Erdener Treppchen Riesling Eiswein
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Extremely long-lived; typically best enjoyed from 10 to 40+ years after the vintage, as the intense sweetness and vibrant acidity harmonize beautifully over decades.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Fruit-based tarts and crumbles, pungent blue cheeses such as Roquefort, and rich savory terrines or pâtés.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Hailing from the legendary, vertigo-inducing slopes of the Erdener Treppchen vineyard in Germany's Mosel region, this rare Eiswein is a testament to extreme viticulture. Named 'the little staircase of Erden' after the stone steps carved into the hillside to help workers navigate the precipitous red slate cliffs, this vineyard yields Riesling of remarkable mineral intensity. To produce this liquid gold, winemaker Ernst Loosen takes a monumental gamble each year, leaving pristine grapes on the vine into the freezing depths of winter. Harvested by hand in the dark, freezing hours of early morning at temperatures of -7 degrees Celsius or lower, the grapes are pressed while still frozen. This coaxes out a tiny amount of highly concentrated, nectar-like juice while leaving the ice behind, resulting in a luscious dessert wine balanced by the Mosel's trademark electric acidity.
🍾 wine.about_producer
The historic Dr. Loosen estate, located in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel region of Germany, has been in the same family for over two centuries. Since taking ownership in 1988, Ernst Loosen has propelled the winery to international acclaim by focusing on the estate's extraordinary heritage of ungrafted, old Riesling vines—some over 120 years old—situated in historic grand cru sites such as Erdener Pr$lat, $rziger W$rzgarten, and Bernkasteler Lay. The winery's philosophy centers on minimalist winemaking and a deep respect for the region's diverse slate soils, which yield intensely mineral-driven, expressive wines. Dr. Loosen is globally renowned for its precise, elegant Rieslings, spanning from dry (Trocken) styles to exquisitely concentrated sweet expressions like Auslese, Beerenauslese, and rare Eisweins.