For any serious German buyer, whether collector or Riesling dork, the wines of Emrich-Schönleber belong in the cellar directly next to Keller or Schäfer-Fröhlich or Lauer. There is a balance, a center to the best of their wines that is about as perfect and meditative as Riesling ever gets: texture and glycerin matched to a chiseled, yet glossy and ultra-fine architecture.

While I think, stylistically, the wines Keller are the most similar to those of Schönleber, I included the Lauer reference on purpose – the more I taste the top Nahe wines (Emrich-Schönleber and Schäfer-Fröhlich), the more I am convinced the closest comparison to the Nahe is the Saar. Both regions shape wines of an uncommon steeliness – these are dense, ruthless wines… the top wines simply demand time in bottle and then open (have no fear drinking even the most basic of these wines on day two, three or beyond).  

The 2021 vintage presents wines of great energy and delicacy, a superlative incisiveness. They are in many ways very similar to the 2020ers, yet they have ripeness levels that are a touch lower than in 2020 and acidity levels slightly higher. Thus they feel sharper, more buoyant, bouncy, cutting.

In short: They are ****ing awesome.

For more information or to order, please email – orders@vomboden.com!

These wines arrive in July. We’re getting about 30-50% of what we had last year, so please let us know as soon as you can. The GGs and the other single-vineyard wines arrive in September.

2021 E-S Rivaner Trocken ~$24

Rivaner is the old traditional name for Muller-Thurgau. Grown in various parcels surrounding Monzingen mostly on slate, super aromatic with fresh fruit and a deep minerality and slight cooling almost green peppercorn spiciness.

2021 E-S Weissburgunder ~$30

A tiny part of the estate at just 5% of total production. Clean, soft, and totally classic Pinot Blanc with structure and length.

2021 E-S Riesling Estate Trocken ~$28

This is what an estate wine should be, the calling card of a winery. Schönleber’s estate Riesling tends to be light, bouncier and airier than you might guess, based on the stately elegance of the Grand Crus.

2021 E-S Riesling Mineral Trocken ~$38

“Mineral” is sorta a legend – or maybe it’s just that it should be? Or it will be? Either way, this is both a “young-vine” selection from the Grand Cru sites – in this way it is very similar to Keller’s “von der Fels” – AND a curated blend to showcase the mind-blowingly diverse soil types of the Nahe. The point of this wine is to be a razor-blade / hammer of a wine – a slate-volcanic-rock-guillotine. And this it is. For purists, mineral-heads and acid-freaks, few wines overdeliver like this wine overdelivers.

2021 E-S Riesling “Frühtau” Trocken ~$42

This is the earlier picking/younger-vine selection from the Grand Cru Frühlingsplätzchen. For those of you twisted enough to understand German wine law and the VDP, this would be the estate’s “Spätlese Trocken” if they were allowed to label it as such. As with the Grand Cru, the wine is delicate, finessed, very mineral and herbal – it drinks perhaps younger than the denser wines of the Halenberg. It is also not a wine to underestimate. This is a wine that one can cellar and with 5-10+ years it shows the depth of its material.

2021 E-S Riesling “Halgans” Trocken ~$45

This is the earlier picking/younger-vine selection from the Grand Cru Halenberg. For those of you twisted enough to understand German wine law and the VDP, this would be the estate’s “Spätlese Trocken” if they were allowed to label it as such. As with the Grand Cru, the wine is powerful and dense, supremely mineral and forceful. As with the “Frühtau” it is also not a wine to underestimate. This is a wine that one can cellar and with 5-10+ years it shows the depth of its material.

2021 E-S Riesling Monzinger Kabinett ~$38

While Emrich-Schönleber is most famous for their dry wines, their Prädikat wines are rare birds that are simultaneously ripe and juicy, even sometimes a flash exotic, while also having a prominent mineral core and, dare I say it, restraint. They are, as the dry wines are, impeccably centered and refreshing.