Daniel Twardowski Hofberg Reserve Pinot Noir, Mosel, Germany 2022

Daniel Twardowski is one of Germany's most acclaimed boutique winemakers, renowned for producing Burgundian-inspired Pinot Noir from the steep, slate-rich vineyards of the Mosel. A former fine wine merchant, he founded his tiny estate in 2006 with the vision of proving the Mosel could produce world-class Pinot Noir alongside its famous Rieslings. Farming just over three hectares with meticulous attention to detail, Twardowski crafts tiny-production wines using native yeasts, minimal intervention, and extended aging in French oak. His elegant, terroir-driven Pinot Noirs have earned a cult following among collectors for their remarkable finesse, purity, and distinctive slate-driven minerality.

Hofberg Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 is a profound, limited-production Pinot Noir from the steep slate slopes of the Dhroner Hofberg vineyard in Germany's Mosel. Produced from the estate's oldest vines and crafted with meticulous, Burgundian-inspired winemaking, this flagship Reserve bottling delivers exceptional depth, precision, and elegance. The 2022 vintage opens with captivating aromas of black cherry, wild raspberry, rose petals, black tea, baking spice, and crushed slate, complemented by subtle notes of forest floor and fine oak. The palate is silky yet powerful, combining vibrant acidity, beautifully integrated tannins, and remarkable mineral tension that carries through to an exceptionally long, refined finish. Both complex and age-worthy, Hofberg Reserve stands among Germany's finest Pinot Noirs and is destined to reward patient cellaring.

James Suckling 99