Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese Quarter Bottle 18.7cl 7.5% ABV

Description

Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese is a luscious, sweet German wine from the Mosel wine-growing region. It is made from Riesling grapes, which are affected by Botrytis cinerea (aka Noble Rot).

This noble sweet wine is presented in 187ml quarter bottles, the perfect size for gifting, stocking fillers, or for times when you only need a glass or two of sweet wine; an excellent opportunity to try a German Beerenauslese at an affordable price.

Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese Vineyards

The grapes for this wine come from old vines from Dr Loosen’s estate vineyards. These are situated on slate slopes in the Middle Mosel where the cool, misty autumn conditions promote the development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). This only happens in certain vintages.

These extremely concentrated, mould-affected grapes are painstakingly separated from unaffected grapes and are vinified to make one of Germany’s most desirable, sweet treasures.

Beerenauslese Harvesting & Vinification

• Hand Selection of Grapes: Pickers meticulously hand-select individual shrivelled berries (or small clusters) affected by noble rot, often at the halfway-to-raisin stage.
• Multiple Vineyard Passes: Several careful passes through the vineyard are required over weeks in late autumn to achieve perfect ripeness and optimal Botrytis concentration.
• Gentle Pressing: The selected berries are gently pressed to extract the thick, intensely concentrated must while minimising the extraction of bitterness from skins and seeds.
• Extremely Low Yields: Production is very limited, often yielding the equivalent of just 1–2 glasses of wine per vine.
• Slow, Natural Fermentation: The high-sugar must ferments slowly and naturally (often with native yeasts) in cool conditions, typically in traditional large neutral oak fuders (barrels) or similar vessels.
• Low Alcohol Level: Fermentation is stopped by chilling so that the resulting wine has an ABV of 7 to 8% ABV, thereby preserving sweetness and freshness.
• Dietary: Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Produced by Winemaking Legend Dr Ernst Loosen

The Dr. Loosen estate, one of the most highly regarded wine estates in the Mosel, has remained in the same family for more than two centuries. When Ernst Loosen (pronounced “loh-zen”) took the reins in 1988, he inherited a treasure trove of untapped potential: ungrafted, old vines, many averaging 60 years and some exceeding 100 years old, in some of Germany’s most prestigious vineyards. Ernst saw the opportunity to craft world-class, intensely flavoured wines using these exceptional raw materials.

He sharply reduced yields to concentrate flavours, banned chemical fertilisers in favour of more restrained organic alternatives, and committed to meticulous hand-harvesting and strict fruit selection. Most crucially, he adopted gentler cellar practices, minimising handling and technological intervention to allow the wines to express their potential fully.

Dr Loosen is consistently ranked among the top ten wine estates in Germany, alongside such renowned producers as J.J. Prüm, Fritz Haag, Egon Müller, Robert Weil and Hermann Dönnhoff.

The Best Vineyards in The Mosel

The Mosel’s steep, south-facing slopes and the proximity of the river create a perfect microclimate for Riesling. The vines get ideal exposure to the sun for excellent ripeness. Cool nights, even in the middle of summer, maintain the racy acidity in the grapes that is essential for clean, crisp Riesling.

The river reflects sunlight and holds heat to help ripen the fruit and protect the vines from freezing. The stony slate soil and numerous rocky outcroppings also hold the heat of the day and ensure full ripeness. Thin topsoil forces the vines to dig deep for nutrients, producing intensely minerally and vibrant wines. All viticulture is sustainable, according to strict German environmental regulations.

Buy Dr Loosen Beerenauslese quarter bottles at Fareham Wine Cellar now.