Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2* (Green Capsule)
⏳ Drinking Window
2025 - 2065
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Spicy Thai or Sichuan cuisine, roasted duck with plum sauce, and aged semi-hard cheeses like Comet or Gruyere.
✨ Technical Specifications
Markus Molitor's Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2* Green Capsule is a masterclass in the off-dry, or 'feinherb', style of the Middle Mosel. The Zeltinger Sonnenuhr vineyard is legendary for its incredibly steep, south-facing slopes of weathered Devonian blue slate, which capture the sun's warmth and reflect it back to the vines. The vineyard's name pays homage to the historic sundial erected in 1842 to guide vineyard workers. Molitor's unique capsule system uses the green capsule to denote off-dry wines that strike a sublime balance between residual sweetness and vibrant acidity. The two-star (2*) designation represents an elite selection of highly concentrated, partially botrytized grapes, meticulously harvested by hand. Fermented with wild yeasts in traditional large oak casks (Fuder), this Riesling showcases a profound mineral tension, exotic stone fruit aromas, and a complex, smoky slate character that defines this historic terroir.
🍾 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.