Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2042
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Spicy Sichuan or Thai cuisine, rich blue cheeses such as Roquefort, and classic fruit tarts or pear galettes.
✨ Technical Specifications
Markus Molitor’s Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese is a breathtaking expression of one of the Mosel’s most dramatic and legendary vineyards. The 'Wurzgarten' (meaning 'spice garden') is famous for its dizzyingly steep slopes and its striking, iron-rich red volcanic and slate soils, which stand in stark contrast to the blue slate found elsewhere in the region. This unique terroir imparts a famously exotic, spicy, and tropical character to the 100% Riesling grapes. Molitor, a master of precision, employs meticulous hand-harvesting—often in multiple passes to select only the finest botrytized or highly ripe grapes—followed by slow, spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in traditional, large oak Fuder casks. The resulting Auslese is a masterclass in tension, balancing luscious richness with a piercing, mineral-driven acidity that reflects centuries of Mosel winemaking heritage.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded upon an eighth-generation family viticultural heritage, Weingut Markus Molitor was transformed in 1984 when twenty-year-old Markus Molitor took over the estate at Haus Klosterberg with the dedicated mission of restoring Mosel Riesling to its historic world-class stature. Situated in Bernkastel-Kues in Germany's legendary Mosel region, the winery meticulously cultivates precipitous slate vineyards across renowned grand cru sites such as Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, and Erdener Treppchen. Molitor practices low yields, ultra-selective late hand-harvesting, and gentle spontaneous fermentation in ancient, deep vaulted cellars with minimal intervention. The estate is globally celebrated for its site-expressive Rieslings—distinguished by white, green, and gold capsules indicating dry, off-dry, and botrytized sweet styles—as well as remarkably complex, structured Pinot Noir.