Fritz Haag – Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2015
1. The Fritz Haag Winery – A Mosel Legend
The Fritz Haag Winery is one of the most renowned estates on the Moselle. The Haag family can look back on a winemaking tradition stretching back over 400 years – the estate has been in the family’s possession since 1605. The estate is currently run by Oliver Haag, who has taken up the mantle of his father, Wilhelm Haag (one of the great Mosel winemakers of the 20th century).
The estate is situated in the village of Brauneberg on the Middle Moselle and cultivates around 20 hectares of vineyards, around 90 per cent of which are planted with Riesling. The vineyards are situated in the region’s most famous sites: the Brauneberger Juffer and the Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr – both ‘Große Lagen’
(comparable to Grand Cru) under German wine law. The steep,
south-facing slate slopes offer ideal conditions for
first-class Riesling.
Fritz Haag is renowned for purist, terroir-driven wines
of exceptional elegance and ageing potential. The estate’s wines
are regularly awarded top marks by international critics
and rank among the world’s most sought-after collector’s Rieslings.
2. The Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr vineyard
The single-vineyard site Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr is one of the world’s most famous Riesling sites. It lies on the left bank of the Moselle, opposite the village of Brauneberg, and stretches for almost two kilometres along the river. The total area of the site is approximately 32 hectares.
The name ‘Sonnenuhr’ (sun dial) refers to the steep, south-facing slope, which allows for maximum sunlight – the vines here receive up to twelve hours of sun per day. The terroir consists of finely weathered Devonian slate, which feels ‘greasy’ to the touch and lends the Rieslings an unmistakable minerality.
This soil stores the day’s heat and releases it to the
vines at night, resulting in optimal ripening of the grapes.
The Juffer-Sonnenuhrvineyard is regarded as the heart
of the Fritz Haag winery. It is the source of the estate’s most prestigious wines
– from Spätlese to Trockenbeerenauslese.
3. The 2015 vintage on the Moselle
The 2015vintage on the Moselle was an exceptionally warm and dry one
– comparable to the legendary vintages of 1976, 2003 and 2018. The early
flowering, the warm summer and the optimal ripening conditions resulted in grapes with a high must weight and intense aromas.
The wines of the 2015 vintage are renowned for their concentration, richness and, at the same time, delicate acidity. Many critics rank this vintage among the best of the 21st century on the Moselle. The combination of sun-kissed, physiologically ripe grapes and the characteristic Moselle acidity produced wines of great balance and exceptional ageing potential.
4. The wine in detail
The gold capsule is an unofficial quality designation reserved by many Mosel wineries for their top-quality sweet wines. At Fritz Haag, the ‘Goldkapsel’ is used for the very best Auslese harvests from a ‘Große Lage’ in a particular vintage. These wines are generally richer, sweeter and more expensive than the regular Auslese wines.
In most vintages, Fritz Haag produces two different Goldkapsel bottlings of the Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese, bearing the AP numbers 09 and 12 (labelled as ‘#09’ and ‘#12’ on the label). The #12 is made from riper and creamier grapes, often with slightly more botrytis (noble rot), whilst the #09 represents the purer, less botrytis-influenced variant.
5. Tasting notes
The 2015 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel has received consistently excellent reviews from critics and the wine community . The tasting notes paint a picture of a dense, multi-layered yet elegant wine.
James Suckling (94/100 points)
“Very
delicate, floral, honeyed nose. A supremely elegant Auslese with mineral
and minty freshness that harmonises beautifully with the concentration and sweetness.
A very long finish of serious finesse. Drink now through to 2040.”
Wine Enthusiast
“Rich,
syrupy waves of caramel and honey fill the palate of this mouth-wateringly
sweet Riesling. Slender in body and electrifyingly crisp,
the sun-kissed tropical fruit flavours hold their own boldly on the long
finish. Already breathtaking, it will improve until 2030.”
