Erdener Treppchen Riesling Eiswein
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2050
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Fruit-based tarts and crumbles, pungent blue cheeses such as Roquefort, and rich savory terrines or pâtés.
✨ Technical Specifications
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.
🍾 About the Producer
The historic Dr. Loosen estate has been in the Loosen family for over two centuries, situated along the dramatic, slate-lined slopes of the Middle Mosel in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. Since taking over management in 1988, Ernst Loosen has revitalized the winery by strictly focusing on low yields, meticulous vineyard stewardship, and minimal intervention in the cellar. The estate is blessed with extraordinarily old, ungrafted Riesling vines in legendary Grand Cru (Grosse Lage) vineyards such as Erdener Prälat, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, and Bernkasteler Lay. Dr. Loosen is globally celebrated for producing pure, expressive, and age-worthy Rieslings that range from vibrant dry bottlings to lusciously complex, mineral-laced Prädikat and dessert wines.
🍇 Grape Varieties
100% Riesling