Molitor Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett Green Capsule 2023 (750ml) *
Product price
$36.99
Description
At 9.5% alcohol, this is Riesling in its most weightless register, the kind of low-strength, off-dry Kabinett the Mosel does better than anywhere. Markus Molitor draws it from the Zeltinger Himmelreich, a slate site along the river, and the 2023 vintage carries the green-capsule designation that marks it as the gently sweeter of the domaine's Kabinett bottlings. Fermentation was slow and cool, the finished wine light on its feet but far from simple.
There is a faint reductive note on the nose at first, so give the glass a good swirl to coax out the crushed citrus leaf underneath. The palate is all juiciness and crystalline lift, threaded with lemon balm, lemon peel, and a touch of candied brightness, with a cool mineral streak that reads almost like lemon over wet stone. Reine Claude plum and garden herbs round out the fruit, held taut by a racy, high-toned acidity that keeps the whole thing crisp and vibrant through a long finish. Delicious now, though the grip on the close suggests it will only gain with a few years in the cellar.
Expert Reviews
The 2023 Riesling Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett Green Capsule still has a reductive touch on the nose and requires some swirling. Crushed citrus foliage charms underneath. The palate bursts with juiciness and crystalline brightness, featuring lovely accents of lemon balm, lemon peel and candy. The effect is deliciously bracing, like walking through a cool cloud of lemon on cold slate. How can something so light, so airy be so delicious?. (Vinous)
The off-dry 2023 Riesling Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett (Green Capsule) is still sulfurous on the nose but precise, fresh and provided with ripe, elegant fruit. Textured and refined on the palate, this is is a light, savory and crispy Kabinett with intense fruit, extract and a still very young and grippy finish. It should be aged for at least another 3-4 years. 9.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in January 2026 (AP 44 24). (Wine Advocate, February 2026)
The Reine Claude plum and garden-herb character is tied to a very racy, cool acidity that makes this riesling Kabinett feel seriously crisp on the sleek, light-bodied palate. Plenty there to balance the strident acidity, the finish long and vibrant. Drink or hold. (James Suckling)