Mosel Riesling Moonrakers
7/24/15 -
(The Enkircher Ellergrub)
The highest rigged sail on the wind ships of the 19th century would be called the moonrakers or the hopes-in-heaven. They provided the ships that raised them with that pivotal extra bit of speed and lightness. The heyday of those sailing ships long passed, who stands watch over that highest sail, over the sail that seemed closer to heaven than to the decks below?
Such questions might be asked of some of the world’s steepest vineyards, in the Mosel Valley, planted for the practical purpose of meeting the challenge of ripening grapes at what once was the northernmost limit for growing grapes. Climate change has mitigated those challenges and ripeness is now reached, more often than not.
Though the golden age of Mosel Riesling was long ago, those halcyon days may soon return for what can be the most lithely elegant and electrifying of white wines. If that hope exists then it exists because of growers like Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Künstler (W-K), who have become care-takers of historic Middle Mosel vineyards like their top site, the Ellergrub, which holds ungrafted Riesling vines up to 100 years old.
The Enkircher Ellergrub, the third vineyard north of Starkenburg (shown in the late 19th Century Prussian tax map above), is located on the rocky outcropping of the Starkenburger Hang and it has been highly regarded for well over 100 years. Konstantin and Alexandra preserve and honor this history by using neither herbicides nor pesticides in their vineyards.
Their commitment extends to the use of natural and biodegradable vine fasteners. In-vineyard harvest selection is rigorous and depending on the vineyard and vintage quality they will choose a light crush and slow pressing or a direct whole-cluster pressing in their pristinely maintained Wilmes bladder press (pictured below).
The rest of their cellar work takes an equally traditional and minimalist tack with native-yeast fermentations in old fuder, stainless steel, and secondhand barrique. We’re delighted to offer their 2014 new arrivals, which are proving to be classic Weiser-Kunstler, in addition to a few favorites from the 2013 vintage.
Several kilometers down river in the Lower Mosel, another grower stands watch over some of the steepest, slate vineyards in all of the Mosel and the world. Dr. Ulrich “Ulli” Stein is a bit of a man apart with a jazz musician’s soul, a biologist’s training, and the drive of a reformer. He is above all a man unwavering in his principles and absolutely devoted to his vineyards (Bremmer Calmont pictured below).
Ulli avoids all mechanization in tending to his mass-selected, largely ungrafted, and often centenarian vines. Alongside his brother Piet, he grows 6 hectares of vines around their family’s village of Sankt Aldegund. Stylistically-speaking, Ulli prefers low alcohol, dry to off-dry, zippy Mosel Riesling. A hallmark example is his wonderfully lean, spicy and slightly off-dry 2013 St. Aldegunder Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Feinherb. It is hard to find Mosel Riesling that speaks more of place than the Stein wines!
Finally, we come to Karthäuserhof (Tasting Room pictured above), one of the greatest historical estates in all of Germany, located in a small side valley of the Ruwer, a tributary of the Mosel. Archaeological evidence suggests viticultural activity, dating back to the Ancient Roman period, in the Karthäuserhof vineyards.
The estate was officially founded in 1335 by Balduin of Luxembourg, who gifted the land to the Carthusian order. The present day 18 hectare vineyard, the Eitelsbacher Karhäuserhofberg, a south to southwest-facing monopole hillside, was among the most highly rated vineyards in the Prussian Tax Maps of the late 19th century.
Karthäuserhof is now helmed by Christian Vogt, who has had a noticeably positive influence on the quality and style of the wines. Christian has enforced strict vineyard selection during harvest and rigorously controlled maceration temperatures. The results speak for themselves as the 2013 Karthäuserhof wines are among the most aromatically complex Rieslings we have on our shelves. We are truly excited about his future vintages.
I have had the privilege of lengthy visits with each of these growers and I’ve trekked up and down their historical and numinous vineyards. Without any qualifications, they are very deservedly among Germany’s elite wine growers.
-David Salinas
