DE: Mosel Flashcards
Mosel bereich
On the Mosel:
1. Bernkastel (Middle Mosel) *largest
2. Burg Cochem (Terrassenmosel)
3. Obermosel
On the tributaries:
4. Ruwertal
5. Saar
6. Moseltor (outlier in Saarland)
Mosel parallel
50th parallel
Traditional Mosel vine-training system
Single Post System/Mosel Arch: no wires, trained upright with two canes in a heart-shaped bow or a vertical cordon
Pros: more freedom to move around steep slopes
Cons: leaf removal is necessary for airflow/botrytis reduction.. more sun exposure = more TDN
Mosel soils
Topsoil: thin sandy soils + Devonian slate (red and blue)
* Erden, Ürzig = red slate (rotschiefer)
* heat-retaining, dry, well-draining
* acidic, nutrient poor = nitrogen deficiency in must, low pH = sulfur smells and high acid
Mosel climate
Continental
* 1615 sunshine hours/yr
* avg temp 50ºF
* 26.5 to 35.5in rain/yr
Growing season lasts 100 days avg - up to 130 to 160 in certain sites
Phylloxera in the Mosel
Can’t survive; ungrafted vines remain - but planting ungrafted vines is illegal
Kanzem
Village in the Saar
1. Altenberg
55 - 89% slope
Othegraven, Van Volxem
- Hörecker: 89% slope, Von Hövel, iron-rich slate
Bernkastel Badstube
VDP Grosse Lage
- 40 - 65%; blue Devonian slate
- Joh. Jos. Prum, SA Prum, Dr. H Thanisch
Bernkastel Doctor am Doctorberg
- key producers
- slope %, orientation
VDP Grosse Lage
- 45% - 70% slope; blue grey slate
- 3.25ha, fully SW-facing
Dr. H Thanisch (both Erben Thanisch and Erben Muller-Burggraef ), J. Wegeler own. Markus Molitor, Schloss Lieser lease since ‘15
[legend has it that the wine cured an Archbishop when all else failed. The name first appears in 1636. Wegeler bought a .4ha plot in 1900 for the equivalent of $10million++. The wines have always been expensive, historically - only recently being outpaced by the best of BDX and Burg. Great article here]
Piesport Goldtröpchen
VDP Grosse Lage
- 30 - 70% slope
- S/SE/SW: forms an amphitheater around the river bend
- Nik-Weis St. Urbanshof, Willi Haag, Haart, Keller, Forstmeister Geltz-Zillingen
Piesport Grafenberg
VDP Grosse Lage
50 - 75%
Red slate
Haart, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt
Graach Himmelreich
VDP Grosse Lage
* 45 - 75%; blue slate
* Dr. Loosen, Joh Jos Prum, SA Prum, Willi Schaefer, Schloss Lieser
Bernkastel Lay
Lay = Celtic for “slate rock”
* VDP Grosse Lage
* S/SW; 50 - 70%; blue slate
* Dr. Loosen, Dr. H Thanisch, Joh Jos Prüm, SA Prum, J Wegeler
Erden Prälat
VDP Grosse Lage. 1.5ha
* Red Slate
* 110 - 220M; 65º / 210% slope
* Dr. Loosen (owns biggest chunk), Monchoff, Andreas Scmitges control 2/3
Molitor, Dr. Hermann, Dr. Pauly-Birkweiler
[belonged to clerical institutions until 1800 with name “Im Onnerts”. Berres family (great winemaking fam dynasty, now defunct) trademarked Erden Pralat and the distinctive label still seen today. Post WW2, Berres estate splits between 7 children who all eventually cease to make wine. The name is technically a brand, but always came from same Im Onnerts parcel. 1971 law nixed it, became einzellage in 1981 at expanded size]
Saarburger Rausch
VDP Grosse Lage
* 160 - 295M; 35 - 75%
* SOILS: greywacke, slate, some volcanics/basalt
Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken, Dr. Wagner
Scharzhofberg
- village, region
- soils
- slope
- producers
Wiltingen; VDP Grosse Lage
* SOILS: extremely weather red, blue slate, high rock content. Clayey-silty, friable
* 190 - 310M; 30 - 60% slope
Von Hövel, Von Volxem
Egon Müller
Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt
