Lieserer Niederburg-Helden Riesling Auslese 375ml 2021

This Auslese comes from the Niederberg-Helden lieu-dit, on the steep slopes of Lieser, in the heart of Germany's Middle Mosel. Within the Mosel appellation, this south-facing vineyard lies on slate soils whose ability to store heat favours slow ripening of the grapes. The cool Mosel climate and the nearby river preserve the radiance and tension characteristic of Riesling.

Aged in stainless-steel tanks, this Auslese is made with a proportion of botrytised grapes, which heightens its concentration and complexity. The harvesting and fermentation details specific to this cuvée are not specified.

This wine reveals notes of lemon, lime, grapefruit, ripe peach, apricot, mango, pineapple, yellow apple, blossom honey, white flowers and wet stone. The palate combines generous sweetness with a delicate, creamy texture, remarkably balanced by lively, crystalline acidity. The long, saline finish retains a precise, airy expression.

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 are required to focus 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.