This is probably the wine that encapsulates the vineyards that Daniel farms, and his Riesling style. All the components from the range of vineyards cover all bases here - delightful vibrant acid, a powerful lees-y mid-palate, and a wide spectrum of ripeness. It packs a punch for a Mosel riesling at this price. Fresh white stonefruit, lime oile, yellow peach and a savoury nutty finish, sitting perfectly dry. Fantastic drinking.
Nerdy Stuff
Producer: Daniel Fries
Variety: Riesling
Region: Mosel
Soil Type: Slate Rich Sand
Vintage: 2022
Alcohol: 12.0% ABV
Volume: 750ml
About Daniel Fries
Daniel is the 8th Generation of the Fries family who farm 8ha of vineyard in the village of Winningen, exclusively hand harvesting and without the use of herbicides. They farm a Riesling in 2 of the Grand Cru appellations of Uhlen and Rottgen, alongside one of the first estates in the Mosel to plant Pinot Noir in 1986.
This wine is a cuvée of multiple terraced vineyards around the village of Winningen. Everything is handfarmed on these medieval slate terraces, so without the use of tractors in the vineyard. As there’s literally more rock than actual soil in these vineyards and the roots hit bedrock after 1-2 meters maximum, the yields are naturally half of what you’ll get in flat vineyards. Wines from the terraces tend to be much more concentrated and mineralic, while showing a riper fruit profile. The microclimate in the terraces is much warmer than in the valley, as the stone walls and rocks on the ground heat up during the day and give off their warmth during the night which boosts maturity. A resulting constant wind uphill from the Mosel river helps to moderate the temperature, so the vine doesn’t overheat.
Winemaking
Handpicked, Sedimentation over night, fermentation with wild yeasts in big German oak barrels and stainless steel (~50/50), 10 months on full lees, gentle filtration, bottled in august 2023 and released in November 2023. 4 g/L of Residual Sugar
