Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese 1*
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 10 to 35 years from the vintage, though outstanding vintages can easily cellar for half a century.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Spicy Asian dishes such as Thai green curry, rich blue cheeses like Roquefort, and classic fruit tarts or apple strudel.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Markus Molitor's Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese 1* is a masterclass in Mosel precision, hailing from the legendary 'spice garden' of Urzig. Unlike the blue slate characteristic of much of the Middle Mosel, the Wurzgarten's amphitheater-like cliffs are composed of iron-rich, red volcanic soil and weathered red slate. This unique terroir imparts a famously exotic, wild, and spicy character to the Riesling grapes. Markus Molitor, known for his uncompromising quality and artisanal approach, harvests these steep slopes entirely by hand. The grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, preserving the pristine purity of the fruit. The single-star (*) designation signifies a premium selection of highly concentrated grapes, resulting in an Auslese of remarkable tension, where luscious tropical fruit and rich honeyed notes are perfectly balanced by a striking, electric acidity.
🍾 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.