[South-facing. One of the top-rated sites in 19th century Prussian Vineyard Classification. Egon Muller is closely associated with the vineyard’s fame. They’ve owned vines here since 1797]
Sonnenuhr
- villages
- producers
- slope %
Zeltingen, Wehlen
VDP Grosse Lage
65 - 75% in Zeltingen, up to 100% in Wehlen
* Joh Jos Prum (Zeltingen side)
* JJ Prum, SA Prum, Dr. Loosen, Willi Schaefer (Wehlen)
Perfect southern exposure (sundials must face due south to work)
Erdener Treppchen
- soil
- producers
VDP Grosse Lage
* 110 - 260M; 50 - 80%
* RED SLATE
SA Prum
Dr. Loosen
Markus Molitor
[Treppchen = stone steps. Active vineyard since at least 3rd century; a 2nd century wine press was uncovered in the vineyard in 1998, dating to Roman times]
Uhlen
- location
- significance
- producers
Winningen - home to Germany’s
* 1st single vineyard PDOs:
Blaufusser Lay, Roth Lay, Laubach
* 100 - 150%, 80 - 240M, slate & fine sand. SW-facing
* terraced vineyards
Heymann-Löwenstein
Ürzig Würzgarten
Red volcanic soil & slate
VDP Grosse Lage
20 - 80%
Dr. Loosen, Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt
Bernkastel-Kues VDP Grosse Lage
Badstube
Doctor
Lay
Graben
Johannisbrunnchen
Erden VDP Grosse Lage
Treppchen
Prälat
** RED SLATE
Brauneberg VDP Grosse Lage
Juffer
Juffer Sonnenuhr im Falkenberg
* Fritz Haag
** blue/grey slate with high iron content soils
Graach VDP Grosse Lage
Himmelreich
Josephshöfer
Domprobst
Germany’s 1st single vineyard PDO
Mosel
Uhlen: Blaufüsser Lay, Roth Lay, Laubach
Reinhard Heymann-Löwenstein (2018)
Obermosel
Mosel Bereich
* right bank of the Mosel River, left bank is Luxembourg
* Elbling #1
* Paris basin.. calcareous soils, no slate
Mosel bereich without slate
Moseltor
Obermosel
* Paris basin = calcareous soils
1st Mosel TBA
Dr H Thanisch
* historically too cool to make this concentrated style - but vintages prevailed in 1921
* emulating the Rheingau’s work with this style
Mosel VDP Erste Lage
there are none. Grosse Lage or bust
Graacher Josephshöfer
monopole VDP grosse läge - Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer VDP chapter’s name
Grosse Ring
Pünderich VDP Grosse Lage
Marienberg
Nonnengarten
Maximin Grünhaus’ 3 monopole Grosse Lage sites
Abtsberg
Herrenberg
Bruderberg
Saar producers
Von Volxem
Von Hövel
Von Othegraven
Schloss Saarstein
Peter Lauer
Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken
Egon Muller
Important Saar villages
Wiltingen: 8 VDP Grosse Lage
Kanzem
Saarburg
Okfen
Ortsteil definition - what is it? Examples?
Generally, a district where the vineyard is so historically important it is allowed to label without a town attached. There’s about 200 in Germany in general.
Examples:
Steinberg (Hattenheim)
Schloss Vollrads (Winkel)
Scharzhofberg (Wiltingen)
Schloss Johannisberg
Schloss Reichartshausen (Hattenheim)
Joh Jos Prüm
VDP member; Wehlen
* Top wines: Wehlener Sonnenuhr (owns 20 of 50ha), Graacher Himmelreich
* Wehlener Sonnenuhr TBA = most expensive wine
Saar VDP Grosse Lage
Wiltingen:
- Braune Kupp
- Braunefels
- Hölle
- Kupp
- Scharzhofberger
- Scharzhofberger Pergentsknopp
- Volz
- Gottefuss
Saarburg: Rausch, Kupp, Au der Rausch
Ockfener Bockstein
Egon Müller
Wiltingen, Saar
Top sites: Scharzhofberg,
Brauner Kupp (monopole)
* member Primum Familiae Vini
Ruwertal
Mosel bereich: ~200ha (vs 700ha in Saar, 9k ha in Mosel). 90% Riesling.
Karthäuserhof (Eitelsbach)
Maximin Grünhaus (Mertesdorf)
Dr. Loosen top sites
They only label 6 vineyards, all of which are mentioned in the 1868 Prussian Mosel Classification. A GG is made from each.
