Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/31323
Since the mid-1980s, German winemakers and their governing body, the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), have initiated vineyard classification systems and quality standards that have resulted in smaller harvests and higher quality. But governance can only go so far. In many ways, Germany’s Riesling revival has had more to do with the perfect mar- riage of modern winemaking techniques and centuries-old tradition that plays out today in the Mosel. “If we speak about tradition in the Oliver Haag enjoys the aromatics of Fritz Haag 2009 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnehur Riesling Trocken, a lively wine with crisp acidity, honeydew, fruity peach and a bright aroma of white flowers. Like many winemakers in the Mosel, he comes from a long line of wine producers. Mosel, we must accept that the tradi- tion here is dry wine, not sweet,” states Löwenstein, whose simply-put definition can be applied to wineries across the region, where three major factors influ- ence the lovely trocken (dry) wines of the Mosel: steep hillside vineyards, super- slatey soils and, of course, the people. Vertical Vineyards Standing on the banks of the Mosel River, 28 year-old Florin Busch, winemaker at Weingut Clemens Busch, gestures across the waters to a steep hillside with every inch planted, primarily to Riesling. There, he and his father Clemens practice sustainable, certified-organic growing practices. “It’s more work, especially in the steep vineyards,” he admits, “but it is the best way.” Tending to vines on a 45-degree slope may be an arduous task, but it’s a challenge for the vines, too, where grapes have long hang-time in low-elevation plots that don’t get as much exposure to the sun. With 12 hectares of vineyards planted primarily to steep slopes, Busch relies on the difficult terrain to positively impact his family’s wines. “We only grow on the flat vineyards for our most basic wines and grapes,” he says. “We want the vines to fight; they have to struggle.” Serious Slate Another major component to the success of Riesling along the Mosel is that these steep vineyards are planted in slate-filled soils, imbuing the wines with crisp minerality that zips brightly across the palate. Red, blue and gray slate are all common in the region and play key roles in defining the mineral-character of various wines. Blue slate, for example, produces more bright yellow fruit, while the red gives way to vines that yield spicy, powerful wines. “Nobody else can produce Riesling like this, anywhere in the world,” says Oliver Haag, winemaker at famed Weingut Fritz Haag. “Because of our soil, the roots have to go very deep, and the flavor and minerality of the soil comes through the grape and, ultimately, the wine.” Power to the Producers Stop into any town in this region and it’s easy to see that wine-production is a well-steeped way of life, with many producers able to track their family’s wine- making history back several centuries. But for producers like Daniel Vollenweider of Weingut Vollenweider and husband-and-wife duo Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Künstler of Weingust Weiser-Künstler, falling in love with the wines of the Mosel has inspired first-time winemakers to tackle those steep, slatey soils. “Neither my husband nor I came from winemaking families,” admits Künstler, who found inspiration while traveling New World wine countries, and chose to settle in the Mosel because of the region’s famed Rieslings. “The Mosel Valley without the high slopes is not the Mosel Valley. There’s something unique and special here, and we’re happy to be a part of the Valley’s future.” may 201 1 / the tasting panel / 77 If we speak about tradition in the Mosel, we must accept that the tradition here is dry wine, not sweet wine” Ahr You Ready? Less than 90 kilometers long, the Ahr Valley is one tiny corner of the German wine production that is rich in the tradition of vineyard co-ops, rarely exports its wines—and, oh yeah, is notable for its production of Bugundian varietals. Here, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Madeleine thrive on super-steep old vines, rooted in slate-y soil, and bright, fruit- forward reds pour forth. It’s not all Riesling, all the time, after all.