The 2020 Ellergrug “GE” clocks in at 13% alcohol, which is surprising based on its cool-toned fruit and brisk energy. This wine is nearly impenetrable on opening; there is a profound slate minerality, a phenolic grape quality. There is the smell of fermentation and grape stalks and skins, green and fresh. I mean, fawk this just smells like mineral water. These are wines for minimalists. Yet, a few hours in, a ultra-dense and compact citrus fruit rises – mandarin orange citrus oils, phenolic, perfumed, a bit spicy and herbal. On the palate, the wine is just so obviously deep, much deeper and more concentrated than the Gaispfad; this density and compactness is simply outrageous. There is more structure, more grip – almost tannic. It is more gushing; not large in size but deeper and more earthen – slate ground into sand or earth.

After a few hours the fruit emerges on the nose, as described above, but the palate remains just a polished sphere of slate. This wine is fucking beguiling.

If you can, do not decant, yet keep the wine open for as long as you can; it is only more intriguing on days three and beyond.

Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Künstler are as soulful as the vineyards they farm; this is a micro-estate with only 3ha under vine. Konstantin and Alexandra do everything here, working in the vineyards daily. Situated in Traben-Trarbach, many of their vineyards fell into obscurity in the latter half of the 20th century, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The fact is that these vines have not seen the “modernization” that many sites in the Mosel have, which means these cliff-vineyards still have their jutting, ladder-like terraces. On these terraces, they have a high density of very old, un-grafted vines. Weiser-Künstler makes wines exceptional Prädikat wines, but they also make dry wines – dainty angels carved from mineral and slate that feel like porcelain in their weight and purity. As of 2015, they are moving towards complete organic certification.