Awards
2023: James Suckling: 98/100 (best rating ever given by James Suckling for a Pinot Blanc) "If this is dry pinot blanc decadence, then give me more. Extravagant nose that spans the range from mandarin oranges to white flowers, underlined with delicate leesy complexity. Breathtaking interplay of creaminess and mineral freshness, the former dominant at the front of the medium- to full-bodied palate, the latter taking control at the breathtaking finish. The finish doesn’t want to stop. Fermented and matured on the lees in 500-liter oak casks. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold." | James Suckling Top 100 "Best Value” list worldwide: "The Müller-Catoir Weißburgunder Pfalz Herzog EL 2023 at number 7 is an incredible white wine with extravagant aromas of tangerine and white flowers and an endless, mineral finish. It is a decadent example of a Pinot Blanc and the only German wine on this list that is not a Riesling.”
2022: James Suckling: 97/100 (Best Weissburgunder in its class 2023) "Here is a genuinely Burgundian-style German pinot blanc with a very complex nose of ripe pear, brioche, toasted baguette plus notes of honeysuckle and Amalfi lemon. Stunning elegance, the creamy and minerally aspects of the wine precisely matched to one another. Very pure finish that stretches off into the distance."
2021: James Suckling: 96/100 "What a stunningly complex nose this expressive dry pinot blanc has! So much basil, orange blossom and mangosteen, yet so delicate. Enormous concentration is married to a remarkably elegant and focused palate. Very long finish that’s simultaneously, creamy, succulent and refreshing."
2020: James Suckling: 96/100 "You could easily mistake this deep and complex dry Pinot Blanc for a Grand Cru Burgundy, thanks to the creamy but deeply structured palate. Enveloping melted-butter and mirabelle aromas and startling minerality that are miraculously married on the richly textural palate. And then comes the warm and silky wave of the finish that leaves no doubt. Drink or hold."
2019: James Suckling: 97/100 "A very generous dry pinot blanc with a lot of brioche aroma and creaminess that take it in a forthrightly Burgundian direction. With some aeration in glass, a really seductive, very ripe pear aroma emerges that makes it even more sensual. Very long, super silky finish! From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold." | Eichelmann: "The Pinot Blanc from the Herzog has a clean bouquet with clear pear fruit and floral spiciness, is powerful and concentrated, has a lively acidity and length." | Ronn Wiegand: 5/5 "Terrific Pinot Blanc from Müller-Catoir. The 2019 Herzog is exceptional, in a ripe, full, but elegant style. It is quite rich, supple, and finely flavored (pear, white peach, pineapple, candied lemon, oak), with good balance, and a long, lightly toasty finish. Delicious; warrants further aging. Likely at its best after 2023."
2018: James Suckling: 96/100 Points "Lots of buttercups and pure, milk-flavored ice-cream, as well as fresh loquat, butternut squash, apricot pastries and apple curd, all building into this concentrated and powerful weissburgunder. There is richness and some serious phenolics, yet the acidity is more than up to the task of cutting through the buttery and creamy texture. Drink now or hold. (Top 100 Wines of Germany 2019, Best Pinot Blanc Germany Vintage 2018) | Robert Parker: 91+/100 Points "The 2018 Herzog Weissburgunder is bright and clear on the primary and fruity nose that displays lovely purity, finesse and the characteristic hazelnut blossoms. Fullbodied, lush and rich on the palate, still with some supporting oak features (tannins), this is a very elegant and refined, lush and aromatic Pinot Blanc. Filigreed, fresh and pure, this is a fascinating, stimulating bitter and very elegant Pinot with black chocolate and bitter orange flavors on the finish. An excellent and promising wine." | RESTAURANT WINE® Issues #190-193: 5/5 stars "The Herzog Pinot Blanc is superb: fleshy, full bodied, and concentrated, with fine, complex flavor (baked pear, hazelnut, white peach, oak), excellent balance, and a very long and lightly toasty finish. First rate; warrants aging. Great value. Organic. [2023-2027]"
2017: James Suckling: 97/100 (Highest Rating for a German Pinot Blanc, Vintage 2017) | Winner enos Pinot Blanc Challenge 2019 (Best Pinot Blanc Germany) | restaurantwine (Ronn Wiegand): 5/5 stars - "The Herzog Pinot Blanc is remarkable: full bodied, supple, richly flavored, and well balanced; a wine with excellent flavor (pear, white peach, tangerine, lime, oak), and a very long finish. Warrants further aging."
2015: Robert Parker: 94/100 (Top rating!)