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Paul Anheuser, Niederhäuser Riesling

Nahe, Germany 2002 (750mL)
$22.00
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Paul Anheuser, Niederhäuser Riesling

The Anheusers have been farming the steep slopes of Germany’s Nahe for 14 consecutive generations, and each remarkable bottle we’ve discovered keeps raising the bar for one of the planet’s greatest wine pleasures: aged Riesling. For that reason, we have separation anxiety when it comes to Anheuser’s importer—they’re always unearthing rarefied gems from the estate’s subterranean wine museum, so why wouldn’t we? Over the last two years, we’ve offered you a 50-year-old Auslese, a decade-old TBA, and everything in-between...or so we thought.
Today’s 2002 Niederhäuser Riesling slipped onto our radar several months ago and after tasting it we promptly did two things: (1) placed it in our Thanksgiving six-pack since it was a perfect candidate and (2) bought every bottle that had just landed in the country. We hardly ever take risks like this, but when you taste the mineral precision, explosion of fruit, and herbal savor in each sip, and then recall that you paid $22 for a nearly 20-year-old wine, I guarantee you’ll want to scoop up every bottle available to you as well. There’s a reason sommeliers lose their minds over mature Riesling values, and if you’re still wondering why, this will sum it up in the most delicious detail. We can allow up to 12 bottles per person today until the inevitable sellout. 
The Anheusers trace their ancestry in the village of Bad Kreuznach to the 1600s; many of their heirloom vineyards have been in their possession for generations. The family has been here so long, they’re considered the very first in the entire Nahe region to plant vineyards solely to Riesling. But despite their extensive track record, their operation remains a humble one and is still entirely staffed by family. They have also built a fine reputation in the Nahe for stockpiling vintages in their cellar, as today’s offer so clearly illustrates. 

For centuries, the central villages of the Nahe have dominated the region in terms of quality and renown. It’s where you’ll find the famous wine towns of Traisen, Norheim, Schlossböckelheim, Oberhausen (Dönnhoff!), and Niederhäusen, the latter of which is the entire source for today’s sensational back-vintage gem. Farmed entirely from family-owned parcels and harvested by hand, Anheuser’s 2002 Niederhäuser Riesling fermented and subsequently aged in neutral oak casks. It then matured in their dark, cool, vaulted cellars for 16 undisturbed years.

A deep yellow with green reflections reveals itself in the glass and, within moments, 16 years of bottled-up aromas come flooding out: quince, white peach, pear, ripe mango peel, wet slate, petrol, beeswax, honey, white mushroom, exotic herbs, and crushed stones. The ripe fruits on the nose may deceive you into thinking this will be a sweet wine, but nearly two decades of aging have all but masked the moderate levels of residual sugar. While there still is a delicate touch of sweetness, it most certainly exists as a background actor—crushed minerality, savory earthiness, and exotic fruits are unquestionably the main cast here. Although there’s still a great deal of life left in this bottle, there’s no need to wait: Drink up and drink often because an 18-year-old Riesling at this price deserves your full attention. The tension and freshness of this wine, considering its age, is nothing short of amazing, and when it comes to versatility at the table, the subtle hint of sweetness in this German Riesling allows for near-infinite pairing options. Get creative!
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Country
Germany
Region
Nahe
Sub-Region
GermanyVillage of Niederhäusen
Soil
Sandy Loam, Sandstone
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Riesling 100%
Alcohol
9.5
OAK
Neutral Foudres
TEMP.
50
Glassware
All-Purpose Stem
Drinking
Now-2022
Pairing
Spicy Ginger Pork Noodles w/ Bok Choy

Germany

Western Germany

Pfalz

The Pfalz is Germany’s second-largest wine region (behind Rheinhessen, which it borders to the south). The vineyards are situated between the thickly forested Haardt Mountains and the western bank of the Rhine River, with soils that are rich in loam mixed with sandstone, loess (wind-blown silt), and chalky clay.

Western Germany

Rheinhessen

he Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest-production wine zone and, in comparison to some of the dramatic valleys further north, is a more open landscape of gently rolling hills.

Western Germany

Saar

The Saar River is a tributary of the Mosel (and in-cluded in the broader “Mosel-Saar-Ruwer”) PDO designation with vineyards perched on steep slopes of blue Devonian slate. The rocky soils and cool temperatures of these northerly valleys produce Germany’s most chiseled, high-acid  styles of Riesling.

Southwestern Germany

Baden

Baden, Germany’s southernmost wine region, has a long history with the “Pinot” family. The region’s vineyards were planted by the same Cistercian Monks who established Pinot Noir in Burgundy. Bordered by the Rhine River and the Black Forest, Baden has diverse soils—everything from loess (silt) to volcanic tuff to limestone, the most prized Pinot Noir soil of all.

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