2015 Graacher Himmelreich Pinot Noir (3 Star)
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Tasting notes
Both nose and palate offer the sort of sweet-saline, iodine-tinged suggestion of shrimp stock already familiar from Molitor’s three other site-specific vintage 2015 Pinot Noirs. Here, in fact, we have more of the pronounced smokiness and enhanced sweetness of lobster-shell reduction. If this doesn’t set your salivary glands pumping, you might want to consult your doctor. Allied to these striking animal and mineral elements – again, familiar from the rest of this vintage’s Molitor Pinot collection – are bright, invigoratingly tart-edged red currant and pit-tinged sour cherry. While sharing with its aforementioned stablemates their just under 13% alcohol, this comes off as marginally fuller. The tannins are evident, but fine-grained, and the finish is forceful, gripping, and generously juicy, if marginally less complex than that of the corresponding Trarbacher Schlossberg.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
David Schildknecht, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Molitor's 2015 Pinot Noir Graacher Himmelreich *** is enormously deep, ripe, fine, intense and smoky on the crystalline and perfectly elegant and balanced nose that exhibits concentrated redcurrant berries and very fine toast and floral aromas, indicating great finesse. Silky, fresh and elegant on the palate, the full-bodied, warm and silky-textured Himmelreich develops a deep and generous yet highly refined and refreshing palate, with a crystalline, tensioned and persistent but still highly delicate finish with redcurrant flavors. This Pinot represents the coolish terroir of the Himmelreich brilliantly. The 2015 is still young but fascinatingly pure, refined, fresh and full of tension and vitality. A great Pinot Noir from the Mosel and one of the very finest German Pinot Noirs from the 2015 vintage. Tasted in March and April 2019.
About the producer
Markus Molitor is now among the largest privately owned wine estates in the Mosel and also one of the best. With a focus on single-vineyard expressions, the estate produces between 80 and 90 different wines each vintage.