2009 Losen Bockstanz Riesling Kabinett Wittlich Mosel Germany

Weingut Losen-Bockstanz Mosel Germany  

Historically, the roots of the Losen-Bockstanz estate go back to the 16th century. As of today, Thomas Losen and his family manage this small, traditional estate. 

Weingut Losen-Bockstanz is located in Wittlich, a little village on the eastern bank of the Mosel River, about 36 kilometers northeast of Trier and about 95 kilometers southwest of Koblenz, nestled the middle of the famous Mosel region, which possesses ideal vine-growing conditions perfectly adapted to the Riesling grape variety and produces some of the best wines of Germany.  

Losen-Bockstanz wine’s quality primarily comes from the quality of the fruit and the location of the vineyards. The skill and experience of generations of winemaking, supplemented by the latest technologies and techniques in the vineyard and cellar serve only one purpose: to produce the best wines, expressive of their Terroir of origin. Regardless of the vintage, location and variety, Losen-Bockstanz wines always have something special that makes you get back to them. 

Wine is a gift of nature: the unique fauna and flora in the midst of the most beautiful area of the Mosel bear witness to this, which means natural wine. Here, in this magnificent décor of gentle hill slopes covered with vines and overlooking tranquil rivers, the winery produces premium, complex still and sparkling wines, which are characterized by excellent focus, harmony and taste.   

Like most wineries in Germany and more particularly in Mosel, Losen-Bockstanz produces multiple Riesling wines ranging from rather dry and off-dry (Kabinett), to sweet late harvest (Spatlese) and selected harvest (Auslese) and even sweeter dessert wines made from selection of botrytised grapes (Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese).  

According to the Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) and Pradikatswein system, the sweetness in most German white wines is determined by the time of the harvest and précised on the label by the following words, also representing categories: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein. Any wine not mentioning any of the cited categories is usually a dryer style (Classic, Trocken). Other names on the label refer usually to the vineyard and / or the village and / or the region of origin.   

Obviously, the later the harvest will happen, the riper the grapes will be, therefore containing higher sugar content. Yet, to fully understand the sweetness of a German wine, you also have to take in consideration the desired style of the producer, if chaptalisation occurred or not, the vineyard it comes from and the allowed alcohol content range per category; knowing that the lower the alcohol content will be, the higher the sweetness in the final wine will be. Confusing isn’t it?    

Therefore, I rather intentionally leave aside the dryer style (Trocken) and declassified wines (easily recognizable because of the little *** on the label following the category), but also the fact all these factor can also vary depending on the region of origin, to avoid even more confusion.    

For example, today’s wine is a Kabinett, meaning that it is supposed to be a fully ripened light white wine from the main harvest, typically off dry or semi-sweet with crisp acidity, and it is, but it could also have been “dry” if designated so (Trocken). 

However, this particular one isn’t dry, but it isn’t the sweetest of its category either. What you have to realize as well is that, by law, the minimum authorized alcohol content in a Kabinett Riesling from the Mosel is 7% (sweet) but it also can go up to 11% (much dryer); today’s wine being 9% places it in the middle.       

2009 Losen Bockstanz Riesling Kabinett Wittlich Mosel Germany 

Suggested retail price $13-$16

Imported by Vision Brands LLC in NYC 

It presents a light, clean yellow, greenish color with bright reflects. The nose offers fresh, enticing and gentle zesty, mineral notes nicely complementing the white peach, lemony aromas. The palate is soft, juicy, and lightly sweet with similar flavors as the nose. The light, bright and really enjoyable finish possesses lovely balance and texture, and seems somewhat quite long. Highly recommended and a no brainer at this price. It will fit particularly well with light dishes, steamed sea and freshwater fish, boiled meat with light sauces, and a small poultry; and of course slightly spicy and raw Asian food. 

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

For more info about this wine go to the winery website at www.losen-bockstanz.de
(no English version available unfortunately for now)


Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. "Commerce Equitable" or "Fair Trade" is evidently and more than ever a needed movement connecting producers and customers, to be aware of others and their cultural and traditional products based on high quality, natural components and craftsmanship

2009 Weingut Schloßmühlenhof (Schloss Müehlenhof) “Michel” Dass ist Müller-Thurgau Deutscher Perlwein mit zugesetzter Kohlensäure Rheinhessen Germany

2009 Weingut Schloßmühlenhof (Schloss Müehlenhof)

“Michel” Dass ist Müller-Thurgau
Deutscher Perlwein mit zugesetzter Kohlensäure
Rheinhessen Germany

A few months ago, while tasting with Savio Soares at the store, Matthew, the owner, and I fell in love for a delicious dry bubbly wine from Germany, more precisely a “Perlwein” (semi-sparkling), made by Schloss Müehlenhof, called “Michel Dass ist Müller-Thurgau”.

Weingut Schloßmühlenhof (Schloss Müehlenhof) is an estate, which now managed about 20 hectares of vineyard planted in the Rheinhessen region of Germany. The winery is located in Kettenheim, a village 3 kilometers south of Azley, a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde Azley-land, about 80 kilometers southwest of Frankfurt.

The Michel family produces a wide array of wines from various varieties. The varieties range consists of classic traditional varieties, such as Silvaner, Riesling, Weißer und Grauer Burgunder, Chardonnay und Sauvignon Blanc as well as lesser-known varieties such as Rebzüchtungen, Huxelrebe, Ortega, Morio-Muskat, Bacchus and Kernerrebe together. The red spectrum ranges from Portugieser and Dornfelder towards Regent, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and St. Laurent.

Wines are made with the upmost care for the environment, using sustainable natural methods adapted depending to the needs in the vineyards and in the cellar. Quality and consistency confer to their portfolio certain notoriety recognized all around the world. Crisp, vivid and focus, the wines from Schloss Müehlenhof are very good sought after values.

I probably should have written about their Michel Müller-Thurgau earlier in the season, because this wine is really dry and summery. Yet, it’s never too late and after all this wine can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

"Sekt" is the German term for quality sparkling wine. The majority of Sekt produced (around 95%) is made with the Charmat method. The remaining premium Sekt being made according to the “Méthode Traditionnelle”. Cheap sparkling wine usually made with CO2 injection must not be called Sekt, but rather Schaumwein (literally "foam wine" in German). A semi-sparkling wine is called Perlwein.

In fact, at first, I made the mistake of not paying so much attention to the label, only reading the bigger and more obvious letter: “Michel” and “Müller-Thurgau”. I thought that it was a dry still white wine, and it is only when I first tasted it that I realized that this wine had a fizz to it. Agreeably surprised but somewhat startled, I once again read the label. It says:

Michel “Dass ist Müller-Thurgau” “Deutscher Perlwein mit zugesetzter Kohlensäure” Rheinhessen Weingut Schloßmühlenhof – 55234 Kettenheim Bundesrepublik Deutschland Let’s try to disect this label:

"Michel" is the last name of the family which has owned and run the estate for the past 150 years, restructured and increased the vineyard in the 1920s and in 1985, established the name of "Weingut Schloßmühlenhof". Walter Michel and his wife Gabriele are proud to pass on the rein of the estate to their son Nicolas, who in 2007 has successfully completed his studies for viticulture and oenology. He benefited of his training in recent years not only in his parents' estate, but also in other vineyards in Germany and abroad to expand his horizon of experience. Diligently following his father’s steps, he would continue, to actively pursue the winemaking at the estate, combining tradition, natural methods and recent technology to maintain consistency and increase the quality of all of his wines.

“Dass ist Müller-Thurgau” literally means “this is Müller-Thurgau”, in a sense that this wine is a “kick-ass” Müller-Thurgau, and they are right about that, it is really excellent.

“Deutscher Perlwein mit zugesetzter Kohlensäure” literally means “German sparkling wine with added carbon dioxide (CO2)” which is exactly what this wine is: a semi-sparkling wine due to addition of CO2. Only difference with the regular fully sparkling “Sekt” is the method of course but more precisely the amount of CO2 added and therefore the “Bar” pressure that it implies. Perlwein’s pressure is between 1 and 2.5 bars, whereas in Sekt, the pressure is 3 bars or greater. Perlwein without the mention of “mit zugesetzter Kohlensäure” on the label, did not have any CO2 added and possesses bubbles due a secondary fermentation, generally occurring in stainless steel tanks, which has been stopped before the wine attained fully sparkling stage.

It is interesting to notice that German and French use somewhat the same term for a semi sparkling wine: “Perlwein” in German (semi-sparkling wine) and “Un vin perlant” in French, which literally and more metaphorically means a wine with a touch of fizz giving the taster the sensation to have multiple tiny airy pearls dancing with his tongue’s taste buds.

The following label slightly differs from the original, but you get the picture...



2009 Weingut Schloßmühlenhof (Schloss Müehlenhof) “Michel” Dass ist Müller-Thurgau Deutscher Perlwein mit zugesetzter Kohlensäure Rheinhessen Germany
Suggested retail price $11-$14
Imported / Distributed by Savio Soares in NYC

Made with 100% Müller-Thurgau vinified in stainless still tanks, the wine received an addition of CO2 before bottling topping the natural slight effervescence that may occur in young recently bottled white wine (the phenomenon is more current than people think, and people are often surprised when they taste that slight fizzyness in whites that just arrived on the market shortly after they were bottled).

