Dr Loosen
Dr Loosen has been in the same family for more than 200 years and its present guardian, Ernst Loosen, is one of the great characters of the wine world. He assumed ownership of the estate in 1988 and immediately realised that, with ungrafted vines averaging 60 years old in some of Germany's best-rated vineyards, he had the raw materials to create stunningly intense, world-class wines. To achieve this, Erni dramatically reduced his crop size and ceased using chemical fertilisers, preferring only moderate use of organic fertilisers. And, most importantly, he turned to gentler cellar practices that allow the wine to develop to its full potential with a minimum of handling and technological meddling.
Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Grösses Gewächs
This is the second year that Ernst Loosen has released a Reserve version of his Grosses Gewächs (grand-cru) dry Riesling from this vineyard. The juice is the same as that for the Ürziger Würzgarten Grosses Gewächs, but the difference here is the Reserve version is kept for 24 months on lees in 1,000-litre fuder cask, followed by a further year to settle in bottle before release. The aim is to show the importance of time in developing complexity and texture, as well as (perhaps counterintuitively) placing the specific vineyard characteristics into even sharper focus.
Blazing red and incredibly steep, the Ürziger Würzgarten vineyard forms a picturesque amphitheatre of red volcanic sandstone (called Rotliegend in German).
Tasting Notes
Although it lies directly adjacent to the vineyards of Erden, it produces a completely different kind of Riesling, with exotic, spicy aromas and exceptional earthiness. In some years, aniseed and even hints of Gewürztraminer can be detected.
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