2017 Weingut Dr. Hermann Riesling Kabinett Urziger Wurzgarten 750 ml

The Fruits of Mosel’s Spice Garden

We were getting a little dizzy. Gazing up at Ürziger Würzgarten, the “insanely steep,” rust-red vineyard that looms over this bend in the Mosel river, can do that to you. 

We trekked to Ürzig specifically to check the Ürziger Würzgarten, a German winegrowing location as unmistakable as Hermitage Hill or the Clos du Mesnil, off of our bucket list. Like those sacred places, Ürziger Würzgarten produces one-of-a-kind wines. There might be fewer than five instantly-recognizable icon vineyards like this in the world. No others produce 94-point jewels that can be had for $25.

We returned from our Riesling pilgrimage with a fantastic deal for Wine Access members: The 2017 Dr. Hermann Riesling Kabinett Ürziger Würzgarten, a lush, mouthwatering, spicy, and tense white wine that Wine Advocate called “very elegant, lush and piquant, with fascinating vibrancy and lingering salinity,” as well as “gorgeous and complex,” in their 94-point review. 

What separates Ürziger Würzgarten from the standard slate-dominated vineyards of the Mosel goes far beyond aesthetics, and became obvious as we walked the vines (stepping carefully so we didn’t slide off the hillside). The soil is crumbly and iron-rich, and the wines it produces show beautiful exotic fruit and rounded texture in their youth, and sweet “Christmas cookie” spices—clove, cardamom, and coriander—when they are mature. The wines are so distinctive, combining exotic fruit, spice, and acidity, that the vineyard was named “spice garden” after the inimitable signature it leaves on every bottling.

Dr. Hermann is a centuries-old producer known for working with the top vineyard sites in Mosel, and  today is led by upstart winemaker Christian Hermann, whose Riesling qualifications are not just inherited: Before taking charge of his family’s operation, he spent time working with the most renowned names in the region: Dr. Loosen, J.J. Prum, and even cult producer Willi Schaefer.

Boasting sweetness from natural sugars, a balancing acidity, and an alcohol content of just 8%, the 2017 Dr. Hermann is a rare treasure. Today, it’s your chance to taste an inimitable terroir—not to mention a flat-out delicious wine that is a dream to pair—for under $20 per bottle.