Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay Auslese White Capsule 2020

Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay Auslese White Capsule is a single-variety Riesling from the Mosel, made by a family that has grown Riesling here for eight generations. The estate's white capsule marks a fully dry wine, so this Auslese takes the ripeness and concentration of late-picked fruit and vinifies it to dryness rather than sweetness. The fruit comes from the Bernkasteler Lay, a steep slope of blue Devonian slate above the Mosel. The slate stores the day's heat and reflects light onto the vines on these near-vertical sites, helping the grapes ripen fully in a cool northern climate, while the cold nights lock in the racy acidity that carries a dry Mosel Riesling. Long ageing on the lees builds texture and depth around that acidity. The colour is bright straw yellow with green tints. The nose is intense and precise, with white peach, apricot, lemon and white flowers over a clear, smoky slate minerality. The palate is dry, concentrated and firm, the ripe stone fruit driven by high acidity and a long, saline, mineral finish. At 11.5 percent alcohol it stays light on its feet despite the concentration. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees.