Altenberg Riesling Alte Reben
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, seared scallops, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary Kanzemer Altenberg, one of the steepest and most famous vineyard sites in the Saar region, this wine is a monument to Germany's viticultural heritage. The vineyard's sheer, south-facing amphitheater of iron-rich red Devonian slate traps the sun's warmth, while the cool breezes of the Saar valley preserve a thrilling, electric acidity. Crafted from extremely old, partially ungrafted vines that dig their roots deep into the ancient rock, this Riesling captures an extraordinary depth of flavor. Van Volxem employs traditional, low-intervention winemaking, including spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and extended aging in large, neutral oak fuder casks. The result is a majestic, dry-style Riesling that balances opulent textures of yellow peach, quince, and exotic spices with a profound, smoky minerality, recalling the late 19th-century golden era when Saar wines were prized above the finest Bordeaux.
🍾 About the Producer
With viticultural roots reaching back to Roman antiquity and an 18th-century Jesuit monastery, Weingut Van Volxem is a historic estate situated in Wiltingen along the steep slopes of the Saar in Germany's Mosel region. The estate experienced a dramatic renaissance when Roman Niewodniczanski acquired it in 1999, dedicating the estate to restoring the Saar's historic reputation for world-class, dry-style wines crafted with artisanal precision. Working with venerable old vines across premier Grand Cru terroirs—including iconic sites like Scharzhofberger, Wiltinger Gottesfuss, and Kanzemer Altenberg—the winery practices low yields, hand-harvesting, and spontaneous fermentation in traditional wooden casks. Van Volxem is celebrated internationally for its powerful, mineral-etched Riesling Grosses Gewächs, old-vine cuvées, and expressive traditional method sparkling wines.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Riesling
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
12% - 12.5%