We have "first dibs" on just 15 cases of this rare library release, and given how long it’s been since our last Anheuser Riesling offer, they will vanish quickly. This is a quintessential "case buy"—a rare instance where you can lock in 24 years of perfect aging for under $40 a bottle. We have returned to the Nahe and the historic cellars of Paul Anheuser to secure this 2002 treasure, an open-knit, juicy follow-up to the legendary 2001s that trades tight-wound tension for a flavor-packed, fleshy opulence.

Our faithful following for these older Anheuser gems knows that pristine provenance is everything. This "Halbtrocken" (off-dry) Spätlese comes from the Krötenpfuhl—or "Toad’s Pond"—vineyard in Bad Kreuznach, where the tertiary gravel and loess soils produce a broader, more fruit-forward style of Riesling. Hidden away behind the cobwebs of the estate’s underground cellars since bottling in 2003, this specific cask was meticulously selected and re-corked in 2025 before making its first-ever trip stateside. The Anheuser lineage in this region dates back to 1627 (long before their cousins headed to St. Louis to found the Budweiser empire), and that 14-generation expertise is evident in every drop of this heart-stopping nectar.

In the glass, the 2002 is a light golden treasure, exploding with evolved notes of wildflower honey, beeswax, and dried apricots, all balanced by a smoky, flinty minerality that defines the Lower Nahe. Despite its 13.8 g/L of residual sugar, the 11% alcohol and firm acidity provide a chiseled, dry-tasting finish that makes it a world-class partner for smoked trout or salmon. If you have a soft spot for properly aged Riesling, act now to secure your allocation of this 2002 library selection before the final cases disappear.

Zum Wohl!