2023 Villa Wolf Riesling Dry

The Ernst Loosen Villa Wolf Riesling Dry is clear, light straw-yellow in color. On the nose, aromas of white peach and a hint of passion fruit. On the palate, notes of lemon, green apple, and yellow stone fruit, accompanied by a slightly mineral finish with fresh acidity. Delicious as a standalone glass, certainly due to the fresh acidity, but also highly recommended with trout with slivered almonds, mussels, chicken or turkey, salads, quiche, and fresh goat cheeses.

Villa Wolf's Riesling is made from grapes from their own vineyards and from grapes supplied by contracted winegrowers. The grapes are harvested at the end of September, immediately destemmed in the vinification room, and gently pressed with the utmost care. Subsequently, the juice is transferred to large stainless steel tanks to undergo alcoholic fermentation under temperature control (18°C) for over two weeks. Following this, the young wine undergoes a further aging period on the fine lees without malolactic fermentation, in order to preserve the wine's optimal freshness. Blending takes place after a few months, and the wine is bottled after light filtration.

The Dr. Loosen estate has been in the possession of the same family for over 200 years. When Ernst Loosen took the helm in 1988, he came into possession of very special vines with an average age of over 60 years! Part of the vineyards even consists of ungrafted vines over 120 years old! To produce world-class wines, Ernst Loosen drastically reduced the yield per hectare and immediately stopped the systematic chemical fertilization of the vineyards. Since then, only natural fertilizers have been used in small quantities. The greatest revolution took place in the wine cellars, where everything was set up to treat the grapes, must, and wines as gently as possible, in order to fully preserve the essence of the terroir and the grape. In the vineyards, Riesling reigns supreme as the unique grape. It takes on various forms, from dry to noble sweet, from elegant and light to full and ultra-concentrated, depending on the time of harvest, the age of the vines, the ripening stage of the grapes, the presence or absence of noble rot (botrytis), the terroir, and naturally, the vintage. The soil of the Dr. Loosen vineyards consists of a rock-hard slate subsoil that forces the roots to go deep in search of water, minerals, and nutrients. The location of the vineyards on the extremely steep, south-facing slopes on the banks of the Moselle is ideal for slow, perfect ripening. The grapes bathe in the sun three times, as it were: directly and reflected off the stony soil and the river. The Dr. Loosen vineyards are situated along the gently winding Moselle, between Bernkastel and Kindel, with world-famous names such as Bernkasteler Lay, Dr. Loosen, Graacher Himmelreich, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Urziger Würzgarten, Erdener Prälat and Erdener Treppchen.