Van Volxem Schonfels Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2022

The Schonfels is one of the steepest sites in the Saar Valley, a tributary of the Moselle, and is among the sites classified as VDP.Grosse Lage. Its vines cling to steep slopes of Devonian slate, where a cool climate and long autumns allow the grapes to ripen slowly. The relief, the exposure and the poverty of the slate soils concentrate the fruit while preserving a vibrant acidity, the signature of the great Rieslings of the Saar.

The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of October and the beginning of November, with yields limited to around 5.5 tonnes per hectare. The musts ferment spontaneously with native yeasts in stainless-steel tanks. The wine is then aged in stainless-steel tanks and large wooden foudres, gaining depth while retaining the purity and tension characteristic of the great dry Rieslings of the Saar.

This wine reveals notes of vineyard peach, apricot, mirabelle plum, lemon zest, meadow flowers, linden blossom, sage and wet stone. The rich, juicy palate shows remarkable concentration and structure, barely softened by a touch of roundness. The very long finish is marked by a tannic firmness that still calls for a little patience.

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.