Mosel Fine Wines (97/100 points)
“The
AP12 displays a BA-like aromatic profile with notes of honey,
dried exotic fruits, tar, smoke, vanilla and baked
apple. A wonderfully pure expression of Botrytis with oily notes of
marzipan and nut paste. Superbly balanced by intense,
citrus-like fruit. The finish is beguilingly long and pure – an
absolute showstopper!”
CellarTracker – Community (average 94.6/100 points)
The CellarTracker community has awarded the 2015 vintage an average of 94.6 points. One user describes it as follows:
“Blind tasting.
A hint of orange peel, saffron and candied fruit, spicy; supple on the palate
with great body. Long and intense – a powerful and delicious
wine.”
Another user raves:
“Fucking
glorious! The nose is deceptive at first; you really have to look for the details
. But the wine hits the palate with the full, brilliant vigour
of the Mosel – unlike the AP12, which smells of botrytis, this is
the purest concentration of ripe, clean Riesling. Wonderful. 96+”
Bonhams (auction house)
“Intense
and fresh on the nose, with concentrated lemon aromas. Sweet, dense
and opulent, with juicy fruit, well-integrated acidity and a slightly
bitter finish – a promising Auslese. Richer, but also
more approachable than the standard bottled Ausleses.”
Norwegian Wine Monopoly (Vinmonopolet)
“Nose:
Intense aromas of peach, orange and apricot. Palate: Fresh,
sweet and intense with good concentration and length. Colour: Deep
green-gold.”
6. Overview of critics’ reviews
7. Market prices and availability
The 2015 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel is in high demand internationally and is available only in limited quantities. Prices vary depending on the bottling (AP09 vs. AP12), bottle size and retailer:
Prices for half-bottles (0.375 l) range from €30 to €50, whilst standard bottles (0.75 l) usually costbetween €50 and €80 in specialist shops . At auctions, higher prices may be achieved for larger lots or special bottlings.
8. Drinking window and ageing potential
The 2015 Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel is a wine with exceptional ageing potential. Experts recommend the following drinking window:
James Suckling: “Drink now through to 2040.”
Wine Enthusiast: “Will improve until 2030, probably beyond.”
Fritz Haag Winery: Drinking window 2017–2055
The wine is already approachable – many tasters emphasise that it isready to enjoy even in its youth . However , its high acidity and residual sugar guarantee decades of further development. As it ages , the petrol-like and honey-like notes will intensify, whilst the fruit aromas will gain in complexity.
9. Food pairings
This sweet Auslese, with its lively acidity, is a versatile accompaniment to a range of dishes:
Starters: chicken liver terrine, crostini with chicken liver pâté
Main courses: Thai sweet and sour prawns
Desserts: fruit strudel (e.g. apple strudel)
Cheese: blue cheese or mature hard cheese
In general, this wine pairs excellently with Asian cuisine, foie gras, creamy desserts and mature cheeses.
10. Classification and Conclusion
The Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2015 is a world-class Riesling – a wine that captures the essence of the Moselle in a bottle. Sourced from one of the world’s finest vineyards, vinified by one of Germany’s most renowned family-run estates, and produced in an outstanding vintage, this wine represents the very pinnacle of the art of noble sweet Riesling.
With ratings ranging from 92 to 97 points and a drinking window of over 35 years, it is ideally suited both for immediate enjoyment and for long-term ageing. The gold capsule marks it as the crème de la crème – a selection of exceptional concentration, elegance and depth.
For collectors and connoisseurs of great German Rieslings, this wine is a worthwhile investment.
Compared to other top Rieslings from the 2015 vintage (such as
those from Egon Müller or Joh. Jos. Prüm), it is comparatively affordable at around 60–80 euros for a standard bottle – a stroke of luck for anyone fortunate enough to get their hands on a bottle.
The different vintages (AP09 and AP12) also offer an exciting opportunity for comparison – the #12 with its rich botrytis character, the #09 with its pure, mineral elegance. Both are outstanding examples of why Mosel Riesling ranks among the world’s greatest white wines.
