltiness on the finish. The Avize among German Riesling sparkling wines.
K. F. Groebe (Rheinhessen): 2019 KIRCHSPIEL, Riesling Grande Réserve. Fine petrol notes, ripe garden fruit, and a hint of wood on the nose. Beautiful mouthfeel with a magnificent balance between freshness and density. Now at a wonderful first plateau, but the good acidity and a hint of residual sweetness promise even more.
5. Dry Rieslings from the Nahe
Emrich-Schönleber (Nahe) 2024 AUF DER LEY, Riesling GG. A Riesling as if carved from rock. Fresh vineyard peach, young mirabelle plums, and bergamot on the nose, firm and very pure on the palate with a radiant acidity. The wine currently only hints at its tremendous potential, but it is already a fascinating monument.
Schäfer-Fröhlich (Nahe) 2024 Final, Riesling trocken. Powerful herbal-spicy spontaneous notes on the nose, accompanied by flint, yellow fruit, and Amalfi lemon. Very impressive, even if it is currently difficult to penetrate. Beautiful texture, yet enormously clear and bone-dry despite all its complexity. So salty that it crystallizes on the lips.
6. GGs from Rheinhessen Part 1
Wagner-Stempel (Rheinhessen) 2024 EMT, Riesling trocken. The bouquet has hints of a fruit basket full of raspberries and apricots, interspersed with a bouquet of herbs. Despite its present acidity and great architecture, it is sensual, almost hedonistic on the palate. Already in great early form, yet also a wine for long storage.
Philipp Wittmann (Rheinhessen) 2024 La Borne, Riesling trocken Alte Reben. Some citrus and menthol, otherwise still cool, almost aloof. Instead, a powerful, austere grandeur is noticeable, an almost unique style in which the fruit is only secondary. Impressive acidity, stunning texture, and a hint of a future yet to be revealed.
7. GGs from Rheinhessen Part 2
Gunderloch (Rheinhessen) 2024 FENCHELBERG, Riesling GG. Very complex , wide-ranging nose of celery, fennel (really!), mirabelle plum, curry leaves, and wild fermentation yeasts. Floating and transparent on the palate. Thanks to well-integrated acidity and a hint of residual sweetness, it has excellent drinkability despite its density.
Keller (Rheinhessen) 2024 PETTENTHAL, Riesling GG. A sphinx. Probably the most inaccessible and mysterious of all the wines in the auction. Still very closed, reductive nose. On the palate, it is less the acidity than the enormous, almost oily density that fascinates. Again, hardly any fruit, but with almost bottomless depth.
8. A GG from the Palatinate and an ice wine
Philipp Kuhn (Palatinate) 2024 PHILIPPSBRUNNEN, Riesling GG. Citrus fruits, but also orange peel and elderflower on the nose. Very present, straightforward and powerful mouthfeel. Powerful but not fat, acidic but perfectly balanced. With its self-assured nonchalance, it is the Harrison Ford of auction wines.
Dönnhoff (Nahe) 2021 BRÜCKE, Riesling Eiswein “Mittwoch.” Amazingly bright in the glass and an almost dramatic bouquet of lychee, quince, and star fruit. A hint of glacier candy on the palate: incredibly clear and clean with an acidity arc like a peacock’s tail and a uniquely dense, creamy texture.
Image rights:
Stefan Pegatzky / Time Tunnel Images
Image captions:
Image 1: The winemakers from left to right: Klaus-Peter Keller, Ludwig Kreuzberg, Julia Keller, Caroline Diel, Philipp Wittmann, Johannes Hasselbach (Weingut Gunderloch), Cornelius Dönnhoff, Frank Schönleber, and Fritz Groebe
2: Caroline Diel with commission agent Barbara Selbach
3: Commission agents Sebastian and Johannes Selbach with Cornelius Dönnhoff
4: Commission agent Ulrich Allendorf with Fritz Groebe
