SYBILLE KUNTZ MOSEL-RIESLING SPÄTLESE TROCKEN 2019
Niederberg-Helden, Lieser, Mosel, Germany
Alcohol 13,5 Vol%, Residual sugar 7,7 g/l, Acidity 6,1 g/l.

General: Spätlese (“late harvest”) is, as its designation indicates, picked late, usually at the end of October, in the NiederbergHelden a single vineyard site (designated an Erste Lage or “First Growth“ site). In these steep sloped vineyards grow old vines (60–100 years), planted in the middle of the last century, partly ungrafted and farmed according to biodynamic principles. The grapes have a long ripening phase, hence the sugar reading at harvest is higher, as is the aroma potential. A Riesling hardly to be topped in terms of density and expression. A dry and truly exquisite wine.

We cultivate a spontaneous cover crop to grow in the rows which keeps useful and harmful creatures in a natural balance. Low yield is assured through the pruning of the vines to 6–8 buds/vine. At the end of June, shortly after blossom, manual shoot thinning is done as well as removal of leaves and secondary shoots in the grape zone, followed by green harvest in August.

This results in light-weight, small-berried grapes perfectly exposed to the sunrays. Total yield amounts to 25 hl/ha, which is about 500 ml per vine. What is important for the timing of the harvest is to reach physiological ripeness in mid-October, with sugar readings of around 110° Oechsle (Specific gravity 110° = 1,110 kg/l or 26,0° Brix).

The grapes are collected during harvest in small crates to ensure that they reach the cellar undamaged. In the closed tank press skin maceration lasts a few hours to enhance natural aroma extraction. After an average 12-hour sedimentation period the juice is moved into the fermenter. Vinification starts with indigenous yeast and takes place in stainless-steel tanks at temperatures of between 16° to 18° C. Initially, fermentation is temperature-controlled; the entire fermentation process covers a period of 6 to 8 weeks. The wine is kept on its lees until filtration in spring.

2019 Vintage: Vintage 2019 was the second summer of the century in a row with fantastic Rieslings and enormous aging potential. The warm growing season with dry periods during the summer brought an outstanding ripeness of the Riesling grapes.

The cool autumn nights during the harvest ensured excellent aroma profiles and good mature acidity levels. Due to the high temperatures during the summer months, the berries stayed rather small and had little juice, but the grapes showed even more intensity in taste. The result are dense, classy Rieslings of all quality levels up to Beerenauslese.

The SYBILLE KUNTZ Mosel-Rieslings taste wonderfully fresh and balanced, very aromatic and complex.

Comments: “You could think of this as Sybille Kuntz‘s Grosses Gewächs. Deep gold. Both intense and vibrant on the nose. Pure ripe Riesling with a hint of hazelnuts. Certainly no lack of acidity even after this hot summer – an almost painful level. Real tension and excitement on the palate. Still quite youthful and unevolved but promising much with a smoky undertow, the way that Clos Ste Hune has. Real energy here and the alcohol is well contained. Long.13.5 %. Drink 2022-2030. 17.5 Points” Jancis Robinson 2020