A well-balanced dry Riesling from estate vineyards that show the distinctively forceful minerality of red slate soils.
Dr. Loosen is one of the most highly acclaimed wine estates in the world. In the family for over 200 years, Ernst “Erni” Loosen assumed ownership in 1988 and quickly propelled the reputation of Dr. Loosen into the highest echelon of Germany’s finest producers. With a focus on the old, ungrafted vines the estate owns in some of the Mosel valley’s best-rated vineyards, the wines clearly express their cool-climate origins through environmentally sensitive viticulture, strict harvest selection and gentle cellar practices.
Viticulture
Once again, extreme weather during the growing season gave us some headaches but, as always, Riesling proved its resilience by producing a range of highly aromatic and finely balanced wines in 2019. Generally dry conditions throughout spring and summer led to a lower-yielding crop, which was further reduced by the onset of botrytis late in the harvest. It is a fully ripe vintage, with vibrant aromatics and a pronounced acidity that gives brilliant structural precision to the wines.
Vinification
This dry Riesling is produced with fruit from estate-owned vineyards in the red slate soils found in the contiguous Middle Mosel villages of Ürzig, Erden, Lösnich and Kinheim. Following the traditional methods of Ernst Loosen’s great-grandfather, Peter Loosen, this wine is fermented in 3,000-liter, neutral oak casks and kept on the full lees for 12 months. The extended lees contact stabilizes the wine naturally and gives it time to develop a harmonious balance.