Nebbiolo Riesling 2008 2017 Germany Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

The Nebbiolo grape varietal is widely understood to be the fruit responsible for Italy's finest aged wines. However, its popularity and reliability as a grape which gives out outstanding flavors and aromas has led it to be planted in many countries around the world, with much success. These purple grapes are distinguishable by the fact that they take on a milky dust as they begin to reach maturity, leading many to claim that this is the reason for their unusual name, which means 'fog' in Italian. Nebbiolo grapes produce wines which have a wide range of beautiful and fascinating flavors, the most common of which are rich, dark and complex, such as violet, truffle, tobacco and prunes. They are generally aged for many years to balance out their characteristics, as their natural tannin levels tend to be very high.

Riesling grapes have been grown in and around central Europe for centuries, and over time, they became the lasting symbol of south Germany's ancient and proud wine culture. Whilst the reputation of German wines abroad has in the past been mixed, the Germans themselves take an enormous amount of pride in their wineries, and Riesling grapes have now spread around the globe, growing anywhere with the correct climate in which they can thrive. Riesling grape varietals generally require much cooler climatic conditions than many other white grapes, and they are generally considered to be a very 'terroir expressive' varietal, meaning that the features and characteristics of the terroir they are grown on comes across in the flavors and aromas in the bottle. It is this important feature which has allowed Riesling wines to be elevated into the category of 'fine' white wines, as the features of the top quality bottles are generally considered to be highly unique and offer much to interest wine enthusiasts.

As in many Old World countries, the rise of viticulture in Germany came about as a result of the Roman Empire, who saw the potential for vine cultivation in the vast flatlands around the base of the Rhine valley. Indeed, for over a thousand years, Germany's wine production levels were enormous, with much of the south of the country being used more or less exclusively for growing grapes. Over time, this diminished to make way for expanding cities and other types of industries, but Southern Germany remains very much an important wine region within Europe, with many beautifully balanced and flavorful German wines being prized by locals and international wine lovers alike. The hills around Baden-Baden and Mannheim are especially noteworthy, as these produce the high end of the characteristic semi-sweet white wines which couple so perfectly with German cheeses and pickled vegetables. However, all of Germany's wine producing regions have something special and unique to offer, and are a joy to explore and experience.

The beautiful German wine region of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (nowadays commonly referred to simply as ‘Mosel’) is surely the country’s star attraction when it comes to viticulture. Dramatic, historic and sensational, the wines which come out of this special region are renowned for their ability to beautifully express their unique terroir, as well as the fine, traditional methods which go into their production. One of the main features of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is the extremely steep slopes on which the vines are grown. They are perilous to negotiate, extremely difficult to maintain, but there’s no doubt in the local vintner’s minds that the results are absolutely worth the effort. The superb drainage these vineyards benefit from, along with the cool climate they receive, help to produce wines of remarkable character and balance which have an enormous global fanbase.

The most popular wine produced in Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is surely Riesling, the noble germanic grape which produces such fascinating, mineral characteristics in the bottle, and which can be drunk young or aged to create stunning results. Over fifty percent of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer’s fine vineyards are planted with Riesling, so popular are the wines made from this fruit. However, other white varietals such as Weissburgunder do very well here too, and red grape varietals like Pinot Noir also produce impressive wines.