Weingut Peter Lauer

Winemaker Profile | Saar, Germany

In what was once the world’s most cherished wine region, along the serpentine hillsides of the Rhine, in the Saar, Weingut Peter Lauer has been producing Riesling for five generations. Today, the VDP estate is headed by Florian Lauer, who naturally followed in the footsteps of his father after completing his oenological studies in France. Florian has brought true dynamism to the estate by reviving historic vineyard sites and bringing precision and style to the winemaking.

The estate is located in Ayl and produces regional, village, premier, and grand cru wines from its holdings that punctuate the hillsides around the village. The famous south-facing grand crus of Kupp, Feils, Schonfels, Kirn, and Stirn produce some of the most characterful and timeless dry and sweet Rieslings to be found anywhere in Germany. At a time when German winemakers are increasingly planting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir among other varieties, Lauer goes against the trend. The estate believes these exceptional sites reveal their full expression when planted to Riesling — and Riesling only.

The wines of Peter Lauer are Saar through and through. A delicate touch in the vineyards and a deep respect for the biosphere of each site produce wines that speak unimpededly of their origin, with a serenity and grace as enviable as they are rare. Long hang times and attentive vineyard management yield healthy fruit with true phenolic ripeness. Hand-picking and gentle pressing are followed by long, slow fermentations and extended lees contact, with some bâtonnage. The wines are then laid to rest in the cold, deep vaulted cellars. At Peter Lauer, each wine is given a number — a reference to the neutral Fuder used to vinify each style and plot. Year after year, each parcel is fermented in the same cask to ensure that the character of the site is never altered by its vessel.

There is a purity of fruit and a self-confidence in the wines of Peter Lauer that likens them to those being produced in the world’s most important estates. The bottles themselves are as timeless as the style in which they are crafted, and can easily age for decades. Ageing is not only possible but greatly encouraged.

The wines of Peter Lauer are, quite simply, the full package — leaving no doubt as to why great Saar Rieslings were once the world’s most sought-after wines.