1. Bernkasteler Lay
2. Erdener Prälat
3. Graacher Himmelreich
4. Ürziger Würzgarten
5. Wehlener Sonnenuhr
6. Erdener Treppchen
(all others are simply labelled “estate”)
Mosel producers with emphasis on dry wine production
Fritz Haag (60-70% dry)
Karthauserhof (70% dry)
Heymann-Löwenstein
Mosel producers focused on sweet wine production
- JJ Prüm (doesn’t export any dry wine)
- Egon Müller Scharzhofberg (no dry wine made)
Maximin Grünhaus vineyards
- Bruderberg (the smaller & lesser of the 3)
- Abtsberg (the premier plot)
- Herrenberg
Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken
Saarburg
* Top site: Saarburger Rausch
* all wines ferment in fuder
German for monopole
Alleinbeseitz
Mosel monopoles
- Kanzem Hörecker (Von Hövel)
- Mertesdorf Abtsberg, Herrenberg, Brudeberg (Von Schubert)
- Piesport Kreuzwingert (Reinhold Haart)
- Trier Karthauserhofberg (Karthauserhof)
- Wiltingen Braune Kupp (Egon Müller)
German names for blue and red slate
Blauschiefer, Rotschiefer
Von Hövel
Oberemmel, Saar
* Scharzhofberg, Kanzem Hörecker
* HÜTTE and the HÖRECKER = monopoles
Van Volxem
Wiltingen, Saar
Top sites include… Kanzem Altenberg, Scharzhofberg, Wiltingen Braunefels & Kupp
Dr. H Thanisch
Dr. H Thanisch Erben-Thanisch: run by 5 generations of women
AND
Dr. H Thanisch Erben Muller-Burggraef
Split in the 80’s
Bernkastel-Kues
Maximin Grünhaus
- location
- top 3 sites
Mertesdorf, Ruwertal
Carl Von Schubert - Monopole IS Max Grunhaus
* 3 VDP Grosse Lage monopole: Abtsberg, Herrenberg, Bruderberg
* Sekterzeuger
Karthäuserhof
Eitelsbach, Ruwertal
Karthäuserhof = monopole
Saar Climate + Vineyard orientation
- Saar River runs N-S: most vineyards are not on banks of river, as they would be E or W-facing
Cold easterly winds, higher elevation, and lower average temp = longer growing season, up to 140 days
WARMTH FACTORS: S-facing slopes (which also help mitigate frost), steep slopes for max light. Slate stores heat.
1st vintage in German wine to produce NO Eiswein?
2019
Min. Öchsle for Mosel Riesling across categories
Kabinett: 73°
Spatlese: 80°
Auslese: 88°
Beerenauslese: 110°
TBA/Eiswein: 150°
Name for traditional single stake vine training in the Mosel?
Einzelpfahl
Einzelpfahlerziehung (the state of being hung in such a way)
Avg temp in the Mosel
50ºF
Top Vineyard sites in the Saar
- Scharzhofberger (Wiltingen)
- Kanzemer Altenberg
- Ockfener Bockstein
- Saarburger Rausch
- Ayler Kupp
Top Saar producers
- Egon Muller (Wiltingen)
- Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken (Saarburg)
- Van Volxem (Wiltingen)
- Peter Lauer (Ayl)
How does slope % impact viticulture
- Sunlight interception: a more direct angle of light for more even ripening
- Frost protection: cold air naturally moves downslope to valley floor, so steep vineyards are less frost prone since air doesn’t collect
- Drainage: prevents waterlogging, forces vines to develop deep root systems
- air circulation: reduces disease pressure, mitigates extreme heat or cold
1st Eiswein vintage
February 11, 1830 - 1st recorded eiswein vintage of anywhere in the world; BINGEN.
[Story is… 1829 was such trash they left the grapes on the vine and then moved to harvest them to feed cattle]
1981 Eiswein definition
Eiswein becomes separate Pradikat level with at least BA sugar level.. thus, making this exclusively a dessert wine
Pre-1981 Eiswein could have an attached Pradikat. Eiswein Kabinett, Eiswein Spatlese, etc
What do slate colors mean
Red = oxidized iron
Green = rich in magnesium
Dark = organic matter
Sundial vineyards
Wehlen Sonnenuhr
Zeltigen Sonnenuhr
Brauneberg Juffer Sonnenuhr
- easy to remember exposure is due south bc sundials need that direction to work
Eifel Mountains in what Anbaugebiet?
Ahr, Mosel
Good German botrytis vintages
2018 !!!,
2017,
2011,
2010 !!!,
2005 !!!,
2003,
2001 !!!,
1990 !!!,
1989 !!!