2009 11 06 - 2008 Weingut Schloss Lieser

2008 Weingut Schloss Lieser

A Wine Tasting Event

Friday 6 November 2009, 6-8 pm

$30 per person
By RSVP only (Full payment by way of credit card / cheque is required to secure reservation)
Email us at events@artisan-cellars.com or call +65 6838 0373

Artisan Cellars Showroom
390 Orchard Road #B1-01
Palais Renaissance
Singapore 238871


Featuring a horizontal of five wines from the latest 2008 vintage
• Schloss Lieser, Riesling Qba
• Schloss Lieser, Brauneberger Jüffer Riesling Kabinett
• Schloss Lieser, Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese
• Schloss Lieser, Brauneberger Jüffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
• Schloss Lieser, Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese
>> Finger food prepared by Heart Bistro will be served <<


Schloss Lieser was founded in 1904. The estate comprised of seven hectares of vineyard which were 100% planted to Riesling. The vineyards are on some of the steepest on the Middle Mosel with gradients up to 70%. The estate was sold in the 1970’s, changed hands several times, which led to a decline in quality. The small town of Lieser has had the unfortunate geographical destiny of being sandwiched between the famous towns of Brauneberg and Bernkastel with their celebrity vineyards, the Jüffer-Sonnenuhr and the Doctor. While Lieser's great site, the Niederberg Helden, had a run of fame and fortune in the first part of the 20th Century, it fell into disrepair in the 1970s and its repute was soon ruefully overshadowed by its neighbors.

Shortly before the 1992 harvest, the estate was put under the care of Thomas Haag (eldest son of Wilhelm Haag of Fritz Haag), who acted as general manager and winemaker. He took over run-down vineyards, a crumbling manor house and absolutely no collection of back-vintage bottlings whatsoever and no regular customers. It took him five years of hard work until he was able to fully acquire the estate in 1997. While many wonder why the eldest son in the Haag family would put his family's reputation and his own money into this vineyard, he has tasted and heard stories about the great wines of the Niederberg Helden to put his faith (and money) into this estate.

Within a short span of a decade, Weingut Schloss Lieser, under Thomas's guidance, has made a glorious comeback to reach the pinnacle of German Rieslings. His winemaking philosophy is simple yet uncompromising. The vineyards are maintained to yield quality not quantity. With an average yield of 50-60 hectolitres per hectare he consistently works to reduce yield to ensure high quality standards. Great care in selection during harvest , and minimal handling in the cellar, as well as reductive cellar work are modus operandi. Thomas now owns seven hectares of vineyards in Lieser, Graach, Bernkastel and most recently in Brauneberg.

Thomas Haag produces wines with a very definite terroir character. The results are very evident when tasting his 2008 wines: Riesling wines with ripe and well-balanced acidity, lots of concentration and low alcohol levels, classics of the vintage in the best sense possible.

Schloss Lieser produced a stunning collection of wines for 2008. The Rieslings from their top vineyards of Niederberg-Helden, Brauneberger Jüffer and Brauneberger Jüffer-Sonnenuhr continues to impress at all levels. All wines are true to their site and offer great aromatic purity, flavour precision and irrestible sappiness. It is obvious that the estate was able to use the acidity of the vintage to its advantage. This is an estate at the cusp of superstardom. With only 5000 cases of top quality wines produced annually, wine lovers are in for a rare treat and great moments of pleasure!