Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spatlese

Description

Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spatlese is a German white wine from the Rheingau region.

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. Winemaker Johannes Leitz currently runs the estate. Their vineyards in Rudesheim include Berg Schlossberg, Berg Roseneck, Berg Rotland, Magdalenenkreuz and the Drachenstein vineyard. Leitz has grown the concern from 2 hectares to over forty since taking over from his father in 1985.

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 vineyards are so steep and precipitous that any spraying has to be done by helicopter. Additionally 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”.

The “Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz” vineyard is located to the east of Rudesheim where there are gentle hills with deep loess and loam soils, good content of chalk that retains water like a sponge in even the hottest vintages. The wines produced here are long-lived and fruity. At Leitz the Magdalenenkreuz vineyard, literally meaning the Cross of Magdalen, named after a red sandstone cross that can be found amongst the vines, is known as “Magda” for short!

In 2011 Johannes was recognized by the esteemed Gault Millau as “Winemaker of the Year.”