Fritz Haag Riesling 2023

Weingut Fritz Haag farms 17 hectares of Riesling in Brauneberg, in the central Mosel valley, on an estate documented since 1605. The village was once called Dusemond and was renamed for the brown slate that covers its steep slopes above the river. That blue Devonian slate holds daytime heat and radiates it back to the vines at night, and its poor, stony structure forces the roots deep and keeps yields low, which concentrates flavour and lends the wine its saline, stony character. The cool Mosel climate and long ripening season preserve high natural acidity while the grapes gain aroma, so alcohol stays low at 11 per cent. Fermentation is kept clean and cool to protect the fruit and floral aromatics. The wine is pale with a green tint. The nose is precise, with lemon, green apple, white peach and white flowers over wet slate. The palate is light and taut, the acidity bright and the finish long and mineral. Serve at 8 to 10 degrees in a tulip glass.