Altenberg Riesling Alte Reben Grosse Lage Nr23
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–20 years from vintage release, though exceptional vintages can cellar for decades.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted duck, creamy mushroom risotto, spicy Asian cuisine
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Hailing from the legendary Kanzemer Altenberg, one of the steepest vineyard sites in the entire Saar valley with a dizzying slope of up to 110 percent, this wine represents the pinnacle of Van Volxem's artisanal craftsmanship. The 'Alte Reben' (ancient vines) here are largely ungrafted and over a century old, digging their roots deep into the iron-rich, red Devonian slate soils. Historically, wines from the Altenberg were prized alongside the finest Bordeaux growths at the turn of the 20th century. Van Volxem vinifies this Grosse Lage masterpiece using traditional spontaneous fermentation in large oak fuder casks, allowing the wild yeasts to carve out a wine of immense structural complexity. The result is a majestic, multi-layered Riesling that seamlessly marries the Saar's cool-climate tension with an exotic, texturally rich mineral depth.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Located in the historic viticultural commune of Wiltingen along the Saar River, Van Volxem traces its heritage back to a Roman estate and later a Jesuit monastery before being acquired and revitalized by Roman Niewodniczanski in 1999. Under his stewardship, the estate has reclaimed its status as a premier producer, focusing on historic, steep-slope grand cru vineyards such as Scharzhofberger, Wiltinger Gottesfuss, and Kanzemer Altenberg. The winery is dedicated to traditional, artisanal practices, utilizing extremely low yields from ancient, often ungrafted vines, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and aging in traditional large oak fuder casks. This meticulous, terroir-centric philosophy yields highly expressive, mineral-driven Rieslings that beautifully balance rich textures with the Saar's signature vibrant acidity.