The 2018 vintage in Germany gave whites and reds alike a patina of grace and elegance. These wines are ready for immediate - and unreserved - enjoyment.

94
Dr. Loosen 2018 Riesling Spätlese Ürziger Würzgarten 8.5%
This is so entrancing that it almost hurts to sip it and make it go away forever. (Oh the drama! Apologies.)  This is utterly brilliant in its lightness as well as its pure, scintillating acidity, superbly balanced light body and ethereally perfect apricot and peach flavors. This is heady with its floral tones and moreishness and lightly mouthcoating palate feel. It is truly idyllic, and it typifies the spice of the würzgarten (or, spice garden) to the "t". Minerally, long and sappy, it's best to have several bottles of this dreamy wine on hand at all times. If you don't drink them all now, rest assured they won't fade away any time soon.

93
Dr. Loosen 2018 Riesling Spätlese Wehlener Sonnenuhr 8.5%
From one of my favorite Mosel vineyards - not only gustatorily in this vintage but also from having tasted the wine often for at least two decades, this latest release is not surprising to show that it, too, is a captivating beauty. As with the other 2018s, it is of a more easy-going nature with a lithe palate feel and not a single trace of heaviness. It is focused in its Rieslingness, showing supple texture and residual sugar to confront the crunchy, tangy acidity and oodles of minerally tones right through the lingering finish. From the first sniff, aromas of peach pit and apricot preserve pervade the nose and palate. Irrisistible now, it should stay this enticing for many years to come.

93
Fritz Haag 2018 Riesling Spätlese Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr 7.5%
This is a filigree and dainty Spätlese with light body, buoyant lift and effusive Riesling fragrances. Its 68 g/L of residual sugar is incredibly subtle; I never would have guessed it would be so high. It is so balletic that it almost feels as if it could be a Kabinett. Classifications aside, this purely fruited, mineral streaked wine is a spine-tingling, textbook Mosel Riesling wrapped up in flavors of ripe nectarine, peach pit, green apple and lime. Dazzling!

93
Weingut Robert Weil 2018 Riesling Spätlese 9%
A briskly aromatic wine, this pale, straw yellow-colored wine smells of apricot streudel. There's just enough moderate bodied palate accompanied by zippy but graceful acidity to pull the multilayered, crunchily mineral finish through the flavor-laden palate into a land-slide finish. Given the lighter vintage of 2018, this is a wine that finally brings on some palate feel concentration while its depth of flavor gently expands via the sweetness of the Spätlese generosity.

92
Dr. Loosen 2018 Riesling Kabinett Bernkasteler Lay 8.5%
Showing a notch more intensity than the Erdener Treppchen, the Berkasteler Lay has more fruit flavor density and a stronger smokiness. The moderate body is also slightly more mouthcoating and creamy. Well-balanced from the attack to the finish, it's less noticeably sweet than the Erdener Treppchen, too. This wine's vinosity and harmony suggest it has a longer way to go, if it can be resisted today. Note bene: Please don't drink this wine overly chilled!

92
Robert Weil 2018 Riesling Tradition Rheingau 10.5%
Scintillatingly bright with bursts of Key lime and yuzu, this is a dynamic sip! Modest in body, but showing a good core of reverberating fruits, this one kicks with energy while mustering just the right amount of balance. For a wine that declares itself to be on the mid-way point of Medium Dry and Medium Sweet on the IRF scale, this is a class act of balance. Another round!

91
Maximin Grünhaus 2018 Riesling Herrenberg Kabinett 8%
This wine's IRF scale shows it to be squarely in the Medium Sweet category. This is pretty and pure with a whopping nose of pineapple, quince and jackfruit. It's surprisingly exotic, and the delightful flavors linger long on the minerally finish. The vibrant and lifting acidity is finessed and integrated, making this a very smart wine. It is ostensibly the most harmonious of the entire line-up here! 

90
Fritz Haag 2018 Riesling Kabinett Brauneberger Juffer 9%
This Kabinett has nice density while remaining light weight and on its tip-toes. That's to say that it is very light in body and has a very elegant and seamless support system of integrated yet racy acidity. The palate is delightfully packed with savory spices and minerality. The sweet, cinnamon apple fruits and dried white peach flavors remain seductively succulent. Like with the 2018 Riesling (below), there's the hint of an odd foxiness here, but it doesn't overtake the wine.

89
Dr. Loosen 2018 Riesling Kabinett Erdener Treppchen Mosel 8.5%
This wine begins with a delicately floral nose layered with donut peach, honey and ginger. There's a hint of milky, cheesey tones on the back palate that give this lightly sweet wine a kick of savoriness on the moderate finish. Nicely flavorful, clean and pretty, this is uncomplicated and ready-to-enjoy.

