Weingut Markus Molitor

Weingut Markus Molitor has been around for eight generations, the present one since 1984 when Markus took over from his father. With vineyards located amongst some of the steepest slopes in the world in the Mosel region, harvesting has to be done laboriously by hand under difficult conditions. Yields are naturally low. If the tasting at Jade Palace, Singapore, on the evening of 25 February 2020 in the presence of the estate’s Sales Director Daniel Kiowski is anything to go by, it would seem that the wines are lovingly made, displaying great harmony, precision and balance. The bottles are colour coded according to the taste category of the wine. The dry wines have a white cap. The off-dry wines are capped in greyish-green while the naturally sweet and botrytis wines proudly display a gold cap. While the reds are decent, it will be the superb whites that Markus Molitor will be highly sought-after for.

2015 Weingut Markus Molitor Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett Riesling Green Cap. Pale. Fairly dense oily aromatics of diesel exhaust. Medium-bodied. Good inner detail, layered with a gentle deeper streak of tropical fruit amidst some earthiness underscored with a trace of pungent sweetness. Good finish. Grown on soils rich in iron.

2014 Weingut Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling Gold Cap. Clear golden. Effusive bouquet of petroleum characters. Medium-bodied. Warm expanse of oriental fruit and peaches. Gently proportioned and harmonious, tapering to a smooth quiet finish. From very low-yielding vines aged more than 80 years.

2014 Weingut Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese** Gold Cap. Lovely luminosity. Fairly dense chiselled aromatics. Medium-bodied but rather plump in the mouth. Rounded with lovely proportions, very seamlessly integrated with excellent controlled sweetness. Exudes a certain feminine quality. Finished with good persistence. From blue and grey slate soils.

2015 Weingut Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Fuder 6 White Cap. Pale luminosity. Exudes even high-toned petroleum and white flowers. Very well replicated on the medium-bodied palate, displaying crisp acidity with clean precision. Quite excellent in clarity, definition and presence. Not too dry. Unlike the preceding three wines, this is a dry white, aged in 1000-litre barrels. Excellent.

2016 Weingut Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese** White Cap. Pale luminosity. Quite an effusive bouquet of distilled white fruits amid traces of smoke with a fair illusion of fizz. Good gentle depth of clear citrus, pomelo and ferrous elements with subdued acidity on the palate, showing good transparency and harmony. Not too dry; actually has a trace of sweetness in its finish.

2014 Weingut Markus Molitor Brauneberger Mandelgraben Pinot Noir*. Cloned from Chambolle-Musigny. Classic pinot tint, proffering haw, charred elements and red fruits tinged with tangerines. Light-medium. Good acidity and suppleness though the fruit isn’t quite expressive. Bit too crisp.

2013 Weingut Markus Molitor Brauneberger Klostergarten Pinot Noir**. Classic pinot tint. Considerably deeper tone of haw, cherries and strawberries. Medium-bodied and fleshy, showing good concentration and presence with very fine acidity. Good balance. Developed even deeper and darker shades over time. Gentle finish.