Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2032
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Spicy Thai or Vietnamese curries, classic roasted pork with apple sauce, and rich shellfish dishes like crab or lobster.
✨ Technical Specifications
The Urziger Wurzgarten (literally 'spice garden of Urzig') is one of the Mosel's most dramatic and unique vineyards. Rising precipitously from the river, this amphitheater-like cliff consists of iron-rich, red volcanic soil and decayed slate, which is highly unusual for the slate-dominated Mosel. This singular terroir imparts a famously exotic, spicy, and tropical character to the 100% Riesling wines produced here by the legendary Dr. Loosen estate. Ernst Loosen has long championed these steep, ungrafted old vines, some of which are over a century old. Traditionally fermented in large, neutral oak Fuder casks, this wine beautifully balances vibrant acidity with wild strawberry, kiwi, and distinct herbal spice notes, reflecting a winemaking heritage that spans generations.
🍾 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.