Weingut Reinhold Haart – Piesport / Mosel, Germany

Reinhold Haart is a smaller producer (~50,000 bottles per year) located in the highly regarded Piesport region of the Mosel.  Johannes Haart, the young winemaker that spearheads efforts and Reinhold Haart, has focused production primarily on Kabinett and Spätlese, forgoing the late harvest wines that are subject to the uncertainty of the late fall and early winter weather.  An inopportune rain could easily wipe out the harvest of grapes that were left on the vine into late November and December and are left impaired by botrytis.

Like other German wineries, Reinhold Haart has accommodated the dry and half dry demands of the market by producing relatively affordable array of blend and single vineyard wines.  Consistent with my personal preferences, however, I found most of trocken and feinherb wines to be average, but my companions found a few to be quite enjoyable including the very affordable 2009 Haart to Heart Riesling feinherb (€ 7.50 at the estate – approximately 5+ / 10) and the single vineyard Ohligsberger Riesling trocken (€ 18.00 at the estate – approximately 5+ / 10).

The high end wines of Reinhold Haart are primarily single vineyard creations from Piesport Goldtröpfchen, Grafenberg, and Ohligsberger.  During my visit to the riverside estate in August 2010, I was able to contrast the 2007 Piesport Goldtröpfchen with the 2009 vintage as well as explore the wines of the other vineyards in the 2009 vintage.  Generally, the Piesport Goldtröpfchen Kabinett is grassy and vegetal with the 2007 having a slightly ashy character underlying a more heavily vegetal flavor while the 2009 vintage is more open and fruit forward.  Priced at € 12.50 from the estate, the 2007 Piesport Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett is rather unique with more character than most Kabinetts (7 / 10).  It should open up nicely with a little more time.

• 2009 Reinhold Haart Ohligsberger Riesling Spätlese – This spätlese has 7.5% alcohol by volume and is characterized by greener, crisper fruit flavors and a fresh finish (7 / 10).
• 2009 Reinhold Haart Piesport Grafenberg Riesling Kabinett – A low alcohol Kabinett (9% by volume), this wine had a light grassy nose and good balance between residual sweetness and crisp acidity (6+ / 10).
• 2009 Reinhold Haart Piesport Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese – Characteristic peach and apricot flavors abound in this fine auslese. Quite nice (8 / 10).
• 2003 Reinhold Haart Piesport Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese – In comparison to the 2009, age has exposed slight honey flavors along with the characteristic grassy nature of Goldtröpfchen. Woody and herbaceous undertones prevail in this nicely aged wine (8 / 10).