We aim to have all wines be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock and you note you would like that particular vintage, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
About This Wine
This precipitously steep, rocky vineyard consistently yields some of the most elegant and sophisticated white wines in the world. The mineral-rich, blue Devonian slate soil produces quintessential Mosel Riesling: delicate and refined, with racy minerality. Wehlener Sonnenuhr (pronounced VAY-len-er ZON-en-ooer) was rated “First Vineyard” (Erste Lage) in the 1868 Prussian classification of the Mosel, and “Great First-Class” in the Wine Atlas of Germany by Hugh Johnson & Stuart Pigott (1995). In 2012, it was officially named a Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) by the VDP, Germany’s association of top growers. Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Spätlese [SHPAYT-lay-zuh] is German for “late picked.” It ha more richness and body than a Kabinett because the grapes are allowed to ripen for an extra week or more. The extra hang time on the vine allows for greater development of flavour and aroma, what Ernst Loosen refers to as “aromatic ripeness.” Because of its intensity and concentration, without botrytis, the Spätlese Prädikat (ripeness level) often gives you the purest expression of the vineyard’s terroir.
Type | White Wine |
---|---|
Varietal(s) | Riesling |
Country | Germany |
Region | Mosel Saar Ruwer |
Brand | Dr Loosen |
Vintage | 2022 |
About German Wines
Germany is the world’s northernmost fine wine producing region and thus requires its vines to endure some of the coldest temperatures. Fortunately, the country’s star variety, Riesling, does well in cooler climates and can survive even these freezing winters.
Germany Riesling is classified by ripeness at harvest which is also used to indicate the wine’s level of residual sugar. Picking earlier means the grapes have less time to ripen and the corresponding wines will be on the drier side; while picking later gives the grapes the opportunity full ripen and produce a lusciously sweet Riesling. The classifications from driest to sweetest: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein (ice wine). While not as common to age white wines outside of Chardonnay, top tier German Rieslings can be aged for decades.
Other notable white grape varieties produced in Germany include Müller-Thurgau (a cross between Riesling and Madelaine Royale in the search for varieties that could withstand the extreme temperatures), Grauburguner (Pinot Gris) and Weissburguner (Pinot Blanc). The cooler German climate leads to earlier harvesting in general and gives German wines a distinctive character of higher acidity.
Historically red wine has always been harder to produce in the German climate. However, Pinot Noir grown in slightly warmer pockets of the country, has been highly successful in recent times. Going by the German name, Spätburgunder, German Pinot Noir can be elegant, structured and have vibrant acidity.