Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese, Josef Leitz, Rheingau

Description

Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese is one of Leitz’s top rieslings sourced from a single vineyard in the Rheingau. The vineyards of the prestigious Josef Leitz wine estate, in the Rheingau, are scattered around the town of Rudesheim which sits on the river Rhine. Johannes Leitz currently runs the estate with wine-maker Eva Fricke. Their vineyards in Rudesheim include Berg Schloßberg, Berg Roseneck, Berg Rotland, Magdalenenkreuz and the Drachenstein vineyard. The domaine is now 18 hectares large, the average age of the vines is 30 years old and the soil type is typical of the region, dominated by slate. The vineyards located at the Rudesheimer bend of the Rhine are warmer than the Mosel valley and most of Leitz’s vineyards sit at the prized mid-slope level. Many of the vineyard are so steep an precipitous that any spraying has to be done by helicoptor. Additonally there are dense forests that protect the vineyards from the cold winters. Jancis Robinson calls Johannes Leitz “one of the absolute superstars, not just of the Rheingau, but of German wine”. At Leitz the Magdalenenkreuz vineyard (literally meaning the Cross of Magdalen) is known as “Magda” for short!