Riesling Auslese Niedermenninger Herrenberg
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 10 to 40 years from the vintage release, as its high acidity and sugar concentration allow it to develop immense complexity over decades.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Rich blue cheeses, classic fruit tarts, and moderately spicy glazed pork dishes.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Markus Molitor's Riesling Auslese from the Niedermenninger Herrenberg vineyard is a masterclass in Saar Riesling. Located in a cool side valley of the Mosel, the Herrenberg vineyard features steep, south- to southwest-facing slopes rich in iron-bearing devonian slate. Markus Molitor, who took over his family estate in 1984 at the age of 20, is legendary for his uncompromising quality and meticulous hand-harvesting, often selecting grapes berry-by-berry. This Auslese showcases the classic Saar tension: a thrilling tightrope walk between vibrant, electric acidity and luscious, concentrated sweetness, often enhanced by noble rot. Molitor's traditional winemaking involves spontaneous fermentation in large, neutral oak casks (Fuder), allowing the unique slate terroir and the cool microclimate of the Saar to express themselves with crystalline purity, intense minerality, and profound complexity.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Taking over his family's estate in 1984 at just twenty years old, Markus Molitor set out to restore the Mosel region's historic prestige through uncompromising quality and traditional craftsmanship. Based at the historic Haus Klosterberg in Bernkastel-Kues, the winery meticulously farms steep, slate-rich vineyards across the Mosel and Saar, utilizing extremely late hand-harvesting and spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak Fuder casks. Molitor is globally renowned for his precise, mineral-driven Rieslings—distinguished by white, green, and gold capsules indicating dryness levels—as well as his structured, elegant Spätburgunder. This obsessive dedication to terroir has earned the estate numerous perfect 100-point scores, cementing its status as an icon of German winemaking.