Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese Nr49
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Extremely long-lived. While expressive in its youth, this Auslese typically peaks between 10 to 35 years from the vintage, though well-stored bottles can easily age gracefully for half a century.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Rich blue cheeses such as Roquefort, classic foie gras or savory duck liver pate, and spicy Sichuan or Thai cuisine like Thai or Sichuan dishes.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Hailing from the gravity-defying, amphitheater-like slopes of the Mosel, the Urziger Wurzgarten (literally 'spice garden of Urzig') is one of Germany's most legendary vineyards. Unlike the blue slate soils common to the region, the Wurzgarten is defined by a striking, iron-rich red volcanic soil and slate mix. This unique terroir imparts a famously exotic, spicy, and tropical character to the Riesling. Dr. Loosen's Auslese Nr49 is a masterclass in this terroir, crafted from late-harvested, botrytis-affected grapes meticulously selected by hand. The estate, led by the visionary Ernst Loosen, utilizes traditional Fuder (1,000-liter oak casks) fermentation to preserve the vibrant acidity and deep mineral core of these ancient, ungrafted vines, creating a wine of intense concentration, luscious sweetness, and fiery complexity.
🍾 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.