(Claude Auguste / Editorial team / animated photo: Weingut & Runwaylm)
It is worth taking a look at Markus Molitor from a perspective that is almost always overlooked in the public discourse about this winemaker, who has been in the spotlight less frequently in recent years. Not the Riesling myth within Molitor’s now almost unmanageable Riesling universe, but the ‘other’ wines. They are not a side project, nor a playground for an overly successful man, but perhaps the most honest insight into his way of thinking.
For what Molitor is doing here is nothing other than the application of a radically Mosel-centric concept of quality to grape varieties that were long regarded as outsiders on the Mosel. Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir – at first glance, this sounds like internationalisation, like conformity. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Molitor makes these wines not in spite of the Moselle, but through the Moselle. Slate, steep slopes, coolness, patience – this is the framework to which these wines, too, are subject. They must not smooth anything over, gloss over anything – and certainly not simplify anything.
What strikes you first is the timing. These wines are never ‘ready early’. They resist making a quick impression or putting on a pleasing display. The Pinot Blanc Einstern, for instance, is not a fruity entry-level wine, but a serious terroir wine (with a touch of humour) that offers more complexity than most Pinot Blancs in Germany. Citrus-like clarity, cool, salty minerality that supports the wine rather than flatter it. The oak remains in the background, never the main focus, yet always elegantly present. It is about structure, not assertiveness.
This becomes even clearer with the higher-selection Pinot Blancs from the Wehlener Klosterberg. Whether as the classic *** version or as a variant with extended skin contact – these wines deliberately push the boundaries of what is permitted in the Mosel. And that is precisely where their fascination lies. They combine Burgundian depth with Mosel liveliness, intensity with coolness, ripeness with a firm structure. The fruit never seems broad, but is always focused: yellow and even green, freshly picked, unripe apples, citrus peel, a hint of chamomile, along with chalk, salt, and tannins from the skins that are incredibly precise and even elegant in their expression. These are wines that challenge. And delight.
The same applies to the Chardonnay from the Klosterberg. It is not an attempt to imitate Burgundy, but a response to the question of what Chardonnay can achieve on the Moselle. The bouquet remains brightly fruity, almost understated, carried by freshness rather than richness. Lemon, more lime, quince, a hint of exotic notes, but all kept in check by acidity and a fantastically mineral character. The oak is more prominent, but kept absolutely in check by the cellar team – more texture than flavour. Molitor’s signature style is very clearly evident here: nothing is left to chance, yet nothing is forced into the dramatic or the exaggerated.
This approach is perhaps most evident in the Pinot Noir. The Graacher Himmelreich *** (vintages 2018 and 2019 tasted) is no Mosel oddity, but a serious, great Pinot that can stand alongside top-class Burgundies without hesitation – never as a copy, always as an interpretation in its own right. The nose shifts between heart cherry, cassis, blueberry, herbal spice and salty, dark rock. On the palate, juiciness and rigour, sweetness and salty minerality, ripeness and freshness come together. The use of Rappen is noticeable, but is employed in a disciplined and deliberate manner – not as a stylistic device, but as an element of tension. The result is not a smooth wine, but a powerful yet elegant, sometimes unruly, yet always fascinating, great Pinot.
What all these wines have in common is an almost old-fashioned notion of greatness. They prioritise ageing potential at a time when patience has become the exception. And they demonstrate that Molitor’s obsession with quality is not a matter of grape variety, but a matter of attitude towards winemaking – even if we should perhaps use the word ‘attitude’ more sparingly in future.
In this sense, Markus Molitor’s ‘other’ wines are not a footnote, but a second main theme. They tell the story of a winemaker who refuses to stand still, even though he could long since have rested on his laurels. And they serve as a reminder that great wines often emerge where someone is prepared to redefine themselves beyond the expected.