Molitor Scharzhofberger*** White Capsule 2023 (750ml) *
Product price
$1,056.99
Description
Scharzhofberger is one of the great vineyard sites of Germany's Mosel, and this dry Riesling from Markus Molitor comes labeled as a Qualitätswein rather than a sweeter Auslese, its style marked by the white capsule. The 2023 vintage carries a modest 12.5% alcohol and shows what the site can do when the grapes are vinified toward dryness: concentration without weight, power held in a fine frame.
The nose is deep and smoky, with saline and lemony slate notes running through it. On the palate it manages to be fresh, elegant, and light on its feet while also densely concentrated, structured, and savory, a quivering creaminess tempered by vivid lemon and a subtle grip of phenolics. The finish is crystalline and mouthwatering, still sharp in its youth, with the purity of citrus ringing longest. This is a wine built to reward the cellar, and it will gain complexity over a good stretch of years.
Expert Reviews
The 2023 Riesling Scharzhofberger *** (White Capsule) is a Qualitätswein again and not a three-starred Auslese. The deep, fine and smoky as well as intense nose is provided with saline and lemony slate notes. On the palate, this is a fine, fresh and very elegant but also rich, enormously concentrated and powerful, structured and savory Scharzhofberger with a pure, crystalline, still sharp but mouthwatering finish. Molitor's 2023 Scharzhofberger defines new dimensions for dry Riesling from Germany's most prestigious grand cru. It is an extraordinary, very dense and intense, powerful but vibrantly fresh and mineral Riesling that should be cellared for about a decade at least. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 3 24 in January 2026. (Wine Advocate, February 2026)
The 2023 Riesling Scharzhofberger *** White Capsule suffuses creamy oak with crushed deadnettle and lemon, creating a subtle but enticing lift. A subtle film of phenolics holds the quivering creaminess on the palate, tempered by vivid lemon. What a gorgeous picture of elegance, lightness, sinuous shapeliness and grace. The purity of the lemon rings longest on this ethereal, gorgeous wine of utter lightness. (Vinous)