Dr Loosen Red Slate Dry Reisling 75cl

A superlative effort from Decanter magazine's white winemaker of the year Ernst Loosen.

Situated on Germany’s Mosel River among some of the world’s most treasured vineyards, the Dr. Loosen estate has been in the same family for more than 200 years. When Ernst Loosen assumed ownership in 1988, he realized that, with ungrafted vines averaging 60 years old in some of Germany’s top-rated vineyards, he had the raw materials to create stunningly intense, world-class Rieslings. To achieve this, Ernst immediately changed the estate’s vineyard practices to dramatically reduce crop size. He stopped all chemical fertilization, preferring only moderate use of organic fertilizers and soil amendments. He extended his commitment to sustainable practices beyond the vineyards and into the winery, implementing improvements in materials recycling, energy efficiency and water conservation. At harvest, he insisted on fully mature fruit that had been very strictly selected. And he turned to gentler cellar practices that would allow the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of technological meddling.

Red Slate Dry Reisling is produced with fruit from estate-owned vineyards in the red slate soils in the villages of Erden and Ürzig. Farmed specifically for producing a dry wine, it is fermented with native yeasts in 3,000-liter, neutral oak casks. The casks help to soften the acidity, and they allow a tiny amount of oxygenation that adds texture and greater complexity to the wine.

Red Slate Riesling Dry has an intense minerality that is warm and enveloping, with a floral, spicy, citrus blossom aroma and a harmonious palate.

FOOD MATCH: Quite versatile at the dinner table. Perfect with shell fish, fresh oysters, sushi and grilled fresh fish