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Georg Mosbacher

The Mosbacher estate in Forst producers deeply flavored and precisely made Rieslings, Weissburgunders, and Pinot Noirs that fully express the powerful wines that can be made in the Pfalz wine region.  My selections from this producer include Rieslings from both Forst and Deidesheim, a Weissburgunder, and a "Special Cuvee" Pinot Noir that show the very talented wine making skills of the husband and wife winemaking team of Sabine Mosbacher-Duringer and Jurgen Duringer.

The history of the estate is that ancestors of the Mosbacher family have lived and worked as vintners in Forst for more than 200 years.  The "modern" version of the estate was formed in 1920 by Richard Mosbacher Sr. (1898-1977) who founded the current estate together with his sisters and named it after their father Georg: "Weingut Georg Mosbacher Erben" (Wine estate of Georg Mosbacher's heirs). The curved "M" which decorates their wine labels goes back to these first years.  Richard Mosbacher Jr. took over responsibility for the estate when his father Richard was appointed mayor of Forst after the end of the Second World War.

 

Richard Mosbacher Jr.'s leadership turned the estate into what it is today: one of high reputation and prestige.  In 1992 the next generation, Sabine and Jürgen, joined Richard to manage and expand the estate to its present size of 20 hectares (42 US acres) of cultivated vineyards.  While Richard is still involved with the estate, Sabine and Jürgen are now managing the estate and safeguarding its reputation as one of the best wineries in the Palatinate.

 

The winery's high quality starts with its vineyards being cultivated according to the guidelines of certified environmentally-friendly winegrowing.  Herbicides are not used at all and fertilizers are used only after thoroughly analyzing soil conditions.  Beneficial plants and insects are protected and vegetation is planted between the rows of vines.  Maximum yields are strictly managed with reduction pruning in the spring, intensive leaf canopy management, thinning of clusters in the summer, and selective grape picking by hand during harvest.

 

The subsequent careful development and processing of the wines in the cellars preserves the typical character which the soil has given to the estate's grapes. The results are delightful wines with an unmistakable fruitiness and a fresh and lively character.  The estate's high quality has been widely recognized in European and German food and wine publications such as Gault & Millau, The Feinschmecker , Vinum, and Alles über Wein where the Mosbacher wines are regarded as some of the finest available in the Palatinate region.  The magazine DM lists Georg Mosbacher amongst the top 100 best wine estates of Germany.

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Forst vineyard west of the village

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Ungeheuer vineyard looking towards Forst

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A microcosm of synergistic biodynamic farming looking west to the Haardt Mountains

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Maushohle vineyard in Deidesheim

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Vineyard boundary marker

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The "new" cellar

The Wines

Riesling Trocken 2021 (OC, NF)

Aromas include sweet spices, honeysuckle, jasmine, citrus blossoms, white flowers, and gardenia.  Flavors include honeydew melon, white grapefruit, white peaches, pear, kiwi, starfruit, and hints of pineapple and green apple.  There is a medium body, perfect balance and acidity, and a refreshing minerally finish.

 

Food pairings would include sole, shrimp, scallops, crab, halibut, swordfish, clams, calamari, seafood pasta and salads, paella, veal and pork cutlets, pork tenderloin, baked chicken, turkey, cassoulet, grilled sausages, Asian pork, chicken, seafood, vegetable, and noodle dishes, creamy mild curries, paneer dishes, pork and chicken enchiladas, tostadas, charcuterie, and mild, medium, and creamy cheeses.
 

Forster Stift Riesling Trocken 2022 (OC, NF)

This is from the Erste Lage Stift vineyard slightly to the north of Forst.  Aromas include citrus blossoms, honeysuckle, narcissus, white grapefruit, white peaches, and McIntosh apples.  Flavors include white peaches, white grapefruit, honeydew melon, green apples, and kiwi.  There is a medium to full body, perfect balance and acidity, and a long medium finish.

 

Food pairings would include sole, crab, shrimp, halibut, red snapper, swordfish, clams, mussels, seafood pasta, risotto, and salads, paella, veal, pork, chicken, creamy pasta dishes, Asian pork, chicken, seafood, and noodle dishes, creamy yellow curries, Mexican pork, chicken, and seafood dishes, enchiladas, pork verde, tostadas, tacos, green salads, and mild to medium cheeses.
 

