Unbottled – Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg

The Saar (sub-)region is very close to my heart. I already visited the area twice. This is why I also had to include it in my series on German wine regions. In this case, I chose a Riesling Kabinett from cult winery Hofgut Falkenstein. This special wine was the winner in the Kabinett wine tasting of 2025 in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newsletter.

The grapes for the wine grow in the ‘Kugel Peter’ parcel of the Krettnacher Euchariusberg and were planted in the 1970ties. After manual harvest the whole clusters are gently pressed over two to three hours. Next a gentle sedimentation in a large barrel takes place with fermentation happening in another barrel. The wine ages on the full yeast until bottling.

 
Pronounced acidity, but balanced

After an initial hit of sweet Riesling flavours in the form of petrol, the minerality instantly hits. I got a slightly dusty impression combined with pink grapefruits as well as unripe apricots. The sip has a pronounced acidity which makes the taste very refreshing. This is combined with more citrus fruits and Granny Smith apples. All in all, I get why this vineyard has a following, but the wines are really made for fans of acidity driven whites.