Fritz Haag

Intense, Incisive Mosel Rieslings from a Renowned Family Estate

The historic Fritz Haag wine estate is located in the heart of the central Mosel River Valley. The earliest documentation of the estate dates back to 1605. At that time, the village in which it is situated was known as “Dusemond.” In 1925, this village was renamed “Brauneberg” (“brown mountain,” a reference to the color of the slate soil in this area of the Mosel) in an endeavor to further promote the reputation of its world-renowned vineyards “Brauneberger Juffer” and “Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr.”

The Fritz Haag estate produces wines that cover the full Riesling style spectrum, from dry to lusciously sweet. A mineral “slate” character and a pronounced acidity give the wines their elegant sophistication and their great aging potential. The estate’s graceful, well-refined Rieslings are among the finest wines the Mosel region has to offer.

The shared name of these famous vineyards, “Juffer,” which translates as “old maid” or “virgin,” in the local dialect, goes back to 1790. The proprietor of these exceptional vineyards at the time, the aristocratic Kurpfälzische Kammerherr Wunderlich, had three daughters who all remained unmarried and lived the lives of spinsters. As a consequence, when they took over the vineyard management from their father, the name “Brauneberger Juffer” was born and the wines soon became famed throughout the wine world. The vineyards are recognized as true pearls of the Mosel region and were treasured even by Napoleon.

For many years, the Fritz Haag wine estate was successfully headed by the endlessly energetic Wilhelm Haag, and achieved under his guidance a world-renowned reputation. Wilhelm Haag was the first to be named Gault Millau’s “Winemaker of the Year,” a highly coveted accolade introduced in 1994. Since 2005, his son Oliver has taken over the reins and has followed his legendary father in leading the estate into the future.

The Fritz Haag estate owns 17.5 ha (43 acres) of vineyards which are all exclusively planted with Riesling. The excellent micro-climate and the deep slate soils of the Brauneberg hillside yield some of the most intensely flavored and elegantly structured Riesling wines of the Mosel region. Oliver Haag rigorously selects the clones most suited to the microclimate of his vineyards in order to achieve the maximum potential in the grapes. His wines, which display a pleasing subtle color, show a well-defined palate that reaches from honeysuckle to pears and apples. They are laced with citrus and underlying mineral tones, reflecting the slate vineyards of Brauneberg.

Accolades for Fritz Haag

Top 100 Winery 2021, 2023 — Wine & Spirits Magazine
Collection of the Year 2009 — WeinPlus
Collection of the Year 2008 — Gault Millau Wine Guide & WeinGourmet
Winemaker of the Year 1994 — Gault Millau Wine Guide (first year of the award)

www.weingut-fritz-haag.de

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Dry Rieslings

Fritz Haag Estate Riesling Trocken

Fritz Haag Estate Riesling Trocken

Harvested from steep, slate-soil vineyards in the winery’s home village of Brauneberg, this wine balances naturally brisk Mosel Riesling acidity with excellent concentration, a delicate texture, and an ultra-fine fruitiness. This is a bright and crisp dry Riesling, making it a perfect choice for a variety of shellfish dishes, and is especially ideal as a partner for briny, cold-water oysters.

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling GG

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling GG

The Juffer-Sonnenuhr vineyard is the steepest and most south-facing part of the Brauneberg hillside, surrounded by the Juffer vineyard. This Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) site produces profound, distinctive wines with great purity and concentration. The Juffer-Sonnenuhr GG is produced in a combination of traditional, neutral oak Fuder casks (about 60%) and stainless-steel tanks, revealing an energetic and intense Mosel Riesling.

Off-Dry Rieslings

Fritz Haag Estate Riesling (Feinherb)

Fritz Haag Estate Riesling (Feinherb)

This wine is made in the slightly off-dry style (called “Feinherb” in German) that perfectly balances its fine peach and citrus fruit with the typically brisk acidity of Riesling grown in this cool-climate region. Also harvested from steep, slate-soil vineyards on the Brauneberg hillside, this Riesling is very refreshing and a delightful introduction to the wines of Fritz Haag.

Prädikat Rieslings

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett

For centuries, Brauneberg wines were among the most celebrated of all Mosel Rieslings. It’s been a top vineyard site since the Romans first cultivated wines in the Mosel Valley in the second century. The Juffer Riesling Kabinett is a selection of early-picked fruit and has a very fine, delicate structure. Its pure, energizing fruitiness and expressive minerality exemplify the Fritz Haag style.

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese

The extremely steep Brauneberg hillside is an isolated, south-facing slope that is one of the drier vineyards in the area, a great advantage in this wet, northern climate. The Juffer vineyard produces lighter, more delicate wines than the warmer, riper Sonnenuhr vineyard that the Juffer vines surround. The Juffer Riesling Spätlese has fine, forceful fruit in the aroma, a linear focus on the palate and a pure, slate finish.

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

The Juffer-Sonnenuhr vineyard is the choicest center cut of the Brauneberg hillside — it’s also the steepest and most south-facing part of the hillside. This Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) site produces profound, distinctive wines with great purity and concentration. Spätlese is the German term for “later picking,” where extra hang time on the vine brings greater concentration and depth of flavor. This is an intensely fruity, yet delicate Riesling cradled by alluring sweetness on the fresh finish.

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese

This is a richly concentrated late-harvest Riesling that maintains a lively, light-footed character from its intense slate-soil origins. Sourced from the Juffer vineyard on the terrifyingly steep Brauneberg hillside where the Romans first cultivated grapes in the Mosel in the second century Auslese is a special-selection of late-picked, very ripe clusters with about 50 percent botrytis-affected grapes.

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

This wine is the epitome of finely selected, intensely mineral sweet Riesling from the magnificent “sundial” vineyard of Brauneberg. Auslese is a rich, concentrated, full-bodied style of Riesling, with a lively interplay between fruity sweetness and vibrant acidity. The Juffer-Sonnenuhr vineyard is revered as a top vineyard site in the Mosel, and has been since the second century, producing profound, distinctive wines with great purity and concentration.