Lieserer Niederburg-Helden Riesling Kabinett 2022

This Riesling is born on the Lieserer Niederberg-Helden lieu-dit, in Lieser, in the heart of the Mosel. The vines, more than sixty years old, cling to a very steep south-west-facing slope above the Moselle river. The grey and blue slate soils give the wine its mineral backbone and precision, while the coolness of the valley gives the fruit a particularly vivid expression.

The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted. They undergo ten hours of skin contact before spontaneous fermentation in stainless-steel tanks with natural yeasts. This approach favours aromatic radiance, finesse of fruit and the mineral purity typical of the great slate slopes of Lieser.

This wine reveals notes of spicy slate, lime, pink grapefruit, peach, ripe apple, honeydew melon, pineapple, mint and lemon balm. A fine touch of sweet spices underlines this bright, very fresh bouquet. The palate, light and juicy, combines delicate sweetness with vibrant acidity; its sleek texture rests on a clean mineral backbone and ends in a fresh, saline and very thirst-quenching finish.

Germany has a long and illustrious history of winegrowing. The Romans established the country's first vineyards along the banks of the Mosel, near the present-day city of Trier. By the third century AD, plantings had spread to various neighbouring valleys, mainly those of the Mosel's tributaries. In the Middle Ages, the Christian Church, particularly the Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries, had a great influence on the development of viticulture and the production of quality wine in Germany. Germany has always been renowned for its excellent white wines: slightly sweet, low in alcohol but always of high quality. In recent years, however, wine drinkers have tended to prefer drier wines. As a result, the German market has evolved to cater for every taste, with some splendid dry Rieslings and other white varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Grauburgunder. Warmer summers and milder winters have also favoured rosés and reds, with Pinot Noir now the third most widely planted grape variety in the country. So take your pick: from traditional Rieslings to great reds, the range is wide and still growing. The German wine industry lost its way in terms of quality during the 20th century, extending plantings onto less favourable sites and increasing yields to levels where quality was severely compromised. However, Germany's greatest wine producers were never entirely lost, and since the end of the 20th century considerable efforts have been made to restore Germany's former glory. Yields are now limited by law, and many leading producers have joined forces to form the VDP association (see German wine labels). Members of the VDP commit to focusing their efforts on quality rather than quantity. In terms of volume, Germany is among the world's top ten countries for annual wine production. Just over 60% of the wine produced is white, and it is widely accepted that the white wines from Germany's best sites and most renowned producers are among the greatest in the world. Germany's red wines are also gaining in popularity and quality, particularly those made from Spätburgunder, the local name for Pinot Noir. The second most popular red grape variety (in terms of hectares planted, at least) is Dornfelder.