Spend even the briefest bit of time in the vertigo-inspiring and slate-riddled Palmberg-Terrassen with Ulli Stein and you immediately sense what a special place it is.

This is an unknown vineyard, a forgotten curiosity even to most Mosel experts, yet the Stein family has spent the last 50+ years tending this vineyard, rebuilding its terraced walls.

We have not met another winemaker in the Mosel with Stein's knowledge, passion, boundless energy and devotion to the region's forgotten vineyards. Stein makes some of the most soulful and intricate Rieslings that we know of.

In any vintage or Prädikat level, Palmberg is the bottle that highlights this most powerfully. In 2017, we get to see Palmberg in the extremely rare Kabinett format. We've worked with Stein's wines for over a decade and this is the first Palmberg Kabinett that I can remember seeing. (There was a very limited Kabinett trocken many years ago, but that's it.)

While many of the famous vineyards of the Mosel have been bulldozed to make access roads for trucks, to make production easier, the Palmberg remains untouched, a forgotten Riesling-garden that is well off the beaten track. Because of its isolation, the Palmberg also flaunts seriously old, un-grafted vines - we are talking up to 100-years-old and beyond.

The Palmberg tends to be a bigger, more muscular wine. It's fascinating to see Palmberg in the Kabinett format. The site's muscle is presented in a more compact form. Palmberg's dusty, slatey minerality provides a perfect backdrop for the rush of suave yellow fruits. Ulli Stein has a remarkable ability to render rigorously composed Rieslings that are also joyful to drink. And the 2017 Kabinett is seriously drinkable. For us, 6-packs are essential.

The Palmberg Kabinett is a really gorgeous example of the 2017 vintage. The best examples have a generous glowing layer of fruit that's matched to a gripping palate presence and a zingy brightness.

Stein's Palmberg is one of the most cherished bottles in the store. It's always one of the most thoughtful and authentic expressions of German Riesling. Having a Palmberg Kabinett is a treat and we suspect that we won't see this again any time soon. Don't miss it.

To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits