The Hansen-Lauer Estate
Thomas Hansen is the third in the generation of the Hansen family to produce top quality wines at Weingut Hansen-Lauer in Bernkastel-Kues, overlooking the picturesque Mosel River.
Hansen-Lauer's two hectares of vines are situated amid the Germany's finest growing region which produces many of the best and costliest white wines in the world. Bernkastel-Kues, a picturesque village and tourist mecca overlooking the Mosel River, has long been the home of the finest Rieslings in Germany. Home of Germany's famed Wine Symposium, Bernkastel is a community famed for its celebration of winemaking and good living.
Weingut Hansen-Lauer, with its perfect blend of soil and climate, produces white wines exclusively of the Riesling grape, carefully crafted by master winemaker Thomas Hansen. His expertise assures exquisite wines for the most discriminating wine lover.
The history of the winery goes back more than 400 years. Its 2 hectares of vines are situated around the medieval town of Bernkastel. 90% of the vineyards are planted with Riesling, the leading grape-variety of the Mosel-river. 10% is Spätburgunder, also known as Pinot Noir. Riesling is the wine of the Moselle. This wine is light, elegant and very fine. The most fascinating thing about Riesling is its great diversity of taste. Riesling can taste like a vineyard peach, apple, grapefruit, rose blossom, honey or cut green grass. This list is by no means exhaustive. Just taste it and use your own fantasy and imagination to describe your impressions of smell.
Hansen Lauer Sekt Riesling Brut is made from 100 percent Riesling grown on Devonian slate.
A very fine bubbles along with a very nice fruit (apple, pear, citrus) and minerality coming from the stony (slate) vineyards.
Production techniques: the Sekt is bottle fermented, stayed on the lees for 12 months, thus giving it very fine bubbles along with a very nice fruit and minerality.
The vineyard sites are Bernkasteler Graben, Bernkasteler Badstube, Bernkasteler Bratenhöfchen, Graacher Himmelreich. The vineyards are situated at the beginning of a long stretch of approx. 2 million vines.
Enjoy on its own as an aperitif or with delicate food, such as pike, lobster and scalops.
It is hard to imagine with the Lithology range receiving 298 points out of 300 for the three single-vineyard wines, that there could possibly be a wine above them. But there is, and it is our Estate wine. Blended several times very intently by masters of their craft Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, this is the ultimate expression of our house’s work. Positive, full-bodied, and quite powerful, there’s the expected crème de cassis and blackberry from St. Helena Cabernets, with mineral, herb, subtle tobacco and vanilla, plum skins, and pie crust, purple flowers, forest-conifer notes, and very fine tannic structure. It is a magnificent, and magnificently elegant expression of this house, and when asked recently, Monsieur Rolland stated plainly to me, “oh yes indeed – this is the best one, the best yet…”
Review:
The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni comes from a selection made by winemakers Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, mostly from Rutherford and Oakville fruit. Aged 20 months in 78% new French oak, it has incredible aromatics of black and blue fruits, spring flowers, and graphite to go with a massive, full-bodied, concentrated style on the palate that somehow stays graceful, weightless, and elegant. This tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is guaranteed to put a smile on your face over the coming 20-25+ years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points
Kynsi Pinot Noir Edna Valley is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Edna Valley was one of the first registered appellations in California and boasts a rich agrarian history. The coastal terrain features varied soil types that are predominantly marine in origin, with ancient volcanic influences. The unusual transverse ranges allows the appellation to open up to the cooling breezes of the Pacific Ocean from nearby Morro Bay and Pismo Beach. The climate is strongly influenced by the ocean providing ideal, temperate growing conditions for Pinot Noir. Early spring warming, mild summer temperatures and late arriving cold fall temperatures and rain provide a long growing season for the development of rich color with concentrated and complex flavors.
Aged 16 months in French Oak barrels, 25% new.