Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2* (Green Capsule)
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed from 10 to 30 years from the vintage release, showing incredible evolution and complexity over decades.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Spicy Thai or Sichuan cuisine, roasted duck with plum sauce, and aged semi-hard cheeses like Comet or Gruyere.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
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.
🍾 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.