Weingut Willi Schaefer 'Graacher Domprobst' Riesling Spätlese 2024

This wine originates from Germany, within the Middle Mosel subregion and the celebrated Graacher Domprobst VDP.GROSSE LAGE vineyard. Weingut Willi Schaefer, based in Graach, is an iconic artisanal estate run by Christoph and Andrea Schaefer. Cultivating just four hectares of steep, south-to-southwest-facing terraced slopes, the domaine is revered for its classic, terroir-transparent style. Graacher Domprobst sits on deep, moisture-retaining blue and grey Devonian slate soils, typically yielding wines with darker mineral tension and deeper structural power than neighboring Himmelreich. The estate’s philosophy focuses on artisanal non-intervention: hand-picking, spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation in traditional old German Fuder casks, and patient aging on the fine lees without fining.

Wine Description

This wine displays a brilliant pale straw-gold hue with shimmering green reflections. The nose is crystalline and aromatically complex, revealing ripe white peach, Mirabelle plum, candied lemon peel, and apricot, accented by elderflower, crushed flint, wet slate, and a characteristic subtle cassis leaf herbal note. On the palate, it exhibits a light, silky body balanced by striking energy and tension. Concentrated natural residual sweetness is effortlessly balanced by a vibrant, chiseled spine of slate-driven acidity, creating a succulent and buoyant mouthfeel. The finish is remarkably persistent, clean, and salty-mineral, echoing with stone fruit and citrus zest.

Vintage Quality

The 2024 vintage in the Mosel featured dynamic weather with early-season challenges, ultimately saved by a dry, sunny late summer and extended cool autumn hang time. These conditions fostered slow, optimal flavor and phenolic development with reduced yields. For Willi Schaefer’s steep parcels in Domprobst, 2024 yielded fruit of crystalline purity, high aromatic definition, and taut structural acidity, creating a Spätlese built for both captivating early drinking and 25 to 40+ years of graceful cellar evolution.