Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Located on the steep banks of the Mosel, the Graacher Himmelreich vineyard stretches around the village of Graach, upstream from Bernkastel, in the heart of one of Germany's most renowned wine regions. The vines, planted on steep south to southwest-facing slopes, rest on soils rich in decomposed slate that store heat and promote slow, complete ripening of the grapes. This cool, sloping terroir, typical of the Mittelmosel, imparts aromatic finesse, great purity, and marked minerality to the wines.
The Riesling grapes are hand-harvested in several passes to select berries affected by noble rot. After gentle pressing, the musts ferment slowly with indigenous yeasts at low temperatures in old oak foudres typical of the Mosel. Fermentation is stopped to preserve a subtle balance between residual sugars and acidity. Aging then continues on fine lees in these same large foudres until bottling, in order to maintain the aromatic purity and finesse of the Graacher Himmelreich terroir.
This wine reveals notes of stone fruit, ripe citrus, and exotic fruits, complemented by delicate floral touches and a subtle mineral dimension reminiscent of wet stone and sun-warmed slate. On the palate, the liqueur is full and silky, supported by a vibrant acidity that balances the residual sweetness and extends the finish, leaving an impression of precision, energy, and great aromatic purity.
Where are we traveling?
The Moselle
The Moselle is Germany's most famous wine region and also the third largest in terms of production. The best Moselle Rieslings are among the finest white wines in the world. Light and low in alcohol, they can be intensely aromatic with seductive floral and mineral notes and a wonderful balance of sweetness and acidity. The Moselle has a very cool, northern continental climate, and these slopes are highly effective at maximizing the vines' exposure to sunlight, facilitating grape ripening. The best sites also benefit from solar radiation reflected off the surface of rivers and onto the vines, and from the dark slate soil's ability to absorb heat during the day and release it to the vines at night. One of the drawbacks of these steep-sloping vineyards is that they are inaccessible to machinery, meaning that maintaining them requires up to seven times more manual labor than working on flatter terrain. It goes without saying (as with Côte-Rôtie) that some of the best white grape juices in the world can be extracted from these slopes.
The little history of the country
Germany
Germany has a long and illustrious history of winemaking. The Romans established the country's first vineyards along the banks of the Moselle River, near the present-day city of Trier. By the third century AD, vineyards had spread to various neighboring valleys, primarily those of the Moselle's tributaries. During the Middle Ages, the Christian church, particularly the Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries, had a significant 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. However, in recent years, wine drinkers have tended to prefer drier wines. Consequently, the German market has evolved to cater to all tastes with some splendid dry Rieslings and other white wine varieties, such as Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Grauburgunder. Warmer summers and milder winters have also favored rosés and reds, with Pinot Noir being the third most planted grape variety in the country. So, take your pick—from traditional Rieslings to great reds, the range is wide and still expanding. The German wine industry lost its way in terms of quality during the 20th century, expanding plantings onto less favorable sites and increasing yields to levels where quality was severely compromised. However, Germany's greatest wine producers were never completely 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 are bound by a commitment to focus their efforts on quality rather than quantity. In terms of volume, Germany ranks among the top ten countries in the world for annual wine production. Just over 60% of the wine produced is white, and it is widely acknowledged that the white wines from Germany's best vineyards and most reputable producers are among the finest in the world. German 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 planted hectares, at least) is Dornfelder.