Behind its pale yellow transparent color enlighten with greenish-silver reflects, ultra tiny bubbles may make you think that it is a young wine and that the bubbles will immediately dissolve in contact with oxygen, like for young wine recent bottled; nothing really to indicate that it is a semi-sparkling at this point, except the inaudible “pfffff” when you open the bottle. The nose is dry, clean and fragrant with light citrus and yellow stone fruit aromas combined with floral and mineral notes, and definitely no hints to let you guess that it will be sparkling. The palate is light, crisp enhanced by vivid acidity, with good structure and the same fruit and mineral flavors as in the nose. The expanding palate is quite delightful with refreshing fizzyness, nothing compared to real sparkling wine or Champagne. The finish is definitely super dry and crisp. What a wine under $15! Loved it. Definitely a friendly versatile food wine in my opinion, which will accommodate most dishes prepared with fish and white meat from the appetizers to the cheese.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Info partly taken and edited from the winery website at www.schlossmuehlenhof.de

Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines (and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide.

2007 Schmitges Rivaner Dry Mosel (Saar-Ruwer) Germany

2007 Schmitges Rivaner Dry Mosel (Saar-Ruwer) Germany
Suggested retail price $12-$14
Distributed by Vias Imports in NYC

This wine comes from the newly renamed "Mosel" wine region, known until August 2007 as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. The name was changed for marketing reasons, to sound less complicated (or less confusing), be more customer-friendly and appeal to a greater public.

The Schmitges family has been making wine in the village of Erden, Germany, since 1744. Erden is a small little "bourg" nestled on the south bank of one of the many curves of the Mosel river, in the Middle Mosel.

Opposite the village, located on the northern bank of the Mosel river and planted on really steep slopes facing south, thus with great sun exposure, very good drainage and naturally protected from the northern winds by the mountains, the estate's own 8 hectares of vineyards benefit a of a unique microclimate.

The vineyards are planted with 80% of Riesling mainly growing in the Erdener Treppchen and Erdeber Prälat sites, and about 20% of Muller-Thurgau. The diversity of the different soils also conveys complexity, great freshness and minerality to the many wines produced in this very particular blessed area.

In 1990, Andreas Schmitges, took over the family estate from his father Heinrich. With his wife, Waltraud, they quickly turned this property into one of Mosel's top wine estates and nearly triple the size of it over the years.

The vines are grown organically and yields are kept low in order to emphasize the fruit and the Terroir's unique expression. After hand-picked harvest, the grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press, then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The resulting wines rest for some time on their lees before final filtration and bottling. With respect for the environment and the desire to craft the best wines possible in mind, minimal yet careful interventions are made in the vineyards and in the cellar to maximize the quality of the wines.

Within the last 2 decades, Weingut Schmitges has become one of the finest wineries in the MittelMosel (Middle Mosel). The Schmitges family has really demonstrated assiduity and determination to bring their winery in the rank of the Top 30 Mosel's wineries.

2007 Schmitges Rivaner Dry Mosel is made from 100% Muller-Thurgau grapes. The nose is clean, fresh and zesty. In the palate, this wine also shows a clean, refreshing white fruit, peach, white blossom, lemony character, balanced and accentuated in the same time by a crisp, vivid acidity along with pronounced mineral notes. Overall, it is very balanced and super refreshing, full of minerals and really enjoyable. A perfect Summer wine to enjoy as an aperitif or light appetizers.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Step into the Green! Drink more Bio and Organic wines (and Food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment!

2007 Latitude 50 Spåtburgunder Brut Rosé Sekt B.A. Rheingau Germany

2007 Latitude 50 Spätburgunder Brut Rosé Sekt B.A. Rheingau Germany

Suggested retail price $19 - $22

Imported and Distributed by (our great friend) Savio Soares (selections)

Our good friend Savio Soares is already renown for bringing organic and biodynamic gems and values from France and Germany (and more), and once again he hit the spot, with this 100% Spätburgunder (more commonly called Pinot Noir) Rosé Sekt (Brut or sec) sparkling from Germany.

2007 Latitude 50 Spätburgunder Rosé is fresh, vivid, with multiple, fast paced bubbles and an elegant, tender, light pinkish onion skin color. This rosé is a sociable, easy-going and inviting bubbly. Surprisingly easy to drink, dry and bright yet ripe and light on its feet and fruity (and once again, remember that fruity doesn't necessarily mean sweet, in most case, it just imply ripeness or a fruitier taste than usual in therm of fruit not of sugar.... sweet is definitely a misleading word in the wine world vocabulary), it is an ideal dry sparkling rosé wine for any festive occasion (a toast, a lunch or a dinner, etc..). It was one of the highlights of 2008 end of the year Holiday's season and a no-brainer choice for taste and especially value. Saint Valentin is coming soon and this rosé will tenderly complement your eyes-to-eyes, cuddling time.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

For more info go to the revamped Savio's new website: www.savinho.com