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Fritz Haag
Examine
any label from the Fritz Haag estate and you will see that Wilhelm (right) and Oliver
Haag appear to reside in Dusemonder Hof, despite the fact that we all know they
are based in Brauneberg, a small village on the Mosel, downriver from Trier. Indeed,
the pair can trace their ancestry as far back as 1605, the Haag family having
tended vines on these banks of the Middle-Mosel for over four centuries now.
The key to this apparent confusion is a simple change of name. Brauneberg was once known as Dusemond, from dulcis mons, latin for 'sweet mountain', suggesting that even centuries ago the wines of the hill - the Dusemonder Hof - that faces this village from the opposite bank of the Mosel had a reputation for ripe and toothsome wines. Indeed, in 1806 a classification of the vineyards of the Mosel ranked the Juffer Sonnenuhr vineyard, directly opposite the village, above all others here and above most along the Mosel. Napoleon agreed, rating the wines highly indeed, and if prices at annual Der Grosse Ring auctions are anything to judge by, the wines remain highly prized today. The most obvious difference today is on the label; since 1925 the village has been known as Brauneberg (from brown mountain - rather less romantic, I feel).
The south-facing
Juffer vineyard,
and the jewel-like central portion known as Juffer Sonnenuhr, is the most prized of Brauneberger sites. The Juffer Sonnenuhr
portion, accounting for about 10.5 ha, runs steeply up the hillside to about the 200m
mark, at a breathtaking gradient of up to 70%, as far up as the sundial (sonnenuhr)
from which the vineyard takes its name. This section features deep,
well-weathered slatey, stony soils and a concave depression in the hillside, two
factors which help with the acquisition and retention of heat, no doubt both
factors in the ripe, full-flavoured wines which are made here. The Juffer
vineyard which flanks this central portion has heavier soils and less slate, and
although the wines are also of very good quality they do not match those from
Juffer Sonnenuhr. These sites are where the Haag family have tended their vines, which account for 7.5 ha of these
vineyards, for the past four centuries. The only significant change was the
division of the original Ferdinand Haag estate between two sons, Fritz and Willi
Haag. Weingut Fritz Haag is the larger of the two, thanks to some astute
purchasing of vineyard plots, and it has been managed until very recently by
Wilhelm Haag. Since the 2004 vintage his eldest son, Oliver Haag, has taken the
reins; Wilhelm's other son, Thomas, runs the nearby Schloss Lieser estate. The
Fritz Haag range of wines runs the gamut, from generic estate Rieslings through the
prädikat; at all levels, up to Auslese and beyond, these wines are, in
my opinion, fabulous.
What makes these wines special is their combination of ripeness, flavour and yet good Riesling purity. These are not the most delicate of wines made on the Mosel, but they are not meant to be. The particular mesoclimate afforded by these special sites confer a specific character to the wines. Vintage after vintage, they have a sense of place. I adore them, and confidently rank Wilhelm Haag - and from what little I have tasted so far, also his son, Oliver - among the leading winemakers in Germany. (5/2/02, last updated 29/8/06)
Contact details:
Address: Dusemonder Hof, 54472 Brauneberg
Telephone: +49 (0) 6534 410
Fax: +49 (0) 6534 1347
Internet:
www.weingut-fritz-haag.de
Fritz Haag - Tasting Notes
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stockists:
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer
Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2005: A very pale hue, and a charming nose,
showing floral pear fruit with apple peel and a little pine kernel note. On the
palate it immediately displays a fresh, spritzy style, with lovely, gently
minerally, tingling acidity. Very broad, expanding across the palate, trailing
juicy pear fruit with a delicious, crisp, almost sherbetty vivacity. Finely
balanced, close to ethereal at times, dry but with a lovely fruit richness,
finishing with a chalky-mineral flourish, this is delightful. Rather rich and
voluptuous for a Kabinett, reflecting the vintage, but otherwise lovely now, but
will be fine for years I am sure. 17+/20 (August 2006) AP Nr. 2 577 050 11 06
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer
Riesling Kabinett 2005: A similar hue, but rather more fruit driven and
accessible on the nose, with lots of pear and grape character, with a talcy
edge. Quite plump on entry, a richer style of Kabinett reflecting the warmth of
the vintage, but with an immediately apparent spritz just like the trocken,
which persists through the midpalate and finish with delightful, tingling
persistence. Lovely pear character with spring flower petals, all framed by a
thick seam of residual sugar. Again rather rich and voluptuous for a Kabinett,
but in a different style. Nevertheless equally good, and with
certain potential for the cellar. 17+/20 (August 2006) AP Nr. 2 577 050 03 06
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer
Riesling Kabinett 2003: Youthful. Herbal. A little
mineral and slate. Lovely, precise palate. Considerable level of sweetness and
texture for this prädikat, reflecting vintage conditions. Chalky, mineral notes.
Plush, rich. Needs cellar time, and even with just moderate acidity it should go
ten years with ease. 15.5+/20 (May 2005)
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr
Riesling Kabinett 1999: A pale, crystal-clear wine, with
a gentle tinge of green-gold. There's a smoke and slate character to the aromas
on the nose, with some stewed lime fruit. The palate really packs a punch, with
upfront, fresh, zingy acidity leading the way on entry. This supports a layer of
rich, limey fruit, with a touch of honeycomb. A rounded texture to the wine, and
a pleasing weight complete the experience. There's a good length, during which
that tingling acidity just dances on the tongue. A brilliant Kabinett, which I
have rated unusually highly for such a wine. Wilhelm Haag is clearly one of the
Mosel's masters. 18/20 (February 2002)
AP Nr: 2 577 050 5 00
Label
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Spätlese 1997: This is just singing. It shows a pure, crystal clear, pale and reassuring
green-tinged hue when poured into the glass. The nose has a similar purity,
throwing off notes of fresh limes with a smoky, mineral streak. There are lots
of stony, rocky notes here, all presented in a fine, crisp, very expressive
fashion. On the palate, it becomes even clearer - this is simply fabulous. It is
well defined, yet broad and mouthfilling, quickly expanding to show a creamy,
rounded character with great depth, all supporting fresh limes and minerals like
those on the nose. It is brilliantly precise, with a fine presence. This is superb,
certainly wonderful to drink now, but no doubt will develop further in bottle
over many years. And what a bargain - £10 per bottle at auction. For label
images and more see my Wine of the Week
write-up. 18.5+/20 (March 2007) AP Nr. 2 577 050 7 98
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Fuder 6
1997: A fairly pale but classic greenish hue. It has a lovely nose, packed
with fresh, exuberant lemon and lime fruit. There's also a great mealy, oaty,
perhaps minerally background character, although this only reveals itself with
plenty of vigorous swirling or aeration. The palate has just superb weight,
elegantly balanced with some tingling acidity, and is packed with concentrated,
dense mealy fruit flavours. The wine even has a sense of power, and this doesn't
fade through the finish. There's also quite a length. Fantastic drinking now,
but also decades of potential. A superb wine. 18/20 (February 2002)
AP Nr: 2 577 050 6 98
Label
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