Westhofener Aulerde Riesling Auslese 375ml 2015

The Westhofener Aulerde Riesling Auslese comes from Rheinhessen, Germany's largest wine region, around the village of Westhofen. The Aulerde vineyard is located on hillsides with soils rich in loess, marl, and calcareous clay, offering a south to southeast exposure that promotes slow and complete ripening of the Riesling grapes for late harvest. This historic terroir, sheltered and relatively warm for the region, is renowned for producing white wines of great aromatic precision and pronounced minerality, characteristics found in this Auslese selection.

The winemaking process for this Auslese begins with a manual harvest, with careful selection of the ripest clusters, sometimes slightly botrytized, to ensure high aromatic concentration. The grapes are gently pressed, then the must ferments slowly at low temperatures, primarily in stainless steel tanks, which preserves the purity of the fruit and the aromatic finesse characteristic of Riesling. After fermentation, the wine is aged on fine lees for several months, still in stainless steel tanks, before being bottled in half-liter format.

This wine reveals notes of ripe stone fruits, candied citrus zest, fruit pastes, and exotic fruits, complemented by floral touches and a subtle mineral dimension evoking wet stone. The palate, full-bodied and concentrated, combines natural sweetness with a lively acidity that balances and makes this wine digestible.

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.