After the 2011 vintage, Schaefer replanted the Wehlener Sonnenhuhr vineyard. There was no wine seen from the site until a 2015 Auslese was released.

Today, we're happy to offer the first Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese that we've seen from Schaefer in half a decade.

The Schaefer estate is so intimately associated with the village of Graach that Wehlener Sonnenuhr has always occupied an interesting place in Schaefer's line-up. For die-hard Schaefer fans, Wehlener has always been a wine that they've had an enormous affection for.

An extensive tasting of Schaefer back-vintages a few years ago convinced me of Wehlener's importance in the Schaefer holdings and especially its undeniable charm. Wehlener is a little juicier and enveloping than either Graacher Himmelriech or Domprobst. There's a joyous quality to the wine that's backed by Schaefer's impeccable rigor and precision.

The 2016 Wehlener Spätlese is absolutely glorious. It has the cool, crystalline profile that the best 2016s have. It offers up ample yellow fruits, floral notes and zesty mineral and citrus notes. Overall, there's an appealing impression of creaminess married to an intricate vivacity and refinement.

Willi Schaefer's 2016's are some of the top examples of the pristine nature of the vintage. Mosel Fine Wine's, Jean Fisch and David Rayer sum up Schaefer's 2016s well when they write: "There are some legendary wines in the making and wine lovers should lay their hands onto some of these gems!"

I strongly encourage to take advantage of the 4-pack pricing - you'll have difficulty keeping your hands off the 2016 Wehlener and you'll also want to track it for the next decade. I'd be remiss not remind you that Schaefer is a very small estate and the quantities available are very modest.

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

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits