Mönchhof Salve Riesling 2023

A refreshing and grippy Riesling with notes of redcurrant, blood orange and a lovely balance of delicate sweetness and zesty acidity through to a slightly bitter-sweet finish.

The 40 to 50-year-old vines are grown on original European rootstocks. 70% of the grapes come from the staircase-steep amphitheatre shaped vineyards of Ürziger Würzgarten. The volcanic rhyolitith soils are layered with red slate. Due to the southern exposure and the protective rocks, Ürziger Würzgarten is one of the warmer microclimates, producing opulent, aromatic, spicy Riesling with a typical zesty finish. 30% of the fruit comes from Erdener Treppchen, located one kilometre downstream, where the terroir, microclimate, and resulting wines are entirely different. Due to its western orientation, the slightly lesser gradient, and the lack of slate cliffs, Erdener Treppchen is cooler, which combined with the blue slate soil, produces more delicate wines with racy acidity. The vines are VSP trained which allows easy canopy management on the steep gradient. Summer leaf removal provides good air circulation and slows down photosynthesis resulting in a later harvest producing berries with less sugar, less alcohol and good aromatic maturity. Hand harvested.

The fruit was immediately crushed, pressed and clarified by sedimentation and the must was pumped into 2,000-litre stainless steel tanks where cold fermentation with selected yeasts lasted 18 to 20 days, fermentation was stopped prematurely at the desired sugar level. Aged for five months in stainless steel, blending took place four weeks prior to bottling.