Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett 2023
(Mosel, Germany) - [JS 95] [WA 92] [WS 90 & #86 of '25]

About the Winery:
The Dr. Loosen estate has been in the same family for over 200 years. When Ernst Loosen assumed ownership in 1988, he realized that with ungrafted vines averaging 60 years old in some of Germany’s best-rated vineyards, he had the raw materials to create stunningly intense, world-class wines. To achieve this, Ernst dramatically restricts crop size, prohibits chemical fertilization, insists on very strict fruit selection, and employs gentle cellar practices that allow the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of handling

About the Wine:
Erdener Treppchen translates to 'The Little Staircase of Erden', and is aptly named as the  vineyard is so steep that long ago, stone steps were built into the hillside to enable workers to reach the vines. The site is filled abundant with iron-rich, red slate soil with a firm mineral structure. The vines themselves are over 100 years old and are planted to their own rootstock. The grapes are hand selected, early in the growing season to ensure only Kabinett level ripeness before undergoing cool fermentation in a combination of stainless steel tanks and traditional Fuder barrels. The fermentation process is stopped by chilling. 

Aromatically the wine is filled with notes of lime zest, fresh apples, and spring flowers. On the palate the wine is smoky and mineral driven, with barely a hint of sweetness with a long and complex finish. 

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Fantastic anise and fennel complexity for a wine that is still light- to medium-bodied. Terrific drive and raciness on the compact and structured palate. Fantastic length. Beautiful balance in the long, complete finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (Aug 2024)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2023 Erdener Treppchen Kabinett is deep and flinty on the coolish but aromatic nose that indicates ripe and concentrated pineapple and peach fruit spiced with blue slate shards. Round and playful on the palate, this is a generous but elegant and stimulating Treppchen Kabinett for hedonists. It is the sweetest or richest of the Kabinett Rieslings tasted for this issue, yet its saline, savory and crisp finish is truly uplifting. 8.5% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted in December 2024." – Stephen Reinhardt (Dec 2024)

90 Points & Rank #86 Top 100 of 2025 - Wine Spectator:
"Sweet and tangy, this delivers refreshing pleasure, offering a lush core of apple and meadow flowers. Crystalline purity dominates. The finish is precise and shows vibrant firmness, with a waft of smoke. Drink now. 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported." – Kristen Bieler (Jul 2025)