Size: Default Title

It's no secret that Riesling is a favorite of wine professionals. For many of us, Barrel X was the entry point into a love of this grape and region. Winemaker Florian Lauer is based in the Saar, a smaller tributary at the bottom of the Upper Mosel. The estate is named for his father, Peter Lauer, but Florian has been at the helm since 2005 and farms everything organically. All the wines are fermented in stainless steel and then transferred to fuder for lees aging. The estate uses 'fass' or barrel numbers to identify each . Barrel X is unique in that it takes its name from the fact that it doesn't have a specific barrel. 

Florian's wines have slowly crept up in the harder and harder to get category, which makes the affordability of Barrel X all the more special. It's a blend of several parcels, slightly off dry, and Florian's version of the perfect feinherb Saar Riesling. We asked  his take on this vintage and he described it as, "raw, vibrant and racy, as this canonical bottling from 2020 was just recently bottled. The new vintage shows a touch lighter than 2019s, fine and delineated acids and gorgeous white flowers and stone fruit pinging across the palate. The wine is almost nervous and quivering, being so fresh—absolutely energetic and far too easily drank.” Sold. 

Share: