The
Lay of the Land
The Mosel River twists and bends its
way from its origin in Alsace to Koblenz, where it
flows into the Rhine. These meanderings create breathtakingly
steep hillsides and exposures, the greatest of which
face south or near south and collect valuable warming
rays of sunlight reflecting off the river. The finest
vineyard sites along the Mosel also feature mineral-rich
slate soils, which are poor in topsoil and readily
available nutrients and, thereby force the vine to
dig its roots deep into the stony subsoil to find
water and nourishment. As the vine burrows its roots
into the hillside substrata, it rewards the wine drinker
by bringing to its fruit the abundant, complex minerals
of the soil.
From a wine lover’s perspective, the heart
of the Mosel River Valley is the Mittel-Mosel (Middle
Mosel). This zone covers roughly the area from the
towns of Piesport to Zeltingen, and includes the great
villages of Ürzig, Wehlen, Brauneberg, Bernkastel,
Graach and Erden. An array of some two dozen important
vineyards and dozens more lesser vineyards grace the
hillsides above these villages, the most celebrated
of which are Ürziger Würzgarten, Wehlener
Sonnenuhr, Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr, Bernkasteler
Doktor, Graacher Domprobst, Piesporter Goldtröpfchen,
Erdener Prälat and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr.
Further southwest and upriver two small but important
tributaries, the Ruwer and the Saar, flow into the
Mosel. The two river valleys also feature spectacular
hillside vineyards, which, because of their cooler
climate, create some of the world’s most razor-sharp,
precise and detailed wines. The greatest vineyards
here are the Herrenberg and Abtsberg of Maximin Grünhäuser
and Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg in the Ruwer,
and the majestic Scharzhofberg in the Saar.
German
Wine Law Basics
In 1971, the German wine law changed to categorize
wines based on the “must” weight, the
amount of sugar (potential alcohol) in the pressed
juice prior to fermentation. This new code was predicated
on the
prevailing notion that riper wines of greater sweetness
were more valuable or held in higher regard than those
less ripe. In this new system, the lowest level is
the Tafelwein, table wine, which is rarely if ever
exported. The next step up is the Qualitätswein
bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA), which signifies a wine
from one of Germany’s thirteen recognized winegrowing
regions and which may have sugar added to boost richness,
sweetness or alcoholic degree (chaptalization). The
highest honor on the German wine quality scale is
the Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP), which
designates a wine that meets all the stipulations
for a QbA, but which contains only its natural grape
sugar and also corresponds to a ripeness scale (prädikat)
from Kabinett, light-bodied and off-dry, to Trockenbeerenauslese,
extremely sweet dessert wine. [See “German Wine
Basics,” at right, for more details.]
Today, the fashion in Germany is for trocken (fully
dry) wines with fewer than nine grams per liter residual
sugar. Many of these wines will also carry their prädikat
level appended with the word trocken to let the buyer
know that the wine is fully dry and also meets certain
ripeness standards. Thanks to Germany’s cool
climate, trocken wines can be eye-wincingly acidic
and out of balance to the point of being nearly unpalatable
to the uninitiated. Nevertheless, these wines have
their proponents, especially among the native cognoscenti.
Halbtrocken (half dry) wines with between nine and
eighteen grams per liter residual sugar can be quite
minerally and food friendly. Lastly the Feinherb designation
has been resurrected recently to indicate wines that
appear dry on the palate thanks to their abundant
acidity, but actually contain between eighteen and
forty-five grams per liter residual sugar. Feinherbs
can be especially delicious and versatile thanks to
their balance of sweetness and acidity.
Vintage
2004
2004 will go into the annals of Mosel vintages marked
by words such as “classic,” “minerally,”
“pure” and “terroir-driven.”
Now in bottle but still especially youthful, the wines
display the delicate balance of a lithe, lean frame
marked by abundant citric acidity and ripe but reticent
fruit. Many of the finest wines from the coolest terroirs
are showing particularly sharply at the moment, but
the components of greatness are present in all the
finest producers’ wines. Comparisons to the
great 1975 vintage abound.
This is a wonderful vintage to discover the nobility
of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling and to put to the test
the “straight wire” theory. A great way
to do this is to buy from a producer its Kabinett
and Auslese from the same vineyard and compare it
with similar prädikat wines from either the same
producer or another from a different vineyard. Here’s
a suggestion: buy and taste side by side (blind if
you prefer) Dr. Loosen’s 2004 Kabinett- and
Auslese-level wines from his Ürziger Würzgarten,
Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Erdener Treppchen vineyards.
If you wish to go further, add the 2004 Kabinett and
Auslese offerings from Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg
and Fritz Haag’s Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett
and Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese. All are
currently available at Liner & Elsen.
I believe you will discover that each wine conveys
vividly and precisely a different and succinct expression
of its origin – it’s terroir. In addition,
the amplitude of the expression and the intensity
of each wine’s minerality increase – without
distorting or coloring the purity of the vineyard’s
voice – as one shifts from the Kabinett to the
Auslese level. Finally, the next time you enjoy wines
from another white varietal, recall and consider your
impressions of these Rieslings. Ask yourself, “Is
this wine more about the fruit, the hand of the winemaker,
its barrel treatment, or the soil on which it was
grown? How singular and distinctive is its expression?
Could this wine have come from anywhere else?”
* * *
A more basic and affordable way to discover the
many voices of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling is to sample
the three exemplary selections below. Though quantities
are limited, we have secured enough of the following
wines to feature three very different styles of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Riesling. From the apéritif-dry impression
of the Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Kabinett
Feinherb to the classic perfumed blue slate minerality
of the Molitor QbA, to the dessert-level sweetness
and long ageability of the Loosen Erdener Prälat
Auslese, I believe not only will you see just how
versatile and delicious German Riesling can be, but
also appreciate the complexity and individuality of
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling’s many expressions.
2004 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg,
Riesling, Kabinett Feinherb A.P. Nr. 6, Ruwer
22.99 / 246.00
German trocken wine rarely excites me the way it seems
to be relished in its homeland. Too many trocken wines
are simply too severe and shrilly acidic to be enjoyable,
by themselves or with food. The Feinherb designation,
an historic term, is being resurrected to designate
wines that seem dry on the palate yet have more texture
and tactile presence than the lean, often meager trocken
wine. Karthäuserhof”s winemaker, Christoph
Tyrell, strives to make the right wine – not
necessarily the most popular wine –with whatever
conditions Mother Nature provides. In 2004, Mother
Nature gave him the superb raw materials to create
a textbook example of the Feinherb style.
Missing in this pale green-gold beauty are Riesling’s
frequent peach, apricot and tropical fruit expressions.
In their place are an absolutely pure mineral expression
and a palate filled with shimmering citrus fruits.
The wine’s nose conveys the perfumed slate of
the Karthäuserhof vineyard, pure and unadorned.
On the palate, the Feinherb begins with a mineral
attack akin to a non-dosé Champagne or a dry
Savennières. The wine then segues to the most
citrus-filled mid-palate I’ve ever experienced
in a Riesling. Notes of key lime, lemon zest and grapefruit
mingle with a resinous tactile presence, which yield
to a subtle hint of sweetness on the back-palate.
The Feinherb’s finish adds suggestions of kiwi,
gooseberries and waves of Ruwer slate minerality.
For those who enjoy extremely dry Champagne or intensely
mineral wines, this is your Riesling. Those who suspect
that German Riesling is too sweet or too fruity ought
to give this a try, too. I suggest beginning the evening
with this Feinherb as an apéritif, or pairing
it with oysters on the half-shell, seared scallops,
golden trout and other delicate fish preparations.
2004 Markus Molitor,
Molitor Estate Riesling, QbA, Mosel 11.99
/ 128.00
In the two decades Markus Molitor has been at the
helm of his eponymous domaine, he has built his estate
from a mere three hectares to its present thirty-eight,
making it the largest private estate in the Mittel-Mosel.
Molitor tends twenty different vineyard sites on the
Mosel and the Saar, but he is perhaps best known for
his rich and inviting expressions from his vineyards
in the town of Zeltingen. Molitor’s Riesling
QbA is a blend of wines from his single-vineyard sites
and though it’s not stated on the label, I believe
this to be blended primarily, if not exclusively,
from Zeltingen.
Zeltingen’s wines are renowned for their full
body and opulently perfumed slate bouquet, both of
which are captured vividly in this comfortably priced
QbA. Pale gold in the glass, Zeltingen slate plays
in the wine's bouquet with aromas of baked pears,
ripe peaches, white flowers and pineapple. Soft on
the attack, the full-bodied charm of Zeltingen coats
the palate with buoyant Riesling fruit and crisp 2004
acidity. Juicy pineapple and chamomile notes appear
on the long, cleansing finish along with trailing
beams of acidity and perfumed slate. Perfect as an
apéritif or as a refresher between courses,
Molitor's QbA will lift
your spirits and refresh your palate. The wines lightness
and deft sweetness will also allow it to pair wonderfully
with spicy Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisines. For
the price, this is just about the most delicious and
eminently drinkable Riesling on the market.
2004 Dr. Loosen, Erdener Prälat
Riesling Auslese, Mosel 55.99 / 598.00
Ernie Loosen and his estate are longtime Portland
favorites. A relentless advocate of terroir and one
of the wine world’s greatest ambassadors, Loosen
was recently named Decanter Magazine’s 2005
Man of the Year. To the delight of his many fans,
Loosen has just released his single-vineyard cru wines.
The town and vineyards of Erden lie at a sharp bend
in the Mosel River, where the geology transitions
from the piquant red sandstone and slate soil of Ürzig
to the perfumed blue slate of Zeltingen. The tiny
and impossibly steep Prälat vineyard is the village’s
most prestigious and the jewel of the Dr. Loosen portfolio.
Facing nearly due south and situated perfectly on
the hillside to capture all of the sun’s reflecting
rays, Erdener Prälat (the Prelate or Bishop of
Erden) is also protected by sheer red cliffs around
the vineyard, which serve to conserve the day’s
heat while sheltering the vineyard from inclement
weather. In Prälat, the two soil types converge
to create one of the most complex and compelling expressions
of the entire Mittel-Mosel.
Deeper gold than the two preceding wines, the Prälat’s
Auslese-level ripeness is captured both in the wine’s
color and in its honeyed aromas. Notes of pure dissolved
minerals, peach, lemon oil and petrol complement the
wine’s sweet, slate-filled bouquet. Soft and
fruity on the attack, the wine tightens on the mid-palate
with piercing minerality and firm acidity. A hint
of spicy botrytis follows, which seems to both complement
and fuse together the wine’s sweet fruit and
its intense mineral expressions. Mouth-watering acidity
appears on the back-palate along with a certain piquancy
that makes me wonder if portions of this vineyard
froze partially prior to harvest. Nuances of sweet
quince paste, cinnamon and yellow peaches linger lightly
on the long finish while zingy acidity and spicy slate
keep the lips smacking until the next sip. Delightful
for a Riesling interlude between courses, I actually
suggest serving this wine by itself as a light dessert
to complete the meal and finish the evening on a bright,
uplifting, trebly note. While one can certainly enjoy
this Auslese today, it also promises at least two
decades’ evolution in your cool cellar.
* * *
There are thirteen German regions recognized as the
country’s finest and thus permitted to make
Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA, Quality
Wine from Special Regions); the most important and
most frequently seen in America are the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer,
Nahe, Pfalz, Rheingau and Rheinhessen.
