Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 20 years from the vintage, with sweeter or higher-tier Pradikat styles capable of aging beautifully for several decades.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Spicy Thai or Vietnamese curries, classic roasted pork with apple sauce, and rich shellfish dishes like crab or lobster.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
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.
🍾 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.