Dr Loosen has been in the same family for more than 200 years and its present guardian, Ernst Loosen, is one of the great characters of the wine world. He assumed ownership of the estate in 1988 and immediately realised that, with ungrafted vines averaging 70 years of age, in some of Germany's best-rated vineyards, gave him the raw materials to create stunningly intense, world-class wines. To achieve this, he dramatically reduced his crop size and stopped all chemical fertilisation, preferring only moderate use of organic fertilisers. And, most importantly, he turned to gentler cellar practices that allow the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of handling and technological meddling.

The Sundial vineyard in Wehlen is almost nothing but broken shards of blue Devonian slate. 100% Riesling from vines over 60 years old on average. Cool fermentation in a combination of stainless steel tanks and Fuder barrels, half fermented with natural yeasts, half with cultured yeasts.

Very light green-yellow colour; the bouquet of slate, honeysuckle, stony mineral aromas and green apple—classic low-alcohol Mosel Valley riesling. In the mouth, it's half-dry and attractively juicy, with lots of honey and citrus flavours, light and crisp, refreshing and clean at the finish in spite of the level of sweetness, which the acidity dries off nicely towards the close. Like sucking on honey-coated river stones! Very clean and well-made, a delicious wine. Tasted: March 2023; Drink: 2024 to 2034; Price: $40.00; Alcohol: 8.5%; Rating: 94 Points; Huon Hooke; The Real Review

A cool and very elegant riesling Kabinett that's barely off-dry thanks to the strident lemony acidity that breezes through the palate as if there was no tomorrow. Super-bright, but also really structured. Drink or hold. Rating: 93 Points; James Suckling

It smells grapey. It's funny to say, and so obvious. Anyway, other goodies are here too, gooseberry and green kiwi. It's floral. Mint, sweet lime and sweet green apple. You can feel the sweetness that has this amazing magical property of rounding off searingly high limey acidity. Polishing the edges without you noticing it. And it all falls into place. Lime leaf and pitched ‘steeliness' to finish. No surprises. Very good. This could always get a bit better in bottle but why wait? Alcohol: 8.5%; Price: $44; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2021-2033+; Rated: 93 Points; The Wine Front

The wine opens up to show a beautiful bouquet of pear, white cherry, slate, bee pollen, wild yeasts and a potpourri of fruit blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, filigreed and medium-full, with gorgeous balance and cut, a beautiful mineral drive and a long, complex and dancing finish of impressive complexity and breed. Its technical details this year are eight degrees alcohol, forty grams of sugar and 8.5 grams of acidity. First class Kabinett! Rated: 93 Points; John Gilman

It offers a subtly creamy nose made of apricot blossom, vineyard peach, some minerals, sage, and wet stones. The wine starts off on a subtly creamy side on the palate but, quickly, a kick of zesty acidity joins the party and makes for a superb feel of one of those glorious Spätlese or light Auslese from the 1990s. The finish is all about zest, juicy fruits, and minerals, all wrapped into slight apricot-driven elements. What a gorgeous fruity-styled wine in the making. Rated: 93 Points; Mosel Fine Wines