Ben says
★★ Great Wine “The site for this wine’s vines is made up of very steep terraces and is called Ürziger Würzgarten, which roughly translates to “Spice Garden”. The wine itself is young enough to have recognisably lime sherbet, piercing green apple and a fresh salty aroma, which you might draw across any Mosel wine. Its excitement comes on the palate where spice, nuts and honey mingle with subtlety against the racy bright fruit. It has a long, rounded and very moreish finish. It has incredible ageing potential or, if you’re a glutton for acidity like me, it’s very enjoyable now.“
KEY POINTS
Varietal Riesling with 11.5% abv. Ürziger Würzgarten is one of the warmer microclimates in the Mosel. Cold-fermented in stainless steel tanks for up to 40 days and rested on lees for four months.
Grown in: Bernkastel, Mosel, GERMANY.
Food Pairing
Lime-driven wines work really well with creamy coconut spicy soups like laksa. You can offset the acidity with oily, fatty fish like mackerel or trout – if you like salmon make sure to crack enough black pepper over it to bring out the spice in the wine.
Disclosure & Price
Tasted at the Hallgarten portfolio tasting. Find in the UK for circa £20.00 at Great Wines Direct.
Reviewed and tasted: 20/02/2024
About the Producer
Winemaker Philippe Conzen, vineyard manager Volker Berres, and cellar worker Remigius Schetter, are the trio managing Weingut Monchhof today, one of the Mosel’s oldest wineries. It was established in 1177, with its name meaning “Monk’s Court”, and was formerly part of the Cistercian Abbey at Himmerod. Owned for a time by Napoleon and the Eymael family, it was purchased by vinophile investors when the last descendant of the Eymael family passed away.
