Wine of the Week Profile, 07/24/06
2005 St. Urbans-Hof Mosel Valley Riesling

’05 St. Urbans-Hof Mosel Valley Riesling QBA $8.99
The St. Urbans-Hof winery is located in the village of Leiwen in the very heart of Germany’s renowned Mosel Valley. The soil of its vineyards consists entirely of hard slate stones, which leave a greyish blue powder on one's fingers. Riesling—Germany’s traditional grape and perhaps the most fruity and flavorful of all white varietals—is used exclusively. Organic fertilizers are utilized in order to maintain the natural balance of the soil. Most importantly, yields are kept at low levels in order to achieve intense and well-structured wines. For optimal flavor, leaves are thinned in the early summer and grapes are harvested as late as possible to allow for maximum ripeness. All grapes are hand picked to ensure optimal fruit quality.

In the words of St. Urbans-Hof's master winemaker Nik Weis “The hightest quality wines are a result of hard work over the entire year. Intensive soil cultivation, precise shoot positioning, leaf thinning, crop reduction, selective hand-picking and late harvesting are all fundamental steps, which must be taken in order to ensure that the wine reflects the character of the land, on which it is grown.”

This Riesling offers sensuous honey tones, striking notes of freshly peeled ginger and lovely wildflower inflections on the nose. On the palate the fruit is elegant showing racy citrus and ripe melon flavors intermingled with ginger and a suggestion of clove. Vibrant acidity provides support and is laced with the slate minerality the vines thrive in. Serve with curried duck, grilled pork loin or simply by itself.

—Donald