With 12 ha (30 acres) each in the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer, the estate has a most extraordinary spectrum of top vineyards in all three valleys in the region.
Thanks to the commitment of all employees, the estate manager and winemaker Wolfgang Mertes and the vineyard manager Michael Weber, Riesling wines are produced that are on a par with the finest wines of the world. It is a particular challenge to do justice to the “personality” of each vineyard. Wine enthusiasts should be able to recognize, or be able to smell and taste, the differences of the terroirs.
This is why the labor-intensive work (by hand) in the steep sites is important, as is preserving, supporting and caring for the natural environment of the vine. Every year is a new challenge, since no two vintages are alike.
Quality can also be improved through vineyard measures: cluster division and green harvest to reduce yield; foliage removal in the cluster zone to minimize Botrytis attacks; and stringent selection during the harvest.An equally important element of caring for top vineyards is tending mature vines with meticulous care in order to retain and/or recover the diversity that older vines and valuable clones contribute to a vineyard. At the winemaking stage, great importance is attached to as natural a fermentation as possible (spontaneous fermentation), primarily in stainless steel tanks, in order to underscore the individuality of each site. Traditional oak casks are partially used for the production of Grosse Gewächse. Lengthy aging on the fine lees enhances complexity and expression of fruit diversity.We categorically reject so-called new oenological procedures.
Our Quality Pyramid
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® – THE PEAK OF THE PYRAMID
VDP.GROSSE LAGE designates the very best vineyards of Germany, within which the finest parcels have been narrowly demarcated. With their site-specific characteristics, these wines are particularly expressive and have exceptional aging potential. A dry wine from a VDP.GROSSE LAGE is designated VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS and labeled “Qualitätswein trocken.” A wine with natural, ripe sweetness from a VDP.GROSSE LAGE is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese.
VDP.ORTSWEIN – SOURCED FROM SUPERIOR SOILS
VDP.ORTSWEINE originate from a village’s best vineyards. A dry VDP.ORTSWEIN is labeled “Qualitätswein trocken.” A VDP.ORTSWEIN with natural, ripe sweetness is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats. These first-class wines in the middle segment not only originate from excellent sites, but are also subject to limited yields.
VDP.GUTSWEIN – GOOD FROM THE GROUND UP
VDP.GUTSWEINE are good, entry-level wines in the VDP’s hierarchy that inherently links wine quality with origin. The wines originate from an estate’s holdings within a region, and they meet the stringent standards prescribed by the VDP.
RK.KOLLEKTION and SOMMERPALAIS – DOOR OPENERS
High-caliber cuvées that are partially produced from purchased grapes grown in the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer Valleys. These “Qualitätsweine” range in style from dry to wines with fruity sweetness. They are elegant, minerally, and typical of the region’s classic wines.