Deidesheimer Mäushöhle Riesling Trocken 2020 (OC, NF)

Aromas include citrus blossoms, rich yellow fruits, white grapefruit, pineapple, and hints of jasmine and narcissus.  Flavors include white grapefruit, honeydew melon, pineapple, starfruit, and kiwi.  There is a medium to full body, perfect balance and acidity, and a full, saturated, and very refreshing long finish.

 

Food pairings would include sole, halibut, crab, shrimp, swordfish, clams, seafood pasta and salads, paella, creamy seafood dishes, veal and pork cutlets with creamy or rich sauces, rich or creamy chicken dishes, anything with mushroom or caper based sauces, Asian and Mexican pork, chicken, and seafood dishes, creamy yellow curries, Thai seafood dishes and mild curries, tacos, tostadas, green salads, and mild, medium, and creamy cheeses.

Forst Ungeheuer GG (Große Gewächs) Riesling 2021 (OC, NF)

Aromas include honeysuckle, jasmine, gardenia, citrus blossoms, pink grapefruit, white peaches, and honeydew melon.  Flavors include honeydew melon, green apple, pink grapefruit, white peaches, kiwi, and starfruit.  There is a medium to full body, perfect balance and acidity, and a long, lush, rich, and refreshing full finish.  The characteristics of this wine are comparable to top quality Grand Cru White Burgundies that would be three to five times the price of this wine.

 

Food pairings would include sole, halibut, shrimp, crab, scallops, lobster, sea bass, swordfish, clams, mussels, calamari, seafood pasta, soups, and salads, paella, veal, pork tenderloin and cutlets, chicken, creamy pasta and vegetable dishes, Asian pork, chicken, seafood, noodle, and vegetable dishes, yellow curries, Tandoori dishes, Mexican pork, chicken, and seafood dishes, enchiladas, chile relleno, tostadas, green salads, and mild, medium, rich, and creamy cheeses.  As for the food pairings in general, both the elegance of the wine and its expressiveness provide a lot of different food pairings.

Deidesheimer Riesling Kabinett Feinherb 2022 (OC, NF)

Aromas include white flowers, citrus blossoms, white grapefruit, honeysuckle, gardenia, and yellow apple.  Flavors include white peaches, pear, honeydew melon, starfruit, pink grapefruit, and hints of cherries.  There is a medium body, perfect balance and acidity, and a full and refreshing minerally finish.

 

Food pairings would include shrimp, crab, scallops, lobster, halibut, sea bass, red snapper, seafood pasta and salads, creamy seafood soups, veal, pork chops and tenderloin, grilled and baked chicken, creamy chicken and pasta dishes, risotto, Asian and Mexican, pork, chicken, and seafood dishes, creamy yellow curries and paneer dishes, Middle Eastern food, enchiladas, chile relleno, tostadas, green salads, and mild, medium, and creamy cheeses.

Weissburgunder Trocken 2016 (OF, NF)

My enjoyment of a good Pinot Blanc also extends to the "Weissburgunder" versions in Germany.  This has some interesting "dry" aromas of hay and wildflowers but which then evolve into nice fruit flavors of white peaches and candied lemon.  As with all of the Mosbacher while wines, there is a concentrated medium to full mouthfeel but also perfect balance and refreshing acidity.  Although I mainly enjoy wine with food, this would also be very nice to just sip on while with friends or when reading a good book.

Food pairings would include sole, shrimp, halibut, seafood salads, veal, pasta salads, green salads, and light vegetable  dishes.

Cuvee "R" Pinot Noir 2015 (OF, NF)

German Pinot Noirs (or Spatburgunders in German) are grossly underappreciated in my opinion and so I also couldn't resist choosing this delightful Mosbacher Pinot Noir.  There is a very nice initial entry with aromas of cherries, plums, and roses that then evolves into flavors of cherries and cedar.  This is medium bodied with good balance but with a much "weightier" overall perception from the combination of rich tannins and perfect acidity.

There are lots of food pairings which would include filet mignon, New York Steak, lamb, duck, veal, salmon, Asian beef and vegetable stir frys, other Asian beef and pork dishes, Asian noodle dishes, Indian lamb dishes, grilled vegetables, hard cheeses, and fruit tarts with black fruits such as with blackberries or dark plums.

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