Markus Molitor Riesling Zeltinger Schlossberg Auslese ** White Capsule 2023

Dry Riesling from one of First Bottle’s favorite German producers is in the house! 97 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, who calls it “an already accessible and rather classic Mosel Riesling on a very high level.” Yep, this is fully worthy of its OG $110 price tag, but for you lucky readers, it’s miraculously under $60.

Eight generations. 37 hectares of spectacular vineyards spread across 15 classic sites from Bernkastel and Graach to Wehlen and Zeltingen. Extreme dedication. Highly ageable. Heaps of critical acclaim. These are the characteristics of the Molitor legacy. Markus himself took over the family estate at just 20 years old, back in 1984, and has been pushing the boundaries of Mosel Riesling ever since.

Of the 100-plus wines Markus Molitor makes each harvest, this Zeltinger Schlossberg Auslese is one of the heavy hitters. The Schlossberg is a steep, slate-packed site in Zeltingen, famed for blue slate soils, a cool underfoot, and a warm microclimate on the slope. Auslese means the grapes were selected for extra ripeness, and the white capsule signals a dry style under the estate’s color-coded capsule system. Two stars on the label mark this as one of the estate’s top tiers of Auslese. All of that to say, you can anticipate concentration and gravitas rather than sweetness when you pop open one of these bad boys.

Wines from this vineyard have a reputation for ripe, intense fruit paired with a stony and refined backbone. We’re talking grapefruit and lemon zest, golden peaches and apricots, and a crushed-stone, wet-slate zipper running through the center. The texture is round and concentrated, with a firm, almost austere grip, and a piquant citrus finish keeps it exceptionally poised. It’s a serious and structured Riesling that will stand the test of time, should you choose to cellar it. Bring home a top-tier Molitor Auslese at a price that feels like an early holiday gift, with free shipping on 4 or more!

FOOD PAIRINGS: I’m making pan-seared pork medallions in a mushroom cream sauce – the creamy savoriness will amplify the acid and fruit of the wine impeccably.