89
Dr. L Loosen Bros. 2018 Riesling Dry 12%
Dressed up in a turquoise bottle, it might not be clear to all consumers that might associate Riesling with a blue-ish color that this is a dry wine. Hence, perhaps its two notations of "dry" on the front side of the bottle.

This Mosel Qualitätswein sings with energy and Riesling-ness. It's got sap and structure, honeysuckle and green apple core. It's scintillatingly dry but with a pleasant rebound of fruit freshness on the finish that doesn't lead the finish to a screeching halt. It drinks well at any time of day alone or with lighter foods, and it is certain to be a crowd pleaser.

88
Dr. Loosen 2018 Riesling Kabinett Blue Slate 8.5%
Spicy right from the start, this wine shows plenty of personality. It segues into a more savory paltate feel, but it keeps its fruity top notes of dried apricots and honeysuckle. As the wine warms and opens up, it takes on a brie rind character that gives it the perfect amount of fun for a softer cheese pairing.

88
Fritz Haag 2018 Riesling 11.5%
This zingy wine is unusually exotic, tasting of passion fruit, apricot skin and persimmon. While not a "classic" Mosel off-dry Riesling in its fruit style, it's nonetheless totally compelling. Its palate feel is electric! It wows with bustling acidic tension so dynamic that its initially welcoming 18 grams per liter of residual sugar at the onset recedes into a crunchy, dry finish. The slate-driven back palate makes this great for food but the light sweetness gives it plenty of drinkability. There's a surprising foxiness as the wine warms in the glass that is unusual for this producer.

88 
Robert Weil 2018 Riesling Kabinett Rheingau 9.5%
Marked in the center of the "Medium Sweet" IRF category, but to me this wine's titillating acidity gives it a much leaner feel. The vintage helps with that, too, keeping the flavor spectrum lean and crunchy with flavors of green apple, honeydew melon and lime. It's a bewitching combination. There's also a moderate body, very discreet alcohol and a whiff of a minerally finish. In fact, there's the tiniest touch of firmness on the finish to make this Kabinett better for the table than the patio. 

87
Dr. L Loosen Bros. 2018 Riesling Qualitätswein 8.5%
This youthful wine's fresh nose is a combination of spring flowers and wet stream rocks. It is lifted, pleasant and easy going. Very light in body with shiver of lilting acidity and a whisper of sweetness, this wine delivers sublime balance along with charm. The modest, straightforward and lightly chalky finish with peachy tones suggests its ready to drink up.

87
Maximin Grünhaus 2018 Riesling Maximin 12% 
This is a sassy, off-dry Riesling with oddles of lemony zest. The scintillating acidity bursts through on the palate and its mouthwatering lift lingers longer than the moderate, but thoroughly mineral finish that ends feeling pleasantly dry. It's a highly textured riesling thanks to that crunchy acidity, so while a touch sweet on the attack, it's a wine that definitely works best with food.

87
Wittmann 2018 Riesling 100 Hills Rheinhessen 12%
Zippy and light, this crunchy and dry Riesling is laced with honeysuckle and Key lime. The tight finish is mightily mineral, showcasing wet river rocks and slate. Pleasantly grippy on the palate, there's the slightest hint of glycerol to keeps this wine eligible for the drink-on-its-own category. It will also nicely accompany sweet shellfish, like shrimp and scallops, as well as salads with fresh or dried fruits.

86
Wittmann 2018 Rosé Dry 100 Hills Rheinhessen 11.5%
This is a crisp, dry and scintillatingly delicate rosé with rose hips and red currants. Tangy acidity, light body and a catchy, dry finish give it credibility at the table. However, there's just enough structural depth of concentration to give this wine some mid-palate gusto, which makes it a good sip on its own, too. The minerally finish is mouthwatering.

RED WINES
90
Maximin Grünhaus 2017 Pinot Noir 13.5%
This wine needs about 15-20 minutes to open to let off its more herbal tones. Then, it comes into its own with gusto, showing vibrant mulberry fruits and blueberry depths tinged with damp earth. The finish is lingring and gentle with suave, effortlessly structuring tannin and well-integrated acidity. 

88
Wittmann 2017 Spatburgunder Trocken 13%
Pleasantly reserved and elegant, this wine is pale in color and reserved in aroma and length. In fact, it seems anemic. I tried the wine every few hours over the course of a day, and its dimension remained just as it was when I opened it: straightforward with macerated red cherries, nuances of fennel seeds and a touch of candied watermelon. The palate feels a bit watery, despite the 13% alcohol, and the concentration is meager. There is a crushed rose petal note on the lightly dry finish that is pleasantly distracting.

87
Villa Wolf 2017 Pinot Noir 12.5%
This is classic Pinot Noir seen through a cool climate lens that delivers red currant and red cherry fruits. Light in body with integrated, mild tannins, this is a crushable Pinot. That true even considering its price tag, and that's a rare attribute to find in quality Pinot. Moderate and minerally on the earth-laced finish, this would crush it by the glass.