Klaus-Peter Keller's Riesling Trocken taught me how to identify a great producer.

As an importer, the tool helps me make critical decisions about the producers we represent. I use it in sales as well, when I present a lesser-known lineup for the first time. If you are assessing the quality of a lineup of wines, I can not recommend it enough.

Be aware, this tool takes no prisoners and it is not kind to wines of lower quality.

Look for a Crescendo

A top-class lineup builds from start to finish.

Entry-level bottles will draw you in. With each step up, the wines should seem to build on each other. There will be a family resemblance, and each successive wine is a bit more compelling.

At the top, the wines demand attention, pulling you into the glass and turning the volume down on the rest of the world.

Klaus-Peter's Trick: Retaste the Estate

Return to the entry-level wine after tasting the best.

You will immediately have a better sense of the wine's quality. If the winemaker cut corners, the flaws you may have missed the first time are glaring. Klaus-Peter does not hesitate to repour a taste of his "simple" Riesling Trocken.

That is the moment when you can see how special the entire lineup is.

Wrap Around For The Sale

Wrapping back around to the first wine of a great lineup makes an impact.

A customer who loves a lineup will use the entry wine as a way to introduce people to the producer. Having tasted higher quality wines, they are primed to expect higher quality (and higher prices). Re-tasting the first wine almost always elicits a positive comment about price and value.

If you know you have a great lineup, this is a powerful sales tool.