Here’s a great (and free) e-newsletter about Mosel Rieslings by Jean Fisch and David Rayer. They provide a comprehensive and independent review, along with stories, and news about vineyards and vintages. Sign up here: Mosel Fine Wines.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring winemakers from our “Friends of Ernie” portfolio. If you’re in the trade, you can meet these fascinating winemakers at our special tour of trade tastings March 1-4 in Boston, NYC, Chicago or SFO. See our blog post for more info.


WEINGUT ROBERT WEIL
Founded in 1875, Weingut Robert Weil is considered to be one of the Rheingau’s younger wine estates. It is located in the heart of Kiedrich, a village first documented in the year 950. Kiedrich Turmberg and Kiedrich Grafenberg, the estate’s top vineyards, are among the finest sites in the Rheingau.

Kiedrich Turmberg and Kiedrich Grafenberg are situated on a southwest-facing ridge and a steep cliff with inclines of up to 60 percent. Their soils consist of deep and medium-deep stony, fragmented phyllite partially with loess and loam. This combination of barren stony soils, an ideal microclimate, steep inclination and southwestern exposure allows the grapes to hang on the vine for a very long time. The resulting wines are complex and rich in minerals, with great elegance and finesse.

THE WINES

The character of Robert Weil Rieslings is marked by the mineral-rich soils of the vineyards. These elegant, complex wines offer pronounced fruitiness with nuanced flavors and bouquets. They embody a perfect interplay of fine yet firm acidity with natural sweetness and extract.

ESTATE WINES
The estate wines are sourced from parcels that neighbor the estate’s classified single-vineyard sites.

* Riesling Trocken: A full-bodied dry Riesling that pairs well with many types of food.

* Riesling Tradition: Bright and juicy, this is a more traditional Riesling for daily enjoyment.

* Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken: A delicate, off-dry Riesling with moderate alcohol.

CLASSIFIED SINGLE-VINEYARD WINES
These wines come exclusively from the steep hillside vineyards of Weingut Robert Weil.

* Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken: Deep in mineral-driven aroma and rich on the palate — a distinctive Riesling that comes from Weil’s wholly owned parcel beneath the medieval Gräfenberg tower.

* Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Spatlese: This is a wine of stunning nobility and richness, with many layers of complex fruit balanced by muscular minerality.

* Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken Erstes Gewaches: A lush, ripe and full-bodied dry Riesling that is carried nimbly on a fine mineral frame. The epitome of Rheingau’s “First Growth” bottlings, this is regularly judged to be among the best Rieslings of Germany.

ACCOLADES FOR WILHELM WEIL

* Winemaker of the Year 1997, Gault Millau
* “…the most consistently brilliant winemaker in the Rheingau.” - Michael Broadbent

This lovely letter and photos came to Ernie from a Dr. Loosen Riesling lover who was traveling through Manchuria. Enjoy!

We took the drive from Changchun to Harbin today. It took a long time because there was an accident and traffic halted for 90 mins but we had some good wine and drank it on the road while waiting. I attach a picture of our wine break. Everything was blanketed in white snow on the flat Manchurian plain.

Thanks and best regards,
Terence

Want to meet some new Riesling loving pals? Want to join in some hilarious and informative conversation? Mosey on over to our Facebook Page, where it’s always Loosen Happy Hour!

Here’s a fun article about our own Ernie Loosen by Aimee Dawis in the Jakarta Post…..

It’s not everyday you meet a living legend. But Jakarta’s wine lovers had the rare opportunity to meet and talk with Ernst Loosen, who has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to improve and promote the quality and image of Rieslings all over the world. Read more >>

Happy holidays everyone! Here in Germany we’ve been busy picking Eiswein.

From Erdener Prälat, we got about 10 cases, which is good, considering that the whole vineyard is just over one acre – and most of it goes into the Auslese and Auslese Goldkapsel. Plus a teensy bit for the Long Goldkapsel Auslese auction wine.

That’s four different wines from just 1.2 acres!.

From Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Bernkasteler Lay, we got about 50 cases each. The majority will be estate-bottled as Dr. Loosen Riesling Eiswein.

You can see more pics of us picking Eiswein on our Facebook Page.