2020 Dr. Loosen 'Red Slate' Dry Riesling Mosel
Made from red slate estate vineyards found primarily in the south-facing stretch of river that encompasses the villages of Ürzig, Erden, Lösnich and Kinheim, this dry Riesling has an intense minerality that is warm and enveloping. It has floral, spicy, citrus blossom aromas and harmonious flavors with a full, expansive texture. Very expressive.
Ernst Loosen is one of the world’s great champions of one of the world’s great grapes. A passionate and tireless promoter of Riesling and its virtues, he’s also a wonderfully gifted winemaker. His ability to focus the delicate, ephemeral nature of Riesling into wines capable of aging alongside the world’s brawniest reds is truly remarkable. No one with a working palate can deny that what he has done with his family’s 200-year winemaking legacy is quite impressive. The Loosen vineyards in the Middle Mosel are of freakishly high quality. Situated on vertigo-inducing slopes, with some (ungrafted) vines more than 100-years old, they are the sort of raw materials found in few places on the planet. Low, concentrated yields, old roots burrowing through pure slate, ruthless berry selection at harvest… this is the recipe for stunning German wine. Ladies and gentlemen, the Doctor is in.