Maximin Grunhaus Estate Grunhauser Erste Lage Mosel Riesling 2023

Maximin Grunhaus Estate Grunhauser Erste Lage Mosel Riesling

Region: Mosel, Germany

Vintage: 2023

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Riesling

ABV: 12%

The `Grünhäuser` opens with aromas of ripe stone fruit, green tea and a herbal spiciness. The palate is brimming with notes of green apple, ripe lemon, quince, and pineapple and a refreshing, saline character.

Wines from the Estate range are made from fruit sourced from two prestigious vineyards, Abtsberg and Herrenberg, owned entirely by the von Schubert family and classified as VDP Grosse Lage. Both vineyards are south facing, which provides optimal sun exposure and ensures that healthy, balanced grapes are picked every year. The `Grünhäuser` Ortswein Riesling is produced exclusively from vines are at least 38 years old, predominantly from the Abtsberg vineyard. Here the slopes reach gradients of up to 75% and the soils tend to be shallower and richer in marine fossils than the red slate soils in the neighbouring Herrenberg site. This adds an elegant tension and marked minerality to the final wines.

The grapes were harvested by hand and carefully pressed in a pneumatic press. The cellar is situated minutes from the vineyards to ensure quick pressing after harvest, allowing the grapes to retain their aromatics, freshness and complexity. The must was fermented with indigenous yeast, which adds a distinctive character to the `Grünhäuser` Riesling. Wines from the different parcels were first matured individually in small Fuder casks, then blended before release.

Located on steep, south-facing slopes two kilometres from where the river Ruwer meets the Mosel, the estate of Maximin Grünhaus has a history of viticulture that dates back to Roman times. It takes its name from the Abbey of Saint Maximin, a Benedictine monastery which owned the land from the 7th to the 18th century. Passing into French administration under Napoleon and then eventually to the von Schubert family in the late 19th century, the estate is now overseen by sixth-generation family member Maximin Von Schubert, who took over from his father Carl Von Schubert in 2014.